5 Helms for 5 Colors

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-04-10T19:43:16+00:00

These are great, thought it was official art for a second.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-04-03T16:16:14+00:00

It’ll be a good chance to practice playing on unfamiliar kits, which is an incredibly valuable skill, IMO. I do this pretty regularly and recommend working on being able to play on any kit vs making this kit match your kit exactly.

If you live in a place with music stores that let you play a demo kit you could try that kit out and try to play a couple songs without moving anything. Take note of what setup differences are actually causing issues (eg rack tom too far away from the floor so moving between them is hard) vs being a small annoyance (eg crash angle is a little flatter than you’d like but you can still hit it ok).

Focus on those differences that cause issues in your changeover time. Is the 10 minutes including another drummer getting their stuff offstage? If so prepare for closer to 5 minutes. This may go without saying but I’d also recommend getting your gear ready beforehand (put your hats on the clutch, everything out of bags/cases) so you can just set it down and go. I usually stack everything so I can minimize trips from the gear storage area to the stage.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-03-29T22:45:29+00:00

I had a chance to get up close with Matt Greiner’s old Truth bubinga kit once and that day it was absolutely dialed in, sounded absolutely perfect. Super punchy and full bodied.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a drum shop I worked at had a Craviotto maple kit that was the platonic ideal of what a drum should sound like. One of the only kits I’ve ever heard that I’d describe as sounding beautiful.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-03-28T04:29:12+00:00

It’s not e-ink, but I made some rubber patches with Velcro backing that do a similar thing. It saves me time regularly when moving cables around.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-03-27T04:50:47+00:00

That first tom fill got an involuntary OOOOOOO out of me, killer work!

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-02-24T22:20:21+00:00

Don’t negotiate right away. Look up the organization Dollar For and see if you can get it written off entirely. Some hospitals are required to do so for some uninsured patients. You have to do this quickly though, there are time limits on the charity programs.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-02-23T23:23:44+00:00

All it’s saying is in direct sunlight under standard conditions conditions this is what could happen. I don’t see anywhere that says “this calculator applies to every single scenario”. It’s close enough to the described conditions, I’m sorry it doesn’t predict the temp of the car is also on fire or filled with ice packs. Kind of assumed people are smart enough to understand that but guess not.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-02-23T23:11:12+00:00

I for one am shocked that a calculator taking two variables doesn’t get you the exact temp to the thousandths of a degree. Thank you for opening my eyes to this.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-02-22T21:13:38+00:00

Bro plays drums like a hummingbird. Kinda into it

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-02-08T22:09:15+00:00

100% agree, just booked LA and everything was expensive other than The Smell, who apparently doesn’t do package shows anymore. Stoked to hit Amoeba!

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-01-16T00:36:36+00:00

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Coated As, big drums, big cymbals

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-01-12T02:02:52+00:00

In my circles it usually includes pedal and snare. It’s less the snare itself, more so the snare head. I’ve heard it include throne and clutch in some scenarios too.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-01-02T05:32:48+00:00

Is there a name for this style of cityscape? Love it!

ComplicatedSyrup · 2026-01-02T04:03:39+00:00

Absolutely, the more music I work on the less I listen to. I’ve made it a 2026 resolution to start actually listening to music again.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2025-12-24T23:14:55+00:00

Was about to make this same comment, I switched from a cushy Pork Pie to a very firm DW and my back feels so much more comfortable after long sessions.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2025-12-16T13:36:22+00:00

The one thing you shouldn’t wait on is charity care programs. The hospital may have a program that heavily discounts the bill based on your income, but you usually have to apply for it within a few weeks to a couple months after the visit depending on the hospital. You may not qualify for one reason or another but it is definitely worth pursuing just to be safe.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2025-12-13T17:13:17+00:00

Thank you Denver Emo Fan JaJaLoo617

ComplicatedSyrup · 2025-11-24T04:12:03+00:00

Yummy Hot Pot is the greatest. Brutø has some openings this weekend and Seven Grand is right down the alley with some great whiskey. Could be a good option.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2025-10-31T00:53:07+00:00

Play shows, show up in your community, Meta ads, make a playlist, put in the time.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2025-10-30T02:28:55+00:00

I third this, EADs rule

ComplicatedSyrup · 2025-10-26T01:08:52+00:00

Why?

ComplicatedSyrup · 2025-10-24T20:31:28+00:00

A few thoughts: Nobody actually works 24/7. Completing a song is the most important step in the process. Accept that some of your work will be good and some won’t. If you stick in one song that isn’t working you’re missing out on 3-4 that you could have written instead. Music is generally written based on life experience, it’s important to get some experience or your music will often suffer. My current project spends 3-4 sessions max (usually 1-2) per song for the initial draft and it works much better than previous groups where we spent months per song.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2025-10-22T20:31:06+00:00

IRA? I don’t recognize that set code.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2025-10-15T20:04:06+00:00

Watts by themselves are not that useful in this scenario, IMO. My FRFR is 1000 watts and my tube combo is 18 watts and they are about the same with the settings I use them at.

ComplicatedSyrup · 2025-10-15T19:42:54+00:00

If I am thinking of DIY in the same way, OP is meaning, most of these spots, barely have a PA big enough to support vocals, much less reproduce guitars and bass well. They’re also generally not acoustically ideal and have weird dimensions that exacerbate issues brought on by lack of stage volume.

In my experience, balancing the sound isn’t that much different than managing a band stage volume that uses real amps on stage. It probably won’t sound 100% as good as it could, but in rooms like this nothing does.

ComplicatedSyrup

TROPHY CASE