John Bonham - Wikipedia Instead, he achieved his powerful stroke with the use of his wrists. By coming off the head as quickly as he laid into it, he allowed the drum to resonate to its fullest. You can often hear and feel hisuse of ghost notes between the back beat, which was proof that he was not just a BOOM BASH drummer. The good drummers can do this, our brains can move in nanoseconds, calculating what you just played, what you are playing, and what you are going to play all at once. Bonhams drum kit Promuco Drumsticks John Bonham Signature 19015JB Specs Size: 5B Material: Hickory wood Length: 16.14 Diameter: 0.59 Tip Type: Acorn Amazon product photo Like I said, the higher the bottom skin is tuned, you get less resistance and more sensitivity, or bounce for your stick which means you play much faster and with more ease. By I believe he used a Swivo hi hat in the 60s. John Bonhams drumming style was characterized by his powerful beats and dynamic rhythms. One about 3-4 feet above the snare drum pointed at the snare. And words are hard to describeI would rather demonstrate on my drums!!! Yes, this is louder for a single note, but you sacrifice subtlety and ability to vary the loudness. For kick and toms, he tuned the drums up a fair amount (way more than you'd expect) and brought the resonant heads up even more. In this guide, we'll look at the drumsticks that Led Zeppelin legend John Bonham used throughout his career, while taking a look at his signature drumstick, which you can purchase today. Heads: Remo Coated Emperor on the batter head; Coated Ambassador on the resonant (he may have also used a Diplomat on the snare at some point) On his vistalites, he used a clear CS If you dont have a 15, a 12 will work just as well, though you may have to tune them down a notch or two in order to achieve the same sound. Its safe to say that, for most of us, there exist two distinct eras in the annals of drum set performance, the first consisting of everything before John Bonham, the second beginning January 12, 1969. The next set of fills are the most insane out of the lot. If youre looking for something a little more aggressive, you can go for a set of 12- and 15-pounders. Here is another interesting tidbit. Never lifting the stick very high off the head, and keeping his hand level with the rims, he would snap his wrist, quickly whacking the drum with incredible force. He could bend time. As far as the bass drum goes, Jeff Ocheltree, one of Bonhams drum techs, has revealed that to achieve his famous thump, both heads were tuned much higher than one might expect. Bonham particularly relied on sixtuplets at the sixteenth note level six notes in the place of four to provide a basis for most fill material. Hope this adds to the discussion. Forget Ginger Baker..a great drummer, but if Bonzo wanted to go that route, eventually, he could do it. The drummer played a kit with a snare drum. When using the transparent Vistalite drum kit, Bonham used Remo Controlled Sound drum heads (AKA CS or black dot) which are single-ply but have a reinforced circle in the middle. ), but I have essentially picked upthe banner he oncecarried, and seek to carry tountil my death. His collaboration with Promuco resulted in the creation of the John Bonham Signature Drumstick, which remains one of the most popular drumsticks on the market today. Once mastered, it has the potential to add considerable texture to a phrase, not to mention the unusual effect of making it sound like there are more drums playing than there really are. Who played the I admire your dedication. No ported reso, no strips/dampening of any sort, tight reso head, tune the batter head to the low note you want, and don't be afraid to use some power. Throughout his career, he used a variety of drumsticks to create his signature sound, starting with standard wooden sticks in his early years, and eventually settling on larger sticks that were closer to 2B in size. The plastic used for timpani heads is the same plastic used for other non-coated drum heads, so it would be like playing a 26 or 28 bass drum with drumsticks. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced drummer, the John Bonham Signature Drumstick is a great choice for anyone who wants to capture the power and energy of Bonhams iconic drumming style. John Bonham's technique on the snare was far more honed, and he had incredible control, wrist and finger technique to go hand in hand with the power of those rim shots. It was used on a number of occasions, including at the end of the 1960s tour of Australia and New Zealand. What it does is make the whole drum shell explode with sound as you hit the snare skin as well. Some sources suggest that he may have used sticks that were closer to 2B in size, while others argue that he was using sticks that were even larger, possibly up to 5B in size. The happiest and most swinging Zeppelin song, in my opinion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he6TQsU8d6k. There was the new Memriloc stand, with the new arrangement on the center tube along with the wide footboard. It was a better idea to YT your cover rather than the Dropbox DL too. Bonham used a rented Slingerland kit on the band's first European tour in the late 60's. He was good, but he wasnt great. John Bonham could play with feel, a deep enveloping feel. Kick - John tuned like a lot (not all) of the jazz players. Get the best cultural and educational resources on the web curated for you in a daily email. It gave a deeper sound than most traditional To pinpoint the interval between the heads is tough, but it was most likely somewhere between a half step and a fourth. There are, of course, a number of variables to be accounted for. That Slingerland Kit was super cool, it was a green sparkle 22x14, 9x13, 16x16. Ultimately, our best hope for attaining a bit of Bonhams sound is to take a look at the physical elements of his style. The stand with the big footboard did not come out until 75-6, if that helps you any Wow, great picture! The sticks unique design features a larger size and weight that is perfect for rock drumming, delivering the power and control that Bonham was known for. An often overlooked aspect of Bonhams considerable talents was his frequent use of ghost notes to accentuate his feel and add subtle texture to a groove. What makes Bonzo even more amazeballs is how his fills, no matter where he started or finished them, never (or very rarely) went out of time, and rarely were repeated in the same sequence (the end of studio version of In My Time Of Dying also has a great run of different fills - from "And I see them in the streets" to "I just wanted to have some fun"). That photo is great! I find one of the most illustrative examples of Bonzo's stick technique is on the outro build-up of the DVD Knebworth version of In The Evening, where he delivers a bunch of unique fills which display absolute control, creativity and sheer bloody brilliance. Bonham used felt strips to round out the sound of his bass drum and used a Speed King pedal. Bonham used Rogers hardware for his cymbal stands, and even custom mounted his rack tom with a Rogers mount and snare stand on his maple kit. The Rise of Led Zeppelin: Bonhams Switch to Larger Sticks Amusingly, he introduces this massive statement with its own shorter, introductory fill. Bass drum tuning/prep for Bonham"ish A most excellent thread, thanks to OP for starting and Mr Hudson for his ALS cover, which is mightily fab. This indicates that while Bonham was known for using felt strips to dampen his kick, he only used one on the batter side while in the studio. A most excellent thread, thanks to OP for starting and Mr Hudsis thn for his ALS cover, which is mightily fab. Unsubscribe at any time. Paste as plain text instead, The subliminal effect of every drummers influences can be enormous, and Bonham learned much of his initial technique by observing the styles of two early giants of swing, Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. 1. Bonham used 42 strand snares on his snare drums. Tuning: Bonham tuned the batter head medium-tight while the resonant was cranked much higher, although this will require some experimentation. Since his drums were large in size, the sound is bigger than one would anticipate. Let me know if I got anything wrong here. More sharing options Remo drums were also used on many of his songs, such as Aint No Mountain High Enough and Dont Stop Believin'. drum The fact of the matter is that the gear and how its tuned means next to nothing when taking into consideration the individual sitting behind it. Finally, as mentioned above, Bonzo didn't just hit the snare on the 3rd beat (in 4/4 time). One of the key aspects of his playing was his use of larger drumsticks, which he used to generate a louder and more thunderous sound. In a live setting, these drums offered increased volume and punchiness, a result of the denser, non-porous nature of the shell material. in Music | August 1st, 2017 2 Comments, A tongue-in-cheek essay in McSweeneys, Michael Fowlers How to Play a John Bonham Drum Solo, contains some of the finest descriptions Ive read of Bonhams thunderous playing. I'm curious about his full setup, and the sticks he used Bonham had 4 main Ludwig kits that he used live. Bonham: From The Perspective Of His Peers, Lesson: Bonhams Poor Tom Beat New Orleans Style, FREE DOWNLOAD of Bonham: Like Father Like Son., Lesson: Triplets With Left Hand Lead, Balance On The Drum Set Part 2, Drum Educator Mike Johnston Joins Vic Firth Drumstick Artist Roster, Heavier Than Hell: How to Play Black Dog and 5 Other John Bonham Beats, Happy Birthday, Bonzo! He said Bonham was to have a Black Sparkle kit for the American tour that never happened. One a few inches above the rim of the floor tom pointed at the snare/hi hats. In addition, he played an electric guitar and an acoustic guitar. What is the story behind Four Sticks? Great post, and all the attempts to somehow encapsulate Bonzo's drumming skill. I would have to conclude that to avoid any wrist injuries, just learn a better technique haha. This is at odds with the dry thuddy kick drum sound which tends to be more popular for rock and metal drummers. Bonzo would habitually hit the rim of the snare drum when he hit the snare skin. We hear this in Kashmir, where Bonham plays a standard 4/4 beat while Page and the string section play in 3/4 time. My Studio. Thank you for your comment, I enjoy playing and learning more every day. Remo drums were also used on many of his songs, such as Aint No Mountain High Enough and Dont Stop Believin'. I tune it to the same key, but I'm not sure what that key is yet, I just know it by ear haha. At the 4:36 mark we get a glimpse of Johns concentration, he is definitely in the zone, and as you can see, sweating and working very hard. The elegantly crafted fill in the second bar is unique to even view on paper, mixing crisp singles with gently executed doubles, telling a story with its accents and ghost notes. Bonham unquestionably great. Was there a reason for using 4 sticks or was this just a gimmick? all paiste 2002 series. He was a drummer where feel came first, time second. Drum For the skins, put on a What drum heads did John Bonham use? What People Dont Tell You. A guy who has been drumming for 38 years, widely influenced by godly Bonzo is going to explain some of his timings, swings, give us some insight into how was Bonzo awesome!!! Normally, a drummer will lock in with the bass player, providing a solid foundation for the guitars and vocals to stand on. WebJohn Bonham used a 'Ritchie Ring' muffing device on the reso head of his bass drums. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. This could also explain Bonhams preference for an unported front bass drumhead. He would also use the Ludwig equivalent silver dot heads. One of the key elements of his sound was his use of drum sticks. Bonham had 4 main Ludwig kits that he used live. -Thermo Gloss Maple (used from 1969-1970) -Green Sparkle (used from 1970-1973) -Amber Vistalite (u Display as a link instead, Bottom of the stick (above the hand) hits the rim while the tip hits the skin. For that solo at the end of Rock and Roll try practicing your one handed buzz rolls. Numerous examples: Good Times Bad Times, Trampled Underfoot, For Your Life. The other good thing (in my opinion) about his tuning the drums higher is that you get a much better response time from your sticks. WebHe attributes this to the fact that, due to the drums behemoth 26 diameter, the large amount of air that needed to move through the shell had to travel very quickly to properly excite the resonant head. As you study these very specific elements of style, it is of supreme importance that you remain fully aware that these technicalities are capable of taking you only half way. To try and calculate the impact of John Henry Bonham on rock drumming is to attempt the impossible. Well obviously you being a ace drummer I must have mixed something up, but what about the "blowback", from more heavily tuned drums ?? I particularly can concur on your observation of theway he played the snare drum as I do exactly the same thing. As a result, he was able to conserve a lot of energy that other players waste flailing their arms about. A key element to Bonzo's sound was the fact he tuned his drums very high, (like Jazz Drummers). The next one is in my opinion, one of the hardest John Bonham fills to execute of all time, and it is the same as the former drum fill, but is repeated 4 times in succession, and that comes in at 5:27, even I struggle to play that correctly at that tempo. Bowler hats were popular in the 1920s and 30s, but they were not as popular as they are today. The tragic story of John Bonham death Then, mixing singles and doubles, he ends the phrase by emphasizing the last note of each triplet on the kick, an orchestration that Bonham made frequent use of throughout his career. Most of us can recite it in our sleep by now: Ludwig drums 14 x 10 rack tom, 16 x 16 and 18 x 16 floor toms, 26 x 14 kick, and the legendary LM402 14 x 6.5 Supraphonic snare drum; Paiste cymbals, Giant Beat and 2002 combined 15 Sound Edge hi-hats, 16, 18, 20 crashes and crash/rides, 24 ride, and a 38 symphonic gong; all topped off with a squeaky Speed King pedal and a ching-ring tambourine mounted on his hi-hat stand. He was also known to use Remos on his guitar solos. It was also used with Zildjian Cymbals, when he got the ThermoGlossdrums in1969 is when he fully switched to Ludwig and Paiste. However the main reason, in my humble opinion is to "complete the circle" as I like to call it. These drums were always outfitted with Remo coated Emperor heads on the batter side and coated Ambassadors on the resonant side. The most famous of these players was the legendary John Bonham, who was a member of the band The Who. This is a great example of how fast and tight the rhythm section was, and how important it was to the success of the band. Bonhams massive performance on When The Levee Breaks hits a pinnacle when he unleashes this fill at 5:25 in all its majestic glory (Ex. We thank you! The two different muscle groups I had developed altered my footing position entirely, and what I now play is Bonham's heel-toe technique. The Promega John Bonham Signature Edition drumstick is not just a tool for drumming; its a symbol of Bonhams legacy and an inspiration to drummers everywhere. . The hand is quicker than the eye. John Bonham once explained his own drumming style Only recently when I saw a tribute band in the UK the drummer played with 2 sticks in each hand and finally understood the title. I dont remember when possibly also for the 1980 tour. It is only in recent times that I have found the confidence and the ability to play this mighty beast, and attempt to do it justice. HOB was one of the most important music stores of its time. The first thing that Page did was to stop playing the drums altogether. It was also a way for people to express their individuality and individuality was something that was very important to many people at the time. I have heard that John Bonham often used 42 strand wires on his snares. He was a drummer where feel came first, time second. This feel, often referred to as behind the beat, can be thought of as existing halfway between the modes of straight and fully swung. He would take the riff and he would make that his drum part. We hear several driving examples of this, most notably Immigrant Song, above, where Page and Bonham follow each other, while John Paul Jones thunders below them. This is an example of the colouring in John Paul Jones mentioned - the dynamic control. Granted, his bass drum was huge and he utilised it to it's loudest, but also it's fullest potential. July 14, 2014 in Musician's Corner. John Bonham And maintain throughout a 10 minute song. WebFor the most accurate recreation of Bonhams sound, go with aluminum. True, or not ??. Fit all three with single-ply heads and tune them to medium-high. Who has the best drum solo in the world? Powered by Invision Community, The next set of fills are the most insane out of the lot. Simple yet genius. Simple yet genius. Whether you are a fan of Led Zeppelin or just a lover of great drumming, it is clear that John Bonhams drumsticks played a crucial role in creating the legendary sound that he is so well known for. Nice try from, everyone, but getting Hendix properly would be 300+ pages(as Bonzo) and truth be told there are many. Bonham used felt strips to round out the sound of his bass drum and used a Speed King pedal. 5c, notated on the floating staff below the second measure). The best example of Johns speed is the end of Dazed and Confused (from The Song Remains The Same). The bass drum or kick drum originated in Turkey. For the skins, put on a double-ply coated batter head and a standard snare-side head. Tyler Golsen Sat 29th Jan 2022 16.30 GMT When it comes to the most influential drummers in the history of rock and roll, no one can hold a candle to John Bonham. LedZeppelin.com By Page knew that he had a lot of work ahead of him before he could be considered a top drummer in the world. If we open up the two notesleft foot and kickthey reach a point where they occupy the first and third notes of a triplet. That was his word and I knew exactly what he meant by 'frudge'." It also explains the differing snare sound he could get on songs like The Wanton Song, as in alternating between doing a rim/skin hit and a normal skin hit. Bonham sets out the scaffolding for Pages complex phrasing, sometimes creating a push-pull effect that heightens a songs tension at its core. This is the key differences in sound between those two previously mentioned techniques. As much as Bonham enjoyed the funky syncopation of Good Times Bad Times and Over The Hills And Far Away, he would sometimes take the complete opposite approach, and the results were always stunning. The bass drum had the Ludwig rail consollette Thin Shell, that's definitely the Big R (Supreme?) How tight should the bottom drum head be? John Bonhams legacy continues to inspire drummers everywhere, and the Promega John Bonham Signature Edition drumstick is a testament to his enduring influence. The batter heads need to be double-ply, low-end, and high-pass filters. WebJohn Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 25 September 1980) was an English musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band Led Zeppelin.Esteemed for his speed, power, fast single-footed kick drumming, distinctive sound, and feel for groove, he is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential drummers in music history.. Bonham was born in 1948 Problem was, Bonzo didn't know at the time (1967/68) that Carmine Appice used two kick drums for his fast kick drum triplets, quadruplets and rhythms. He also had swing, as is evident in Candy Store Rock, Kashmir, Out On The Tiles, just to name a few. How Hard Is Saxophone? These asynchronous passages can prove daunting for accomplished drummers. The title caught my eye and I was wondering what I would find in here, so I clicked it! I've seen pictures of two mounted drums near Bonham in 1970. I appreciate your compliment though. did Ive always liked drums to be bright and powerful, Bonham said in a 1973 interview. Ive never used cymbals much. I use them to crash into a solo and out of it, but basically I prefer the actual drum sound. Although well known for his unmatched power, Bonham also took pride in his ability to lay down a solid groove. the drummer already has a Ludwig kit. It is a "circle" of movement , or motion. Pasted as rich text. To locate it, try playing a single-stroke roll at a slow to moderate tempoperhaps around the kitand concentrate on playing your left hand late, but only ever so slightly. Here you can see him playing that kit. In addition to this he played many different types of guitar, including a Gibson Les Paul, a Fender Stratocaster, an Epiphone ES-335 and an Ampeg SVT-1. Somewhere in Florida, behind a Rogers kit. I've seen pictures of two mounted drums near Bonham in 1970. He had lots of little things going on, almost imperceptible, but it all added up to his overall sound. It's not as though he rimshot his entire way through a song, rather, he would only do it to serve as a powerful accent to the back beat. It was his dexterity, his touch that seemed to intuitively know how to find the power points on each drum.. I'll post pix when it's done. (Black or Green Sparkle). Bonham frequently pulled them off with the same kind of looseness and panache he brought to all of his playing, with no shortage of triplets and Gene Krupa-like fills thrown in for good measure. A few other things to note about this song are: The drum fills. Upload or insert images from URL. The next one is in my opinion, one of the hardest John Bonham fills to execute of, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he6TQsU8d6k, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEKkJHSO8A0. I used to play heel up because I wanted to get as much speed and power as possible in order to emulate my hero, but to no avail. if you like our Facebook fanpage, you'll receive more articles like the one you just read! 6a). Anybody got an appropriate clutch? On 12/16/2015 at 11:45 AM, Ethan Christensen said: http://www.ledzeppelin.com/image/brussels-1980-4. most of bonham's stuff was recorded with some variant of the glyn johns/andy johns technique, that is basically 3 room mics. What type of cymbals does Dave Grohl use. You've highlighted some of the simple aspects that truly were the secrets to his sound. Don't let the beater lay on the head when you are playing. 8 Drummers and the Kits that Changed the World | Reverb News Where did you get it? It is interesting to note that the drums are tuned in fourths, with the bottom head being about a third higher in pitch than the top head. WebBonham mostly used remo drumheads. However, the simple act of playing along to recordings of Led Zeppelin, as well as other groups of the era with drummers notable for their ability to swing (Ginger Baker, Mitch Mitchell), can be very helpful in developing feel. Or he hits it harder on some notes (accents), and creates more distance from the drum before impact . We also see it serve a similar purpose on Misty Mountain Hop and Four Sticks (Exs. drum What a great post, feller. Bang It Like Bonzo: How to Get John Bonhams Sound That's all from me for now. Bonzoleum on Youtube is a very interesting guy and I think very knowledgable about Bonham in both playing and equipment. He said Bonham was to have Bonham mostly used remo drumheads.