So I thought I’d just take you through a quick rundown of all the bells and whistles that make the rhythm train go choo-choo.
My primary kit with CS is a DW Collector’s Satin Maple. It consists of 10”+12” racks and 14”+16” floors, as well as a 22” bass. It is indeed my favourite kit, and it’s perfect as a session kit also, as it overall has such a diverse sound that it fits just about any genre.
I use a 6×14” DW Collector’s series bronze as my primary snare. It’s loud and sensitive, like myself, so we’re a perfect match for each other. It’s one of the most prized possessions in my drum arsenal, and I take it with me to pretty much any session I play. Also, I never grow tired of watching people pick it up, as it’s super heavy!
Hardware wise, I also use DW – There is simply nothing more reliable out there!
I have both a 5000 and 9000 series double bd pedal, but I found myself going back to the 5000 one, as it fits my playing style more at the moment. But I’ll probably take the 9000 out on the next tour and show it a good time.As far as woods go, I’ve played with just about every brand that is out there – though for me,
nothing beats (pun intended) the Vater 5B or Fusion sticks (depending on the session).
For the rock and heavy oriented stuff, I use the 5Bs, and for the more ‘light’ stuff I use the Fusions. Vater all the way!
For cymbals I use a lot of different brands, depending on the session. for my current CS-setup, I’ve grown quite fond of the Istanbul Xist series, as they’re very loud and crispy sounding, and they fit the overall sound landscape nicely. I have a 18” and 16” crash on my left and a swiss 18” on my right, as well as a 20” china on the far right.
Up front there’s an 8” china, plus a 6” splash.
In this setup, I also use a Sabian 20” Stage ride, which I’ve been using since my mid teens – a long time ago! It has a nice vintage sound to it I think.
From time to time I also use my beloved old Zildjian Avedis 18” crash from the mid 70’s. It just has that sweet, crisp sizzled ol’ school sound when hit.
For hi-hats, I mostly switch between a 12” Zildjian New Beat and an Alchemy 14”. Again, depending on the session.
I use Evans G2 coated drumheads at the moment. I think they have a great warmth and depth, which makes them ideal for progressive rock.
Thanks for reading and for watching the drum video – hope you enjoyed it. If you did then please support us by signing up for our newsletter and get ‘Death Wish’ as a free download.
CB.
