Muffling on the Hembra?

[jdmanteca]

Many of my favorite recorded timbal sounds seem to have some sort of muffling on the hembra. I guess it could be that the open tone is washed out a bit by the rest the band but it doesn't seem to be.

I play LPTito Puente model brass timbales and the stock heads are equivelent to, I'm guessing, a clear ambassador or something similar and they are quite bright. Does anyone muffle or do anything to their drums to get this sound? I was thinking about using a coated head or a dead ringer or something to get this. Any ideas?

[Johnny Conga]

At times I have used a small hand towel drapped across the top of the heads of the timbales to take out any ringing that may occur. Just an old way to cut down on the overing. The other thing you can do is use an X configuration of tape on the underside/inside of the head. See if that works for you....At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA... :;):

[Raymond]

The traditional sound you get on the hembra of the timbal of some old recordings is actually due to the low tuning and the fact that brass timbales were the norm back before LPs Tito Puente's in stainless steel. What kind of heads used back then? Don't know.

The "old" LP timbale sound from the 70s was caused by the use I think of Remo Emperor type heads plus the shells of LPs first and second generation TP timbales was thick and gave you a fat sound despite they were stainless steel.

The shells of most timbales now, brass or stainless steel, are thin and are intended for volume in sound. Remo Weatherking Ambassadors, clear and coated, are the most used in timbale playing. (I think LP uses Remo's Ambassadors but in smooth white instead of the regular coating. I am not sure but I know LP has an arrangement with Evans now regarding conga and bongo synthetic heads. Not sure if Evans make theirr timbales head now. I am sure Meinl does).

Ambassadors have very bright and have overtones. The type of heads I've seen to get that "fat" hembra sound have been Ambassadors coated and Ebony Pinstripes. Some skill in the tuning is required here with the Ambassadors coated but it could be achieved. Ebony Pinstripes will definitively get you the sound. (Beware you will have "odd looking" heads on the macho/hembra. Do not recommend Ebony Pinstripes in the macho because of the dark sound).

The muffling you see by some is to avoid the overtones of the Ambassador type heads or others. Evans came out with some heads named "timbale" but I think they are thin like the Diplomat kind of Remo.

If you want to get out of the ringing try Remo's Powerstroke 3. However, you might lose volume....

Trial and error and skill in tuning...is all it takes!



Edited By Raymond on 1078162512

[RitmoBoricua]

At times I have used a small hand towel drapped across the top of the heads of the timbales to take out any ringing that may occur. Just an old way to cut down on the overing. The other thing you can do is use an X configuration of tape on the underside/inside of the head. See if that works for you....At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA... :;):

"Moongel" Damper Pads work pretty good too.

[jdmanteca]

JC, it's funny you mention playing with a towel draped over the head. I stumbled onto the sound I was looking for by placing a piece of paper with some patterns I was trying to learn on my Hembra. I have since been trying to figure out how to get that sound without leaving the paper there. I tried the "X" on the underside of the head and it helps but it is not quite there. I think I will experiment with different heads as Raymond has suggested or maybe even the moongel (I've never used this before).

Before that I think I will see what a dead ringer will do. I know it is effective on snare drum ring. I will post back with the results. Thanks to all for the suggestions.