Plastic surfaces called drumheads are used to cover the top and bottom of the drum. Since their inception, drumsets have been manufactured from animal skins.
In construction, a standard drumhead today is mainly made of plastic and encased in a metal collar. Currently, Aquarian, Remo, and Evans are the three leading companies in the drumhead industry.
What Are Drum Heads?
Similar to “Sneakerheads” and “Metal Heads,” “Drum Heads” is simply a group of individuals who are sincerely, profoundly, and madly in love with drums.
They will look worldwide for the best drums to play and listen to. They might be more than interested in getting to know the greatest in the business, like these gentlemen.
Drum heads are the visible plastic surfaces on the top and bottom of each drum.
You may have heard someone refer to them as “drum skins,” but that word is no longer appropriate because we have moved past actual animal skins for early drum sets.
To put it simply, drum heads are the areas drummers strike to create sound. They will naturally vibrate in response to a drummer hitting them with the sticks, and the sound reverberates throughout the entire drum.
Different plastics are being used by manufacturers today. Typically, something like mylar, polyester, or occasionally, even a blend of two or more plastics.
Typically, a metal collar is used to secure them, ensuring they fit the drum securely and comfortably. We are about to compare and contrast the top three market participants: Remo, Aquarian, and Evans.
*** Read more: How To Play “Sunday Bloody Sunday” On Drums By U2?
A Brief History Of Each Brand
Starting the Remo vs. Evans vs. Aquarian brawl without knowing a little about each participant’s history would be tough. Why? Considering that these three are the drum industry’s innovators and some of the first to make drastic modifications years ago.
More than 60 years have passed since Remo first appeared. That speaks to the caliber of their goods and the standing they have acquired.
Remo Belli, the company’s founder, is frequently credited with creating the first synthetic drumheads to achieve commercial success. In early 1957, after a protracted period of testing and research, he eventually found a strategy that worked, and by June of that same year, he had founded his corporation.
This merely means that, starting that year, Remo’s inventiveness saved millions of animals by the “skin” of their teeth.
Chick Evans is another candidate to be the first to develop synthetic drumheads. The illustrious drummer and inventor of Evans Drumheads have a strong case for being the first to create a standard drumhead made of polyester back in 1956.
In his concept, the drumhead was created by attaching a mylar film between hoops. However, it was eventually found that this was defective, and Remo Belli’s design was much superior. Ultimately, D’Addario purchased the business in the 1990s, and since then, Remo’s heads have been directly competing under the D’Addario brand.
Aquarian is a relative newcomer compared to the other brands as a business that debuted in the early 1980s. Roy Burns started looking for something that sounded comparable to natural skin without utilizing it since he loved the warmer tone of natural drum skins.
The result is what we now know as Aquarian Drumheads.
*** Read more: How To Pick Drumsticks: Tips to Find The Best Drumsticks
Remo Vs Evans Vs Aquarian
#1. Sound
The drumming community appears to have a firm consensus when discussing the sound quality of various brands.
The genre of music you choose to devote yourself to should unquestionably be a deciding element.
Depending on the drum, Evans’ sound has been compared asas being bright, sharp, or even plasticky, while Aquarian drumheads are thought to have a warm, dark, and even slightly muddy sound. Remo sits in the middle.
An Aquarian head’s tone is hot and referred to as “whappy.” The tones are incredibly distinct and precisely reflect what the drummers intend.
On the other hand, the Remos sound darker than Evans while being lighter than the Aquarians.
It all depends on your preference and how you want your drum to sound, as we can all agree.
#2. Design And Construction
Mylar is used by all the companies mentioned in this article. Stretched polyolefin, known as “Mylar,” is renowned for its tensile strength and longevity.
This kind of plastic replaced animal skin as the primary material for drumheads. It is much more cost-effective, adaptable, and simpler to mass-produce. Compared to their natural equivalent, accessories like mutes are also simpler to add to this synthetic material.
Additionally, each business uses a different method to attach its Mylar heads to the drum set. These fasteners, known as flesh hoops, significantly impact the overall toughness and durability.
This is a minor but crucial point because it has been discovered that this is the location where tuning lug pressure frequently causes head failures.
The seam at the point where the two ends of the flesh hoop connect is the first thing Aquarians spot weld. This provides better durability and reinforcement.
Remo, on the other hand, solely uses crimping to secure its flesh hoops, which, while it connects the drumheads well, is less reliable than welding the flesh hoops.
Evans then joins the two ends of the hoops together using flux soldering. Even though the bond does not compare to what welding achieves, crimping is still far superior.
#3. Durability
There are numerous aspects to consider when discussing drumhead longevity before any rational comparisons and conclusions can be made. These variables include the caliber of the Mylar supplied by Du Pont, whether or not the drum heads are coated, and whether they are single-or double-ply.
The Aquarian is the most resilient compared to its rivals. It feels noticeably thicker than the others, and its coated heads outperform Remo and Evans in terms of durability.
On the other hand, several drummers believe they have seen or witnessed the coating falling off Remo drumheads due to their reputation for having fragile heads. The corporation did make some substantial adjustments, though, and its leaders are now thought to hold up better.
Last but not least, Evans was positioned between Remo and Aquarian. Evans manufactures coatings superior to Remo’s, but when placed against Aquarian, Evans still falls short.
*** Read more: How To Be a Successful Drummer: 6 Steps To Improve
#4. Responsiveness, Tuning, And Feel
The advantage of these three brands is that they each appeal to a specific group of players that favor their build, design, sound, and feel. This decision is typically a subjective one made by each drummer based on their individual experiences.
To continue, it is well recognized that playing an Aquarian feels stiffer. This means that it takes much more work to get the desired sound out of the stick and that the stick does not bounce up as much.
The methods and materials employed in the production of the heads may be directly responsible for this. This can make Aquarian heads more resilient and more straightforward to tune. Compared to Evans and Remo, they can maintain their tone for a long time.
Remo, however, has the highest bounce among the three brands and feels slightly softer to play.
Finally, Evans achieves a harmonious balance among these three elements. The sharpness and responsiveness of its heads are astounding. Because Evans drumheads offer more control and dynamics, exceptional drummers may easily display their musicality.
However, a drummer’s personal choices ultimately determine this. Evans drumheads are still incredibly user-friendly and simple to tune.
Regarding tuning, check out this excellent post on how to get your drums ready if you want to perform in a metal band.
#5. Miscellaneous
There are many other factors to consider besides the previously listed ones when determining which drumheads to choose. Here are a few examples.
One of the company’s worst flaws: Remo-coated heads frequently leave a powdery residue after a lengthy playing session. This may be an obvious indication of wear and tear and says a lot about the caliber of their coating.
It is best to avoid this brand if you do not intend to replace your heads every few months.
Evans should be the proudest of the three due to his uniform and high-quality construction. As evidence, the newer and more current setups and any vintage drum set can accommodate their heads.
The final member of the three with the lowest hoop-to-head profile is Aquarian. The hoops are placed higher than the head surface when the head is already attached to the drum, which is what it indicates. As a result, it slightly alters the sensation and perspective of playing.
*** Read more: How To Start a Drum Circle: Tip To Make a Great Drum Circle
What To Look For When Buying Drumheads?
#1. Sound
One of the most crucial things to consider when choosing a drum head is its sound quality. Examples of these include the dampening qualities and the coating types they employ.
The device’s mobility and sound quality should both be taken into account. A quality drum head will last a long time and let you use it with various instruments.
Various elements greatly influence the sound of your instrument, in addition to selecting the proper drumhead.
These consist of the sound’s overall sound quality, frequency, and tone.
We advise you to merely imagine how you want your drums to sound without more information. You can also inquire about their use of drumheads. They most likely employ the same style of the drumhead.
Try out many heads in a music store as another technique to determine what kind of head you wish to use.
The sound of your drums can be balanced with the use of a variety of dampeners. They can be designed to accommodate either the drum body or the drumheads.
Overtones are efficiently suppressed by drumheads that feature a reverse dotted center.
Imagine that you want the sound of your drums to be authentic. You must keep any unnecessary overtones to a minimum.
#2. Single-Ply Or Double-Ply
Both two-ply and one-ply drumheads are both available. Both of these are single-ply materials and are typically thinner than double-ply materials.
A thick one is needed for heavy metal and other genres. 2-ply drumhead, although lighter playing is better suited to thinner drumheads.
#3. Coating
A clean drumhead is a superior option to a coated drumhead. Both varieties of drumheads produce a louder sound. Whether painted or clear, drumheads can be used for various musical styles. They can, however, also be used for many fashionable things.
*** Read more: How To Extract Drums From A Song: 2 Simplest Method
How To Choose The Best Drum Heads?
People frequently feel perplexed by the numerous characteristics of drum heads. Therefore, we have compiled a list of the drumhead’s most well-liked features and what they should be used for.
What kinds of drumheads you should use and how much music you play genuinely depend on each other.
It is also crucial to consider the kind of drumhead that would work best for your playing style.
Thinking about drumhead’s positive and negative aspects will help you achieve this.
#1. Snare Drumheads For Rock
Rock music frequently uses snare drumheads. Thus, it is crucial to understand the most acceptable kinds of drum heads for them.
We strongly advise purchasing a coated two-ply drumhead if you play music.
One of the most attractive drumheads on the market is the Emperor X Coated. It is also among the strongest.
#2. Drumhead For Metal
It would be best if you had the most attractive and comfortable drumheads to perform correctly in this style.
For those seeking a sturdy and top-notch bass instrument, the Remo Emperor X Coated is a fantastic option.
Rather than persistently stressing over your drumhead breaking. Pick a machine that will not break easily. Worshipful Drums For religious services, drumheads are pretty helpful.
They can be employed to give the song a fun and fitting accompaniment. We chose Evans G2 coated TomPack drumheads for the top position on this list. They are adaptable and competent in most situations.
Before purchasing. Have you reviewed the products? Do you check out the Buyer’s Guide as well? There is no doubt that you can always go back and consider your options. Also, decide after doing your research.
Making a decision is easier if you list the benefits and drawbacks of different drumheads. Thinking about how the snare’s sounds might impact your decision is a brilliant idea.
Before purchasing all the drumheads, getting one as a test order is a good idea. It prevents you from buying the entire package and then realizing it was not what you wanted.
The drumhead you purchase must be appropriate for the style of music you intend to use it for.
Your choice of drumhead will be influenced by your musical style as well as the surroundings you live in. Your first drum set undoubtedly came with many drumheads that were not as long-lasting as others on this list.
Which Brand To Choose?
The three dominant brands in the world of drum heads are Remo, Evans, and Aquarian. You have a large selection of excellent heads from each manufacturer. There is no unambiguous winner when determining which brand is the best. Compared to Remo or Evans, Aquarian is not nearly as well-known.
The snare heads made by Aquarian are still excellent. The snare drums used by Mike Johnston and Eric Moore, two Aquarian musicians, usually sound fantastic.
*** Read more: 10 Easy Double Bass Songs To Get You Started in 2022
Musical Style Options
When selecting a snare drum head, you must consider the type of music you play. You might choose something general-purpose that works for everyone or something focused on the sound you want.
A coated single-ply head is recommended if you intend to perform jazz. A coated head will enable you to use brushes, and being thin will highlight the snare’s overtones. In a jazz context, hearing a few overtones is fantastic.
A more significant, thicker brain is required for rock music. Two-ply heads are the best option, therefore. Heavy music will require you to lay into the snare drum. Thus, durability will prevent you from needing to replace drum heads.
A head that is quite adaptable would be required for any genre that falls between jazz and rock. The first choice in such a situation would be something like the Evans G2 Coated.
Conclusion
Make sure you adore all a snare drum head offers before purchasing it. You do not want to be forced to use tonal qualities that you will not like.
Additionally, ensure the head you purchase will enhance and benefit the musical genre you intend to play. Rock drummers typically use double-ply heads, but jazz drummers prefer single-ply heads.
Avoid becoming devoted to a single brand of drum head. There are a lot of really excellent minds out there, and you should try them all.
