The Mysterious Drum Hole - Sonic Test | Season Six, Episode 50

Most snare drums have at least a small vent to allow air to travel in and out of the shell but how much of an impact does this really have on sound or feel? We decided to put this to the test with a series of A/B comparisons with different drums and tunings. We even put together a couple blind tests for you to weigh in on what you’re hearing.
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Recorded at 48kHz / 24bit
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Toms: AKG C518M sladl.ink/C518M
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Snare: AKG C518M sladl.ink/C518M
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Drums:
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Cymbals:
22” Jesse Simpson clone of old Zildjian A, 15" Zildjian Kerope Hihats
Drumheads:
Snare: Evans G12 Coated, Strata 1000. / Snare Side 300
Toms: N/A
Kick Drum: Evans UV EMAD / EQ3 Coated Reso
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Пікірлер: 78

  • @Pumpkinhead9092
    @Pumpkinhead909229 күн бұрын

    I always thought it was only there for preventing air pressure changes when the climate changes.

  • @contramachina354

    @contramachina354

    28 күн бұрын

    Wow! I think this is it!

  • @thomasdrumwinkler

    @thomasdrumwinkler

    28 күн бұрын

    @@contramachina354 A friend of mine has one of those strange Peavey sets without air vents. He went from the mountain to the valley and had to remove the batter side heads, because the heads were bowing out.

  • @WSS_the_OG

    @WSS_the_OG

    28 күн бұрын

    I never knew what they were for, but always assumed the same. For barometric pressure changes, or in particular, when traveling in something like an airplane, so you don't blow out the heads for take off and landing.

  • @BokorugroRR

    @BokorugroRR

    26 күн бұрын

    I thought the same, as well as preventing mold and bacteria buildup in a closed environment

  • @silvermineband2719

    @silvermineband2719

    21 күн бұрын

    I can’t believe anyone, especially SLAD, would think these have anything to do with sound. Seems like a reach for a faux controversy. I only watched a few minutes so maybe they figured it out. But this one doesn’t seem worth the time to watch.

  • @michaelverhey2781
    @michaelverhey278129 күн бұрын

    From what I understand they were originally there for use with animal hide heads and the fluctuation in humidity to keep the drum in shape. Also I have a 70’s Fibes fiberglass kit that has NO vent holes in all drums except the snare - sounds fantastic!

  • @eugeivashchenko758
    @eugeivashchenko758Күн бұрын

    I'm glad you guys did this video! I know there's a world of difference between concert toms and reg toms, and there's a video where the drum builder from Bang Drums did kept on adding OCDP-style vent holes until the whole snare looked like swiss cheese. It was interesting to hear the gradual changes. So it's really cool to see where the line of audible vs non-audible changes is!

  • @dalekay9ine
    @dalekay9ine8 күн бұрын

    I've said it before and I'll say it again- this Chanel is a true gem!!! Thanks to everyone over there that's works to continually put out this awesome content!

  • @markcampbelldrummer
    @markcampbelldrummer29 күн бұрын

    Barometric pressure changes...external to drum...from one moment to next...equalisation via vent allows drum tuning to remain consistent (independent of barometric pressure). High pressure inside drum (compared to external pressure...on a hot dry day) will cause heads to bulge outwards ...low pressure (storm coming over)...heads will dip inwards...snare wires rattle more).

  • @markcampbelldrummer

    @markcampbelldrummer

    29 күн бұрын

    900 millibars = storm 1000 normal day 1100 dry. A range of 3 PSI! Pump your drum up to 3 PSI ...note the changes! Imported drums tuned on a stormy day...and played on a dry day will be a a different pitch and response due to relative vaccum inside drum.

  • @markcampbelldrummer

    @markcampbelldrummer

    29 күн бұрын

    Un-Ported (above)...

  • @jpizzleforizzle
    @jpizzleforizzle10 күн бұрын

    In the late 90s (high school) I took private lessons from Anthony Falconer, now at University of Nebraska Lincoln. He had a Grover snare that could be adjusted from fully closed to having the shell basically in half about an inch or so apart. At full separation it was SUPER dry, articulate, and took away most of the drums resonance. Pretty cool to mess around with.

  • @SoundsLikeADrum

    @SoundsLikeADrum

    10 күн бұрын

    Way cool!

  • @famitory
    @famitory29 күн бұрын

    it's for taping a tube to and risking a lung rupture to pitch bend your floor tom like benny greb in 2013

  • @bugless78

    @bugless78

    29 күн бұрын

    He got the idea from Stanton Moore as far as i know. I saw him do it with Galactic as far back as 1999.

  • @desperanto.

    @desperanto.

    28 күн бұрын

    Glenn kotche has also been doing it over the last 2-3 decades

  • @vipermad358

    @vipermad358

    24 күн бұрын

    @@bugless78I saw a random drummer in UK do that in the 80s. Probably dates back to the first air hole. Everybody thinks something is "new" the first time he or she sees it.

  • @SamP-3D
    @SamP-3D13 күн бұрын

    Under heavy temperature changes, internal pressure can change due to air compression/dilatation. The hole is to avoid concave or convex surface tension on the heads. This also ensure the humidity levels are the same inside and outside the shells, avoiding shell warpage. Living in north America where we get drastic seasons changes, I realy appreciate those holes 😅.

  • @johndiraimo1444
    @johndiraimo144429 күн бұрын

    As you know, Ronn Dunnett of Dunnett drums produces snare drums with adjustable air vents. It's called the hyper-vent. This feature allows you to open up the vent fully or to close it entirely.... plus everything in between. Does that translate into a completely different sound of the snare? Perhaps. I believe so. However for me, even more importantly is how the snare feels under the hands when playing it. I'm not speaking about playing back beats at fortissimo (although it sings anyway) but rather the articulation of buzz rolls and the buttery feel of clean doubles at soft to medium dynamics. I know that for me having the luxury of turning the hyper-vent off is a bonus. I can feel and hear the articulation and expressiveness at lower volumes while finessing the notes.

  • @carlupthegrove262
    @carlupthegrove26229 күн бұрын

    Slingerland didn't put vent holes in toms until some time in the 60s. I have an 8x12 tom with no vent hole or badge... I believe it's from the 1950s

  • @aluminati9918
    @aluminati991828 күн бұрын

    One of your best vids so far! I’m a guitarist, non-drummer following drum YT of general interest. I find guitarists cling to so many undocumented beliefs, but drummers are not far behind 😂. Thanks for educating us.

  • @athloen64
    @athloen6425 күн бұрын

    Did you ever try to cut holes in the reso head of toms and mic it like a kick? This would maybe be interesting

  • @kensamek6049
    @kensamek604929 күн бұрын

    I bought a used custom acrylic drum kit and there are no vent holes in any of the drums. I live in North Dakota and have had the drums in and out of my trailer, In all seasons. No issues whatsoever! Just an FYI.

  • @jeremyschneider9531
    @jeremyschneider953129 күн бұрын

    I've always heard it is just a vent for atmospheric changes and to prevent condensation, this rings true to me. In your most excellent test, the only one I could MAYBE hear at all, possibly, was the first drum, the 14 with medium tuning. It seemed possibly just a tad drier with the vent open, similar to what a vented head might do. But I was stretching to hear it, and on the other 2 drums? Nah, fugitaboutit. I did recently see a fella post with two Acrolites, one intact, and another he had modified as a kid by drilling several huge holes in the shell. Maybe (6) 2" holes? He A-B'd at same tunings. You could hear that difference... But really, not nearly so dramatic as you might think! You guys have demonstrated this recently... All these design details just don't make that much difference compared to heads, tuning, and how you play it!

  • @elliotthughes2382
    @elliotthughes238229 күн бұрын

    I think there is a very slight sound change. The drums seem slightly dryer without the plugs. It's so small though, that especially when you are playing in a song it will make no difference. However, I thought holes in in drums were for 2 reasons: 1) to save the drum from damage due to air pressure changes when traveling and 2) to save damage from heavy hitting as the air pressure has nowhere to go (which would explain the slight increase in resonance in your tests)... And I wrote this comment while still listening to this video and head you talk about blowing the snare side head blowing out 😂

  • @MichaelBuchzik
    @MichaelBuchzik29 күн бұрын

    I think the venting hole is for tuning stability on atmospheric pressure changes.

  • @willmcbride4435
    @willmcbride443529 күн бұрын

    Interesting. Yeah I couldn’t hear the difference. As a musician, you rightly stopped with the (lack of) audible difference. Myth Busters might have plugged the hole and hit the drum with larger and larger machinery until the snare head blew up. I suspect it would take more than your standard drummer arm to do so.

  • @mdrumt
    @mdrumt29 күн бұрын

    Does it allow the drum to breathe for things like temperature changes or moisture build up?

  • @DidYouReadEULA
    @DidYouReadEULA29 күн бұрын

    Very minute difference to my ears, if any, on some of the examples. Thank you for the education and physics lesson too, I love to learn!! 🙂

  • @geoffcowan2384
    @geoffcowan238428 күн бұрын

    I couldn’t hear much difference in any of the examples, however I think you pretty much nailed the “Don’t Bring Me Down” snare sound with that 8” drum. :)

  • @michaelgallegos8811
    @michaelgallegos881129 күн бұрын

    Interesting video thanks 🎵🥁🎶

  • @percussionboy4357
    @percussionboy435729 күн бұрын

    Now this is the information humanity has been waiting for… thank you for your brave explorations …..

  • @SoundsLikeADrum

    @SoundsLikeADrum

    29 күн бұрын

    🫡

  • @allanmalloy8266
    @allanmalloy826629 күн бұрын

    It blows me away how much air comes out from that vent. Pun intended. If those vent holes help reduce stress on my snare side head as a heavy hitter, I am curious if adding more vent holes can improve the life span of the snare side head. Sucks I don't have the means yo test this.

  • @johncollins5552

    @johncollins5552

    25 күн бұрын

    Just buy a drill bit for wood, theyre affordable if you have a wood snare or a metal drill bit if you have a metal snare drum.

  • @liamdempsey7072
    @liamdempsey707220 күн бұрын

    Sounds like a whistleblower

  • @roybeckerman9253
    @roybeckerman925325 күн бұрын

    Any chance of a Rogers Dynasonic segment. They can be a little tricky to tune..

  • @TREYMcLAMB
    @TREYMcLAMB28 күн бұрын

    Ludwig built me a kit in early 2000's (14/16/24) and the 14" is the only drum with TWO vent holes. I never got a straight answer from them, nor in any forums as to why that is.

  • @dalesanders7571
    @dalesanders757128 күн бұрын

    In all the time I've had my Pearl free floating snare, I just realised they don't have vent holes!

  • @SebCo77

    @SebCo77

    27 күн бұрын

    They do, in the aluminum base, hidden under the strainer(or was it the butt end?)

  • @flanger001
    @flanger00128 күн бұрын

    Color me surprised; I thought A was going to be the uncorked one.

  • @J0hn029
    @J0hn02928 күн бұрын

    Guru drum had no vent hole. Incredible tone but too much sustain and not much attack. I was recording all sorts at the time and the unvented one took more time to return to rest. It's shown when you really lay into a drum. Not lite taps, give it some stick and unvented drums lose focus. Basically they're still ringing if the air has nowhere to go

  • @fiskfisk33
    @fiskfisk3324 күн бұрын

    I thought it was there to keep the inside of the drum the same pressure as the outside. It would be horrible to try to tune it just to then realize it is slowly changeing pressure, probably throwing the tune out quite a bit.

  • @norbertrenner9364
    @norbertrenner936429 күн бұрын

    On some of my Snare Drums i removed the lugs and converted them to single tension drums,with one,or better 8 or 10 srew fom top to buttom,so there are 16 or 20 holes each about 6-7 mm in diameter as an extra ventholes,but i never had the feeling,that they sounded very different,even the sensitivity of the snare response seem to be similar to how it was with the lugs and the holes closed.

  • @ChristopherRoss.
    @ChristopherRoss.29 күн бұрын

    First blind test pause: I'm detecting a subtle difference. A bit of a bump in the lows, like 200hz, for A. Some more clarity, like a bit of a high shelf boost for B. If I had to guess, B is ported. However, the effect is very subtle, and I doubt I would have noticed without listening critically. In a mix, I fell like the difference is completely lost.

  • @CymbalVault
    @CymbalVault28 күн бұрын

    Plenty of round badge toms without vents.

  • @jeremy20100712
    @jeremy2010071229 күн бұрын

    Heard a subtle difference with 1 and 3, but for the first drum I guessed the open and plugged sound in reverse!

  • @Hootcifer
    @Hootcifer23 күн бұрын

    It's the fuel intake.

  • @jonathanreddish8590
    @jonathanreddish859029 күн бұрын

    so many hole jokes come to mind.....

  • @joelfortin6634
    @joelfortin663429 күн бұрын

    If i remember correctly gretsch round badge drums dont have holes in them

  • @drummersk5318
    @drummersk531829 күн бұрын

    I thought they were there so you can smell the good glue, especially from vintage drums (without taking the heads off). 😀

  • @Snowden74
    @Snowden7428 күн бұрын

    A drummer that hits harder will notice more difference. Toms can get a basketball sounding effect with nowhere for the air to escape.

  • @AdamTurnerDrumming
    @AdamTurnerDrumming28 күн бұрын

    Definitely a marginally drier tone with the vent open.

  • @jerrygamez5723
    @jerrygamez572329 күн бұрын

    Can’t hear a difference. Love the video. Thanks

  • @sammcdouall4849
    @sammcdouall484929 күн бұрын

    Great video Ben & Cody. I can hear a big difference in the plugged and open snare hits. The transit attack note is the same note but the plugged hits have a note with a downward bend in the overtones with less sustain with wires slightly duller. The open hits have a upwards tone in the overtones with full sustain and brighter wires. Thanks for a doing this test I will use this stick a cork in it hack for a quick change in the studio when tracking ballads, country or bluesy tracks.

  • @gamesmcphilson6712
    @gamesmcphilson671227 күн бұрын

    does this test even count if your not using a late 90's OCDP Snare?

  • @SoundsLikeADrum

    @SoundsLikeADrum

    27 күн бұрын

    This one gets it. 👏

  • @thepluggy1
    @thepluggy129 күн бұрын

    Rob Dunnett always claimed the hole does not need to be there. But he put ones in, but with a plug in some of his snares.

  • @goodtimejohnny8972
    @goodtimejohnny897229 күн бұрын

    It's there for head life. Think of a plastic bag. Put air in it and hit one side and what happens? Blows out. Now drum heads are definitely more durable than a thin plastic bag but the same principle. Also without a way to breathe the vibration of the drumheads would be more controlled.

  • @erikhamann
    @erikhamann29 күн бұрын

    No vents isn't very smart. Want condensation when it's colder?

  • @DidYouReadEULA
    @DidYouReadEULA29 күн бұрын

    I would love to see someone else do it too, but no alternative facts please!

  • @vipermad358

    @vipermad358

    24 күн бұрын

    Ok. What's an "alternative fact"? Sounds trumpy.

  • @rix29
    @rix2929 күн бұрын

    Gretsch only have them on their snare drums as a place to put the complimentary drum key 😙

  • @Mieczu_DRUMS

    @Mieczu_DRUMS

    29 күн бұрын

    Some gretch drums have an extra hole for the drum key but modern gretsch drums do have hole vent in their badge on the shell.. Even Renown series which dont have a hole in their badge, still have vent hole. Im assuming you're talking about Gretsch round badge drums from 50s/60s?

  • @ghiblinerd6196
    @ghiblinerd619628 күн бұрын

    None of the drums I build have any vent holes.

  • @SoundsLikeADrum

    @SoundsLikeADrum

    28 күн бұрын

    What made you decide not to include them?

  • @ghiblinerd6196

    @ghiblinerd6196

    28 күн бұрын

    @@SoundsLikeADrum I remember feeling like ocdp snares sounded like poop to me and I figured the opposite extreme was never to include them at all. Never had any problems with snare side head failure personally. Do the snares mitigate downward force of the head? Was I just very lucky? I have no idea.

  • @timm1139
    @timm113929 күн бұрын

    Cody has uncorked another mystery! Well done. (I had to say it)

  • @Dragndroprecords
    @Dragndroprecords29 күн бұрын

    Cody you don't hit hard enough! For me, I hit so hard, the vent hole prevents the drum from exploding the heads from the pressure. 😅

  • @SoundsLikeADrum

    @SoundsLikeADrum

    29 күн бұрын

    Cody hits plenty hard when the context calls for it and also utilizes technique to gain volume in a way that doesn’t choke the drums. -Ben

  • @alancarver2511

    @alancarver2511

    29 күн бұрын

    @Dragndroprecords Exactly. I'm a hard player and there is a good draft coming out of the hole(s). It's important for the feel of the drum. The definition of playing hard is different from one another but Cody is definitely not a hard player. This has nothing to do with being a good or bad drummer though.

  • @williamfotiou7577

    @williamfotiou7577

    28 күн бұрын

    Yes. Cody is a mature, grown man. He is a professional drummer. there is no need to punish the drum.

  • @TheRoomboom
    @TheRoomboom28 күн бұрын

    your "analysis" is limited to a single type of vent - and your approach lacks fluid/structure coupling in particular for snare : the good test to do is to check how much of the fundamental is removed when snares are engaged (check timpani acoustics & Thomas Rossing books). I do patented Bessel vented sound tailored drums and the first parameter is the vent.

  • @gmiller598
    @gmiller59829 күн бұрын

    Simple answer. It moves air. Marching drums do not carry volume outdoors from a distance without appropriate air vents. The same would apply but on a lesser scale to drum kits because they are usually miced for volume. Sound won't move without air being moved.

  • @bugless78

    @bugless78

    29 күн бұрын

    The "air" you are referring to is a pressure wave, and it's generated by the motion of the heads. Far more air is moved from the heads than what comes out of a tiny hole. Drums with no vents can be just as loud as drums with vents. I make drums with and without vents and they are equally loud.

  • @gmiller598

    @gmiller598

    28 күн бұрын

    @@bugless78 Call it what you want but I've had real world experience with volume of a large bass drum with only 1 vent not projecting in a large marching band. We drilled additional air vents in the shell and the drum projected and blended much better. This is probably less of an issue as I stated on drum set because they rely more on mics and amplification when they need to be louder. IN an outdoor marching band setting air vents absolutely do matter for projection.

  • @pestilencekills
    @pestilencekills29 күн бұрын

    I'd be interested to hear (though it's a pain to test) the difference more extreme venting makes - for instance, the snare used for Deftone's White Pony has a bunch of 3-inch holes all around the shell (kzread.info/dash/bejne/o6WcpMevh7bLqbw.htmlfeature=shared&t=166), and that thing has lots of ring, but a really dry 'crack'. I think there's a Matt Halpern signature too that has a bunch of normal-sized vents all around the shell.