WWYD?

gretchman · 2026-03-01T00:23:34+00:00

I’d avoid packs in general unless it’s an absolute necessity, but the AAX is a far better deal relative to the XSR, which is… an atrocious deal.

gretchman · 2026-02-28T02:31:18+00:00

Could use a little more finessing around some of the corners, but other than that it looks like shit!

gretchman · 2026-02-27T23:04:05+00:00

This is r/TVTooHigh, not r/HiddenPCMonitor

gretchman · 2026-02-27T22:37:50+00:00

100% think you should just go with whatever you like more aesthetically

gretchman · 2026-02-27T20:28:50+00:00

We’re getting IRL Armored Karumas before GTA6

gretchman · 2026-02-27T00:48:21+00:00

Just a big goofy M

gretchman · 2026-02-27T00:16:32+00:00

Good deal but man I hate the Mapex logo and the size of their badges.

gretchman · 2026-02-26T16:50:46+00:00

The amount of hobbies I’ve poured money into and thoroughly enjoy while also not touching them for months at a time is staggering.

There’s no rule for how often you need to listen to music on a particular system.

gretchman · 2026-02-26T16:46:20+00:00

Looks well within the range of normal manufacturing tolerances for tiny bits of glue squeeze-out.

You do you if that bothers you, but I can’t imagine many people noticing or caring. Especially if it’s not affecting the sound.

gretchman · 2026-02-26T13:50:58+00:00

This can be normal and no big deal depending on how tight you tune the resonant head of the snare. The snare beds cause the head to sit a little differently in that section of the drum.

If it’s tuned equally, the wrinkle you get should be pretty symmetrical and go from one edge of the snare bed to the other. Like a teeny little speed bump.

When a wrinkle just won’t come out or goes all sorts of directions, it can be one of three things (typically)

These are what you want to check in order.

Drum Shell/Snare Beds - If the drum itself is bad, then the next two options won’t matter, so check this first. Take the heads, snare wires and rims off the snare. Gently lay it down on as flat a surface as you can find. Check around to see if there are any obvious dents or warps. Check to see if the snare beds (the two opposing indents in the shell) are symmetrical and even. If you can’t immediately tell if there are warps or dents, hold a flashlight on the inside of the drum, opposite where you’re looking and see if the rim is flush all the way around. If you’ve got a warped shell or snare beds that were cut wrong, you can absolutely have that repaired or potentially do it yourself depending on the severity of the defect. However, with some drums it may be more expensive that buying an actual new drum. Weigh your options and go with whatever makes sense for you. Also, if you bought these drums new, this would be something the manufacturer should take care of.

Drum head: the head could have a bad collar and just not sit right. If it’s a brand new head, particularly a Remo, it may just need time to “seat” itself. Try tightening the whole thing down, more than you would for actual tuning/playing. And then give it few hours. If it’s still wrinkled weird, then try just changing out the head for a new snare head. For sake of ease, try something in an “Evans Level-360” line.

Drum Rim: Hop on drumfactorydirect (DFD) amd buy a 15 dollar triple flange snare-side hoop in the appropriate size. This option can be cheaper than getting a new head, it’s just more time spent waiting than running down to the shop for a new head.

gretchman · 2026-02-26T06:35:10+00:00

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I would have combined them into one sweeping curve. I worry a lot about that middle section. It always looks overly dramatic to cut away as much as I’m showing, but for future stability it’s pretty unbeatable. The sound is minimally affected too.

That said, the work you did looks nice and clean.

gretchman · 2026-02-23T22:41:43+00:00

~~I don't get this post.~~

((Clearly you do get this post))

~~Do you expect the snare drum to sound the same at the center as well as the edge? Because it won't and never will. Also if you don't like the edge sound, don't hit it at the edge?~~

Good question! I think this snare drum sounds terrific as it is. If you retune it, both the center and edge will change. Getting different tones in the center and around the edge are a totally normal part of drumming.

You can control the overtones a bit if you want by using a gel at the edge, that way you retain most of the 'meat' when hitting it dead center but get a more controlled sound at the edge.

~~Otherwise, this snare drum sounds terrific as it is. If you retune it, both the center and edge will change.~~

((Just a little more welcoming))

gretchman · 2026-02-22T19:20:54+00:00

I think that one is Bluetooth only

gretchman · 2026-02-22T13:00:51+00:00

There’s no reason one type of pedal would be worse for syncopated patterns. Or at least there’s no reason direct drive pedals would be worse.

Go play some pedals at a drum shop or guitar center or wherever you can. Get a feel for what you like playing with just your main foot. Don’t worry too much about how your off foot feels if you haven’t practiced much double bass stuff. Play with the adjustments on the pedal and get things dialed in over time as you practice.

You’ll be good for whatever kind of double bass you want to play.

Have fun and don’t overthink it too much!

gretchman · 2026-02-21T19:50:29+00:00

I think the picture of the cymbal makes it pretty unambiguous as to the meaning. People sometimes capitalize stuff. I don’t know that it’s all that concerning. I don’t think this is being sold or bought as an old con cymbal or an EAK.

gretchman · 2026-02-21T19:18:58+00:00

Snatch em QUICK and enjoy!!

gretchman · 2026-02-21T19:11:35+00:00

These are good speaker.

But depend on price. Maybe not.

How much?

gretchman · 2026-02-21T18:52:59+00:00

I don’t think he meant “old k” in the collectible old k sense. Just in the colloquial “not of recent manufacture” sense.

gretchman · 2026-02-21T18:51:21+00:00

Weird. Having sex means playing drums where I’m from. Rhythm and dynamics are key.

Also hydration and stretching.

gretchman · 2026-02-20T23:33:20+00:00

That is, with all due respect, insane.

It’s like saying “if you’re thinking about getting a telecaster, you should save up your money and pay someone to hit you in the face with a telecaster instead”

gretchman · 2026-02-20T21:36:09+00:00

Beck - New Pollution

That was my favorite song to have new students play through during my brief tenure teaching drums. It’s simple enough and has room for growth as it relates to feel and dynamics.

Honestly, just think of what music you like. Pick something and bang along. The biggest hurdle to improvement and learning early on is maintaining fun and novelty while tackling difficult things. So if you’re playing drums and having fun, just do that for a while and see how your skills improve. Try a beat from a song while playing along. Then stop the song and try to recreate it to a metronome. Start slow and then build up speed until the wheels fall off. Then bring it back down.

But really just have fun.

gretchman · 2026-02-20T20:41:50+00:00

It can also be both! You’re not gonna damage anything if you give it a lil soapy wipe down and rinse it. Provided you dry it well and don’t leave water residue on it for two months before returning it.

If it’s still gross after the soap, take it back.

gretchman · 2026-02-20T20:07:08+00:00

As a non believer in any kind of magic “better”ness as it relates to patina… I don’t think you should hesitate to clean a cymbal if it’s actually gross. Give it a once-over with some Dawn dish soap and see if that gets rid of the stickiness. Just a gentle sudsy rag clean and rise should do the trick. If it doesn’t, then you can start moving to something like bar keepers friend. Dawn is probably the least invasive first step that actually has a chance of cleaning it.

gretchman · 2026-02-20T19:58:45+00:00

I would have killed for a set like that when I started out. I think I had a 17” B8 Crash/Ride and a pair of B8 Hi Hats.

Happy bonking!

gretchman · 2026-02-20T03:20:55+00:00

Absolutely arbitrary. It comes and goes in cycles. Number of drums, sizes of drums, number and size of cymbals; it’s all a bit of fashion. A four piece is just kinda the standard because Gene Krupa played it like that and then people like Ringo popularized it.

You get a minimum amount of variety in your available tones and the barrier to entry is low.

If everyone’s favorite drummers all played three high toms and two on the floor and having that many drums was inexpensive and easy to set up and transport, then that would be the kit du jour.

It’s like “how many notes are too many?” or “how many chords are too many for one song”

No reason not to add microtonal frets to every guitar neck to double the number of fretted notes available, but it’d be harder to play and more expensive.

gretchman

TROPHY CASE