What Are the Best Drum Heads for Me?

2. What’s the difference Between a Batter Head and a Resonant Head?

All of the drums of any modern kit are fitted with a head on both sides. The upper head is referred to as the batter head, since this is the head you actually hit. Sometimes, it’s also called a ‘top head’. This head shapes the attack (how fast the sound builds up to its peak), the colour of the sound, and the pitch. There are more batter head variations to choose from than any other.

The head fitted to the underside of a drum is the resonant head, also known as the reso-head or bottom head. When the batter head is struck, the resonant head literally resonates in response, moving the air around inside the drum shell, so that both heads vibrate for longer. As such, the resonant head has a lot of influence over the resonance and sustain of the drum. Here, sustain means how long the sound of the drum goes on for, while resonance refers to the ‘richness’ of the sound. When you play a drum without a resonant head, you’ll hear the initial strike but not much else. In the seventies, for example, toms without resonant heads were actually used because they made a specific kind of sound. However, generally speaking, snare drums always have a resonant head.

Tip: Usually, heads are specifically designed to be used as resonant or batter heads. While some drummers use them interchangeably, if you’re a beginner, it’s best to stick to what the heads are made for. Resonant heads can get really thin and therefore don’t respond too well when used as batter heads, and batter heads are sometimes just too thick to be used as resonant heads. But once you get to know your different kinds of heads, you don’t necessarily have to stick to this rule.

 Snare/Tom Batter Heads
 Snare/Tom Resonant Heads
 Bass Drum Batter Heads
 Bass Drum Resonant Heads

4. Do I Need Single or Double Ply Drum Heads? And How Thick Do They Need to Be?

Drum kits are usually fitted with single-ply drum heads as standard and these are great to start with. If you’re looking for a new set of heads, then it’s worth paying attention to the following points:

• Single ply heads have a longer sustain, a richer sound and are incredibly responsive but less durable. The sound is great for most genres and playing styles, but if you play in a more heavy style, then single-ply heads aren’t likely to last too long.
• Double ply or 2-ply heads are made up of two thin heads. Double-ply heads have a clear attack, a ‘fatter’ sound, are more durable, and have less sustain. These kinds of heads are great for playing something like rock or any style that needs a really clear strike sound.
• So, while picking out your batter heads depends on what you want, your personal taste, what you play and how you play it, if you’re a beginner, it’s especially recommended to use single-ply resonant heads.
• The thickness, measured in ‘mil’ (the thousandth of an inch) is especially important when it comes to single-ply heads. A good rule of thumb for this is: the thicker the head, the greater the resonance and sustain. A thicker single-ply head is also relatively harder to tune if you don’t have much experience with it yet.

 Snare/Tom Batter Heads: Single-Ply or Double-Ply
 Snare/Tom Resonant Heads
 Bassdrum Batter Heads: Single-Ply or Double-Ply
 Bassdrum Resonant Heads

6. How Often Should I Replace My Drum Heads?

Old heads will lose their lively sound and feel. They have much less sustain and resonance, but since some drummers are sitting at their kit every day, it can sometimes be hard to hear when the sound starts to deteriorate. So, here are a few things to watch out for:

• Don’t wait until you’ve smashed holes in the head.
• The average drummer can get away with replacing their heads a minimum of once a year.
• Resonant heads are often forgotten about, since they always look fine. It generally makes sense to replace them once every two years, and when you do, you’ll immediately hear the difference.
• If you play a lot, then it’s only logical that you might need to change the heads more often.
• You use the snare drum more than any other, so you might need to replace the heads earlier.
• When you replace one tom head, replace them all. This makes sure that you have a balanced sound across all of your toms.
• With coated heads, you can easily see where it’s been struck, so if the coating in the middle of the head is starting to wear out or get slippery, then it’s time to replace the head.

 Drum Head Packs with Snare Head
 Drum Head Packs without Snare Head
 Snare/Tom Batter Heads
 Snare/Tom Resonant Heads
 Bass Drum Batter Heads
 Bass Drum Resonant Heads

8. What Are Mesh-Heads & What Can You Do With Them?

Mesh-heads are special heads that can be used for practising without making too much noise. They make barely any sound but have a really natural playing feel. The advantage is that your drum kit makes very little noise, which is perfect for rehearsing at home. The disadvantage of fitting a set of mesh-heads is that, when you’re rehearsing with your band or you’re about to play a gig, you need to replace them all again with normal drum heads and tune them up. It’s also worth knowing that you can’t play mesh-heads with brushes.

Tip: In combination with a set of drum triggers, mono-jack cables, a sound module, and a set of headphones or speakers, you can turn your acoustic drum kit into an electronic drum kit!

 Mesh-Heads for Acoustic Drum Kits
 Triggers, Cables, Modules, Headphones and Amplifiers