Well, I’ve been using the Zoom H2 for quite a while now and I do love it.  It’s a great live stereo recorder, but I do find I’m moving out of that style of recording now.  It’s great to lay down quick ideas and is the best mobile “sketch-pad” available I do think.  I find myself leaning towards some of the new units out there, either in the 4 or 8 track world.

One that has really caught my eye is from Tascam, the DP 008.  These were launched near the end of 2009 and are quite the little units.  The 4 track is great, but at the price point of the 8 track…who couldn’t use the extra tracks.  It’s around $330 CAN plus taxes available locally, which is pretty good for what this thing can do.  It has 8 tracks (uh..ya!), individual knobs for dialing in each track, built-in reverb and EQ settings, two XLR (with phantom) and 1/4″ stereo in’s, and you can run a footswitch for punch in/out.  It also has two onboard stereo condensor mics, that catch the “sketch-pad” ideas, not unlike those of the H2.  This sucker isn’t very big either, about 11″ x 6″ making it super compact for gigs, jamming or remote recording locations.  The unit runs on batteries or AC adaptor and can be fully monitored using external speakers or headphones.

The way I’m typing here, I’m starting to sell myself on it for Christ sakes!  I’m 80% of the way there on it anyway…just have to bite the bullet and sell the H2 and move up.  I was also looking at the Zoom R16, which is there “smaller” version of the HD16 but rather than a hardrive, you save to SD directly (with no CD burner).  The R16 gives you great flexibility with 16 tracks and 8 simultaneous XLR inputs.  This is a big plus compared to the DP 008 with only 2 track sim-recording.  The cost jump is substantial though, about $580 once taxes are topped-up.

The R16 is the next step before a studio type set up I think, while the DP 008 is more of a basement/garage type recorder.  These 4 and 8 track units were based on Tascam’s long running 4 track tape portastudio success.  The 8 track is definitely a good option for us lads that don’t want to go “full-out” and buy crap loads of gear and start a mini-studio.  My needs are to get ideas down, and polish them to “near-studio” quality….at least CD demo quality.  I’m not looking for Abby Road or anything…maybe Albert Road?

Anway’s kids, check out the new digital options out there for portable recorders…it’s nuts how many there are to choose from!

Peace;    The Worm ~

Well, it’s been a while since I blogged, so I have some catching up to do!  The end of 2009 went swimmingly as usual with the normal holiday cheer and debauchery.  For New Years I went to Montreal and in my travels decided to take a trip to a great drum shop down there; Drum Bazar. 

I’ve been to this place before, but since my last visit they have also added a huge guitar section to their arsenal.  As always, there were tons of drums on the floor to tickle as you stroll around.  The employees there are really cool and don’t bother you when you’re checking stuff out.  I tapped a bunch of snare drums around the store, but kept coming back to a Sonor snare that had a great sound.

After about an hour in the store looking (and drooling…) I decided to buy the Sonor snare drum…it was just too good a deal to pass up ($99 on sale).  So, I brought it home and tuned it up, and I gotta say…what a great little snare drum!  It’s a 2007 Sonor Special Edition Birch 13″ x 7″, in a natural lacquer finish.  The thing is crazy poppy-cracky, and the birch-wood really puts this thing near a metal/steel snare drum volume, but less harsh.

I’ve played two shows with it so far, and I’m very pleased with the sound and volume I get out of it, unmic’ed.  The 13″ x 7″ measurement is more of a “Emo-New Metal”/trendy size drum, but this thing is very versatile.  The rim shots are killer and it has nice ghost note ability, with a good tuning range.  Tuned high is better with this drum for sure!

So, check out Drum Bazzar next time you’re in Montreal.  It’s a great place with a great staff and awesome selection on drums and guitars; not like that ass-munch place ”Steve’s” downtown…don’t waste your time with those dicks…

Peace,   ~the Worm

Well, since the last post I made I decided to drill and re-tap the holes on the original parts of my 6.5″ x 14″ Slingerland snare drum.  I just couldn’t bring myself to toss that great vintage hardware.  I though hey, if I drill it an it breaks or doesn’t except a tap, I’ll just buy new ones…no biggie.  So after removing the heads and hoops I removed the butt plate and throwoff.  I’ve always wondered what the metal was in this snare drum, so I was finally about to get my chance to see beyond the plating!

After drilling out the holes one size up in screw size, I notice the shavings on the workbench.  The ones from the butt plate side are very coppery coloured, while the throwoff side was more steel/brass coloured…interesting!  So I would imagine the shell is some sort of combination as these parts were.  I doubt Slingerland took the time to select different metals back in the 70′s for each part.  I’m sure it was one big batch of alloy that they used for everything, and then plated the whole bajeesus in chrome.

After re-tapping the freshly drilled holes and test-fitting the new bolts, everything was nice and tight…pretty good for my first try.  After re-assembly I put the hoops and heads back on, laced up the snares and tuned her up.  Ahhh, as good as new again!  One thing I did notice during this whole process, was the metal was very soft and easy to drill/tap.  One must be careful when changing snare wires or adjusting the straps/cords on these particular snare drums.  I wouldn’t want to strip the screws out a second time…I got no more metal to drill and re-tap!!

In closing, if you have a snare drum that this happens to don’t be afraid to get your hands in there and get a little dirty.  Snare drum replacement parts are plentiful and if you screw up, oh well..just buy new ones!  I’m glad I tried this route rather than just changing them out in the first place.  There is something to be said for fixing what you got, rather than tossing them.  Now the old snare drum stays all original (accept for the new shiny bolt heads…) and it only cost me $15 for a tap kit.  Not bad.

Peace,   The Worm~

Well, I have had a few chronic problems with a few of my beloved drum pieces over the last few weeks, so I thought I would share.

First, my 1970′s CB700 kit.  I completely rebuilt this thing about a year ago.  I stripped and re-wrapped all four pieces in beer labels…yes, beer labels; changed all of the tom mounts, and installed new Gibraltar mounts and arms for all.  I redid the bearing edges, re-drilled a lot of mount points and reinforced a few things.  After re-assembly everything was going swimmingly, until at a gig, one of the tom lugs snapped.  The sucker just sheared right of at the screw points.  The original lugs with this kit are some cheap pot-metal type alloy, and obviously have had their day.  I made sure everything was snugged down after assembling, but I didn’t over-tighten anything.  So, I had some replacement lugs that matched the bolt pattern of these suckers, and swapped it out.

Last weekend my band was recording, and low and behold, the night before recording not one but TWO lugs were sheared off and hanging on the side of the drum.  What the shit?  I kept some replacement lugs in a Ziploc in my gig bag, just in case something like this woulds happen again, and I’m glad I did.  So, after removing the heads and installing the new lugs, I tuned everything up and was ready to go again.  The morning of recording I was tuning my drum kit, and I noticed a weird vibration sound.  I just couldn’t find out where it was coming from…then I found it.  Inside one of my rack toms was a screw and washer rolling around!  Damn it, off comes the heads on this one now, and the lug-swapping continues.

I have lost six lugs off of these drums so far, and it’s a royal pain in the hoop.  I think it’s time to go online and search for some quality replacement lugs and do it right!  I love the kit, so it’s well worth it.

The Slingerland snare.  My 6.5″ x 14″ chrome wonder has fallen ill, with a case of stripped-screws!  Friggin’ hell man, it sucks.  Both the throw-off and butt plate screws are done, and they’re Phillips head screws and not drum key heads.  So, I’m at a crossroads.  Do I A: drill out and re-tap the holes to accept a larger drum key head style screw, or B: replace the throw-off and butt plate with newer models that have drum key heads.  It’s tough.  The throw-off is older, so things could happen with it down the road, but it’s very cool and vintage looking.  It would be a shame to toss them out.  I don’t know, I have to think about it.  I may do the drilling and see how it goes.  I’ll post pic’s of the “chop” so you can check it out.

In conclusion, you never know what’s gonna happen to your gear when it’s more of the vintage quality.  I guess that’s what comes with us drummers trying to be all “Retro”!

Peace;    The Worm ~

Well, once again I would like to add a few thoughts to my past posts on snare drums and tuning.  A few weeks back I broke a snare cord!  I know, I was as shocked as you are;-).  So, I had to tie both pieces together and finish the jam session that way.  At least it was only practice, and I wasn’t on stage or anything.  It just goes to prove an emergency kit is a drummers best friend!

On that note, let’s talk about components of an emergency kit that no gigging drummer should be without!

1) A roll of duct tape or Gaff tape (if you can find it, and want to pay the price for it).  This is used for easy fixes, drum head cracks and dampening as well as many other things!

2) Extra snare cord (wire and/or straps) & and extra snare wires (or snare drum to make life easier)  It’s easier to pull another snare drum onto your snare stand, then try and swap snare wires in the middle of a show.

3) Tools: A multi-tool.  This is the best invention ever I think.  Get one that has assorted screw driver heads, cutting implements (knife/scissors), pliers, bottle opener (for beers…), and anything else you can imagine.  These are light weight and don’t take up a lot of room in the gig bag.  A set of Allen keys as well, these can adjust pedals and weird things that you thought had a drum-key head.  And of course a drum-key!  Man, what would you do without this!!  I keep mine on a lanyard around my neck during setup, and I have yet to lose it.

4) Hardware: metal washers (that fit your stands or standard bolts/screws on your kit), some extra tension rods and lug screws (if needed).  I have an old 70′s kit with cast aluminum lugs, and have broke a few here and there during shows.  I actually keep some replacement lugs on me, in case I need to swap one between sets….I like to make life hard for myself – Ha!

5) Extra bass drum beater, cymbal felts and a small roll of thin braided nylon cord.  The cord can be used in case a chain breaks on your pedal, for a snare cord in a pinch, or for anything else you need to lasso!

Well, that’s pretty much it, but it depends on the drummer.  You can add anything you want, this is just the basic necessities I think.  Preparation is important, so early-on put together a kit and pack it with you every time you gig.  You’ll need it at some point!

Peace,    The Worm ~

Check out this band….you won’t be sorry!

Peace,   The Worm ~

I felt compelled to blog about the current overreaction on the swine flu jazz, that’s been happening over the last week or so.  It just goes to show that the media is starving for a news story.  OK, so I’m sure that swine flu sucks, but probably not anymore than normal influenza.  Has everyone had that by the way?, puking & crapping your guts out, head aching like you’re gonna friggin’ die.  Well, swine flu has all those basic symptoms…it’s a type of flu.  The only difference is it starts with animals.  In most cases it stays within them, but sometimes it adapts away from it’s host and becomes a human contagion.

I don’t know why the media has to throw the public into a panic.  Actually, I take a step back, why do WE the public take what they say so seriously, and freak out like we do?  Is it the global panic since 9-11 that everyone is out to get us, and that we can even go to the corner store anymore, cause we may get raped, or shot, or mugged, or ran over by a bus??  It’s just too much, I can barely take it anymore.  I’m so sick of news broadcasts that do nothing but invoke panic on the world.  We have to turn our TVs off for a bit, and start living our lives again.  It’s just nuts!

What makes me laugh harder is when the media posts articles on what politicians think of the outbreak, and of course they say it’s an “epidemic” and won’t travel with their family because of it…..ok, am I high?, when did a politicians opinion mean jack shit to anyone?  Have we asked these people for advice somewhere along the line?  I don’t remember asking…  Politicians are the furthest-detached-from-reality idiots that you will ever find.  Most are crooked, they’re way over paid and have no sense of what the average citizen worries about day to day, and are only concerned with lining their pockets or being famous…that’s pretty much it.

So, in closing people, the swine flu is another flu, that’s all.  Every year hundreds of people die from “normal” influenza…these cases are not reported in the exaggerated fashion that this outbreak is.  The flu sucks!, flu season comes and goes and that’s a part of life.  People will always get the flu, there nothing we can do, but we will survive!  If we can go through wars and plagues and depressions and still come out on top, we can handle this.

Our generation is obsessed with sickness & health, and we yo-yo between the two like we’re all Saints.  If your fat you’re gonna die, if you get sick your not healthy enough, if you’re skinny you need to eat, if you smoke you’re Satan, if you’re pretty let’s give you money for doing nothing, if you drink you’re a horrible person, and on, and on, and on, and on……..sad people…very sad.

Peace,  The Worm ~

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve dropped a few thoughts on the old blog, so I think it’s time to catch up!  I would like to talk about travelling South, mostly based on the security side of things.

My wife and I recently travelled to Mexico on SkyService airlines (Transat owned I believe) which was a very enjoyable flight, to and from Mexico.  I was really surprised though, how lax the security was at both ends, both ways.  First let’s start with the Ottawa airport.  I hadn’t taken a trip South in about 8 years, so I was nervous, forgetting a lot if what to expect.  The last time I flew was 4 days after 9-11, so the tight security measures weren’t really applied yet.  Talking to friends over the years, they said how much of a pain in was, emptying their carry-ons, having stuff taken from them, nail clippers, lighters and the like, so I was apprehensive.

I made sure our luggage wouldn’t go over weight, and my carry-on had no liquids in it, nor clippers, lighters, sharp things, etc.  I was being way too cautious!, what a joke.  My wife and I walked through check-in like we were at a fair or a flea market.  Two of the guards were joking with each other and talking, not paying any attention to us what so ever.  I could have had a gun on me, and I would have strolled right past them.

After passing through the metal detector (guns & bombs can be made of plastic people!) I was in.  I tell you, it wasn’t a very comfortable feeling in the least.  They should at least try to act like their checking people.  I got one look, a smile and my carry-on handed back to me.  Well, what do you think, I’m gonna say “Oh ya, I have a gun on me, do you need to see that?”  Those little wavy wands they have don’t pick up anything but metal.  If I was an extremist, don’t you think I would find away to stash my metal pieces, and have plastic explosive or something else on me?  Good old frisking is the may to go…Christ they frisk you before you go into a music concert…..

When we landed in Mexico, talk about confusing.  I don’t want to get on a rant or anything, but the airport is like a corral, herding people in one direction, and the other.  Not very pleasant, but anyway, it was the fastest run through customs I’ve ever seen, grab your bags, passport please, see ya, out into parking lot!  I guess it’s to get you to spend money as fast as possible, not to worry about legal crap. Plus they are leading you to the slaughter basically, right into the sharks outside the airport trying to get you to take a $200 cab ride, or buy a timeshare from their cousin.  Very annoying!  The bottom line is, welcome to Mexico, buy this!

Leaving Mexico was the same things, boom-boom through customs, into the waiting area, on the plane, and home.  Very quick.  I could have had a pound of weed on me, or a few condoms of cocaine up my pipe, and no one would have checked me.  I love Mexico!

Landing in Ottawa was typical, it was a shaky ride home I tell ya!, not very fun.  Into the airport we go and on to customs.  Now, Canadian customs on the other hand, is a different story.  These guys must watch too much CSI or CNN, cause they treat you like criminals.  They do know we’re Canadians right?  I was gone a week…I live here…can I get in please?  The security dude gave us the typical run around, where do you work, how long were you gone for, what is your occupation….I swear, all he was missing was the lamp to shove in my face!  What a douche.  Welcome home, now, bend over you drug smuggler.

In closing, security is not the greatest at any airport I think.  They generally believe that 99.9% of the people are honest, and are travellers…that’s it.  The other .1% are the crazy extreme motherfuckers, that everyone hopes aren’t there that day.  People in general are opportunistic, and will use a system to their advantage if they can get something out of it.  Why else would the drug trade in Canada and the US still have the power it has?  Listen, if a trafficker comes up to a weaker person, maybe someone who has been peed-on their whole life, who’s boss treats them like shit, and is making $10 a hour to load luggage onto a ramp, and says “dude, $1000 you put this bag on the plane.”, 9 times out of 10, he’ll do it.  It would take two seconds, and no one would be the wiser.  After that, let the pick up dude snag it in the airport.  There’s an easy $1000 for a kid who doesn’t give a shit.

I don’t blame them for what they do, it’s the sky-bomb terrorists that I hate.  Listen shit-for-brains, you want to kill yourself, go ahead, but don’t take me with you.  We all have choices to make in life, and should be able to make them for ourselves.  Plus, what a pussy way to go….kill a bunch of people who you don’t know, just so you can be martyred and live with 75 virgins in some fake-heaven fucking place?  Man, if they had any sort of decent entertainment in the middle-East, other than “let’s shoot Mohamed”, maybe they wouldn’t be so extreme and violent.

An idle mind is the Devil’s workshop…….no truer words have been spoken.

Peace,     The Worm~

Well, onto another favorite topic of mine…food!  This will be a short article, but one that people should read, especially if you live in the NCR region of Ontario!

I’ve searched and searched for consistency when it came to finding the best pizza joint around town.  There are many that tote themselves as being “the best”, but they all fall short of the mark….except one.

The only pizza place in Ottawa that has the best value, homemade taste, price point, turn-around time and consistency is Merivale Pizza & Wings.  Their delivery time is consistent between 30-45 minutes, and they have never been late in the 5 years I’ve been ordering from them.  The pizza; well it’s the best.  It’s big, the sauce tastes homemade, the topping are fresh and plentiful, and of course the cheese is piled on…on top of everything that is!  There’s nothing more that I hate is when pizza joints put their toppings on the top of the cheese…why?  The cheese is meant to hold everything on man, not get buried in toppings where it gets pale and unmelted.

The crust is great too, puffy and well done.  None of that pale floury cardboard “Pizza-Pizza” crust here my friends, only the best!  I have to say that my favorite hands-down, is their Meat Lovers pizza.  It’s massive, each piece weighing it at two pounds a slice!…ok, maybe not, but it’s heavy dude!  Tons of bacon, ham and sausage load on, cooked to perfection…man, I’m getting hungry just thinking about it, I’d better stop!

Anyway, in closing; check out Merivale Pizza & Wings, you will not be sorry.  If you love pizza like I do, and could probably eat it every other day, you owe it to yourself to enjoy a good pie!

I’m not the only one who thinks so either, check around at some of the Ottawa food review sites….they’re there…..good job MP&W, keep it up!

Peace,    The Worm ~

Well, since my post on snare drums and tuning is getting the most hits, I thought I would do a quick follow up with some more tips!  I’m by no means an expert on drums or tuning, but I’ve encountered many problems that I have had to fix, so why not share them.

Tip #1 – Buzzing.  Man, do I hate snare buzz.  Not sympathetic buzz that other instruments cause, but rattly-buzzy snare wires that come from when you hit the drum.  Ever hit the drum slightly off-center of the head and get this weird echoey-buzz-vibration?  I’m sure everyone has heard some incarnation of this at one time or another.  The usual culprit is both heads being too close in tension to one another.  Cranking them different tends to make this problem disappear, although sometimes you have to be more thorough.

Metal snare drums have little to no snare bed on them, and this will affect snare action!  My 6.5″ x 14″ Slingerland metal snare does have a snare bed on it, bent into the metal.  I never have any problem with snare buzz on this snare.  My metal 6.5″ x 14″ Ludwig Rocker, no snare bed…I get buzz.  Hmmm, pretty important I’d say.  Now, don’t go pounding on your drum bearing edges, and try and make your own bed.  You would probably just end up ruining the drum.  I cut a snare bed on the custom wood snare that I made, and wow!, what a difference.  I initially ran no bearing edge and it sounded ok, but once the bed was in, the sound totally changed.  Much more response from the snares, it tuned up quicker and easier, and sounded much clearer.  On metal snares with no bed I think the key is de-tuning near the snare wires slightly, to dampen them a bit.  This should stop them rattling for so long, and kill some of the buzz.

One more note on buzzing, make sure the snares are perfectly aligned left and right, and centered in the middle of the drum head.  Un-even snare wires = uneven sound.

Tip #2 – Snare wire tension.  When you are installing new wires, or have changed your resonant head and are re-installing the snares, be sure to wind off the tension on your throw-off/strainer.  Make sure the wires are straight, pull your snare cords through the clamps on the throw-off and butt plate, and pull firmly and evenly into place and lock em down.  I know most snares come with plastic snare strips to hold them in place on the drum.  These usually suck, and don’t give an even tension.  Pick up some snare cord, and use the holes built into the snare wire ends to mount the snares to the drum.  You can control each side of the snares better this way (4 points), rather than only pulling in one direction (two points).  Plus, plastic strips can tear or snap easier.  The cord is pretty tough stuff!  Oh ya, have extra cord in your stick or cymbal bag….you never know when you may need one!!

Tip #3 – Bearing edge wax.  Dudes, I know it sounds weird, but when you do a head change wax your bearing edges on the drum…even metal drums!  When you remove the heads, inspect the bearing edge of the drum.  This is protected by the metal hoop on the drum, but it can get nicked or warped/cracked over time (or have chrome chip off..) so check em out, and make sure they’re clean, straight and even across the whole drum.  Now, break out an old candle and rub it over the entire surface of the bearing edge, round and round, until it’s coated.  You can use any type of wax, paraffin is best, but who except a furniture repair man has paraffinlaying around.  We all should have a candle though, and it works fine.  Once coated, put the new heads on, even from side to side, re-install the hoop and tension everything down as you like it tuned.

Tip #4 – Dampers.  Dampers were installed from the beginning of drumming, way back in the early days.  More recently, I have noticed a resurgence in their popularity.  Carmine Appice has a new signature kit from ddrum that was just launched, and the snare has a dampener in it.  Even he said in an interview “it works great, and dampens the drum a bit” and it does.  I run a damper in all my snare drums.  I have four snares, and they all have them.  Gibraltar makes them, so does Cannon and Pearl.  I think the Gibraltar one is the best though.  One thing about dampeners though, is they can rattle.  If you are recording with a snare drum that has a damper in it, make sure the screws attaching it to the drum are good and tight.  You don’t want  to have to search for a rattle mid-session if you know what I mean!

I think that sums it up, comment and ask me any questions if you have em.  Oh ya, replace your snare heads every once and a while.  Age makes them dry, brittle sounding with less articulation.  Most single ply batter heads are around $10 CAN, so not a lot to shell out once every few months.  Enjoy!

Peace,   The Worm ~