Roto toms

cjh791982 · Not So Newbie Joined: 22 Nov 2008 Posts: 6

I'm thinking about trying to learn how to play tympani, and I read on the internet that most people train on roto toms. This may be a silly question, but on the 12" and 14" inch toms, do they sound like tympani? Can they be a decent tympani substitute, especially for someone like me who is on a budget and can't afford an actual tympani drum? I've wanted to play tympani for years and I would like to find something that is affordable and provides an ideal "tympani-like" sound. I know Remo makes those kinds of drums, are they a good brand?

random white person · Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:32 pm Post subject:

i wouldnt say that roto toms really sound much like a timpani at all. i could be wrong, but id assume people use them to practice timpani because their pitch is quickly and easily adjusted without any tools (by rotating the drum), as a timpani would be tuned using its pedal.

if youre still in school, most high school or college bands/orchestras usually have a set of timpani if youre really interested in playing... cause i'd say they're really way out of the budget of the average buyer.
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cjh791982 · Not So Newbie Joined: 22 Nov 2008 Posts: 6

The only thing I can do is get a floor tom, if you say that a roto tom does not exactly sound like a tympani. I live in a small town (I am from outside New Orleans, and I live in one of the coastal parishes that was hit hard by Katrina), and there are some high schools but I don't think they do have any tympani players. The only colleges are in the city and I really don't think I am going to be able to learn how to play it at this rate. I wanted to get this specially-designed floor tom called the "Trash Kat", which when played with mallets sounds just like a tympani drum, except that it is a 18" floor tom. It is almost $300 and I simply cannot afford it, I cannot afford even a real drum kit. Money is very tight in my family right now.

Bish · King of the Jungle Joined: 19 Oct 2005 Posts: 1882

Maybe I'm missing something here but you don't have to "have" a drum to learn how to play it.

When I was a kid I would set up pillows on an ironing board to immitate a drumkit.

You can still learn how to play timpani without owning one. It's simply learning how to read the scores for timpani. Then you can really play about anything drum related.

Another question that comes to mind. If you want to learn to play timpani where are you going to apply your talent?
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"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds."

cjh791982 · Not So Newbie Joined: 22 Nov 2008 Posts: 6

I guess the main issue is what kind of drum kit I am going to get in the first place. I don't think that getting a tympani or a drum that even remotely resembles one is even possible right now. I am very limited in what I can spend (nothing over $200), and someone suggested this practice kit, but if you hit the heads too hard on that kit they come off and you have to keep re-screwing them. The only alternative I have is a set of electronic drum pads, other than that I cannot afford a real drum kit.

Bish · King of the Jungle Joined: 19 Oct 2005 Posts: 1882

Now I'm really confused.

Do you want timpani or a drumset or what exactly?

If you want a drumkit, you should look locally first. Used is going to be your only option but there are some decent buys out there, you just have to look a little harder. If you have pawn shops in your area, you just never know what treasures await discovery there. If you know what to look for some great deals can be had.

Also check local newspaper ads and even drumshops that take in trades.
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Bish

"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds."

random white person · Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 4:41 pm Post subject:

the skills need to play timpani are really not all that different than those needed to play any other drum. short of actually having access to a real set of timpani, simply using a practice pad to actually practice playing standard drum rudiments and exercises, while learning music theory and how to read timpani scores would probably be the next best bet.
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cjh791982 · Not So Newbie Joined: 22 Nov 2008 Posts: 6

I am more interested now in a regular drumset as opposed to tympani. Someone suggested to me this thing called the DW Go Anywhere Practice Set, which is basically a set of pads connected to a drum set, however it becomes very flimsy if you hit it hard. I mean, aside from those electronic pad kits, is this even a decent alternative to a real drum set? I feel very wary of sites like Craigslist or things like that because I've heard some bad things about them. I guess I should also say that I live outside New Orleans, and I would have to assume that there aren't a lot of music stores down there (there used to be one where I live but it never came back after Katrina). I am very limited in what I can spend (nothing over $200). While I would like to learn how to play tympani somewhere down the line, it does not seem to be feasible for me right now. That's basically what I am saying.

tylerdrummer · Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:37 pm Post subject:

E-Bay

gdawson44 · Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 4:41 am Post subject:

cjh791982 · Not So Newbie Joined: 22 Nov 2008 Posts: 6

The only music store I know of anywhere near my house is Guitar Center, I went there today and they had absolutely nothing I was interested in. All they had were this set of pads, but you had to hook headphones up to them and you couldn't play them out loud, they were worth $300.

random white person · Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 4:51 pm Post subject:

if youre really strapped for cash, then i'd go with dawson's advice of picking up a pair of sticks, a practice pad, and maybe a few instructional books. you can easily get all of this for $30-$50, and can start building skills that you can use once you save up enough for a full blown set of drums.
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DrumHead · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject:

oops
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tylerdrummer · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:58 pm Post subject:

kuniggety · Lion Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 906 Location: Okinawa

eh, I think he was saying he didn't see anything that he liked in his price range. I think it's pretty rediculous for anyone to not see anything that they like in general in GC.
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