Why I don't hear bass drums on Jazz LPs?
I don't hear the bass drums during playback of a number of jazz LPs (Webster, Hawkins, Ellington, etc). I have Thiel 3.6 speakers powdered by Mark Levinson 23.5 amp. I can isolate the sound of bass drums on rock/pop LPs but not on jazz LPs unless drummer play solo in the middle parts.
I read somewhere this has to do with size of the bass drums used in 40s, 50s and another explanation was the way drummer play bass drums. I can clearly isolate the double bass, snare drums, and cymbals on jazz LPs, but hardly the bass drum. Let me know your experience with this issue.
Hi all - jazz drummer here. What @bdp24 wrote is spot on. In a jazz combo, I almost never keep time with the 18" bass drum; it serves as an accent piece while my hi-hat is the most metronomic instrument, followed closely by my ride. When I do emphasize the bass drum, it’s on a powerful punch accent but that’s about all. Now, in my modern country project, the 22" bass drum is where it’s at! |
