Find the Best Drum Heads for Church
The music of church worship is unique from most other music styles. They don’t use the same styles or sound different in church music, but church worship is meant to be a collaboration between the worship band members and the congregation. Also, church music includes a variety of musical styles.
A song could be a traditional hymn set to classical music, while the next may be contemporary or gospel. It is not as easy to find the best drum heads for the church as it is to find the best heads of rock or jazz.
It is important to remember that worship services are a time for people to be able to sing and appreciate the many musical styles used by churches.
This article will show you how to find the best drum heads for your church. You’ll need to determine which music you prefer, the size of your sanctuary, and how loud you want to make it sound good. Before I get to the list, I want to share this great video about how to shop drum heads. I’ll answer some simple questions about drum heads and then get to the actual list.
How to Shop for Drum Heads
When buying drum heads, people ask these questions
What is the name of the drum’s top?
The batter head is the top of the drum. This is because you can strike the drum or strike it with a stick.
What is the name of the head of the bottom drum?
The resonant head, or resohead, is the bottom of the drum. This head gives the drum its tone.
What do drum heads serve?
To produce the drum sound, the two heads of the drum are combined.
What is a resonance head?
The head that sits at the bottom of a drum is the resonant head, responsible for creating the drum’s tones.
How often do drum heads need to be changed?
It must be replaced if the head shows signs of wear or has extensive marks. This is the typical schedule that drummers follow.
- Snare drum heads every six months
- TomTom heads every 3 Months
- Head bass drum batter every six months
- The Bass drum resonant head doesn’t get changed
- TomTom and Snare drum resonant heads – once per year
How often should drums be tuned?
It all depends on how often you use your drum set. Tuning your drums should be done once a week if you play 3 times per week. You may need to tune your drums a few times per week if you are a professional musician.
How do you clean drumheads?
Many drummers don’t clean their heads. But I can understand if a non-musical elder or deacon is complaining about your dirty head. Modern heads are made from Mylar (a plastic), so they will not tolerate petroleum-based products. If a head does need to be cleaned in an emergency, I recommend mild soap and water.
Is it possible to use batter heads as resonants?
It is not something I would recommend. If the sound of the batter head is not good, the head has likely been worn. This will make it difficult to tune your tom to achieve a pleasing tone with the head on the resonant. I recommend keeping your resonant head in place, as it doesn’t need to be replaced as often.
What is the difference between tom and snare heads?
The 1-ply coated snare heads have a 1-ply coating. You will have a shorter sustain, and the coated part can be used for jazz sounds.
Depending on your preference, tom heads can be either 1 or 2-ply. These tom heads are designed to provide a deeper and longer-lasting sound.
Best Drum Heads For Worship Services
I considered the opinions of professional drummers and my personal experience in choosing the best drum heads to use for church worship. These recommendations will be of great benefit to you.
Modern Praise and Worship: Best Drum Heads
Modern praise and worship music is rooted in rock and roll. It can be either guitar-centered or keyboard-centered. The basic beat and sound of the instrument are rock. It needs drum heads that have a more striking tonal tone. This video is an example of what you will see.
Top TomTom Heads for Contemporary Worship and Praise
Remo PP-1470-PS Pinstripe Clear Tom Drumhead Pack – 10″, 12″ & 16″
Best Tom Heads For Contemporary Worship
Modern Praise and Worship: Best Snare Drum Head
Remo Emperor X Coated Snare Drum Head – 14 Inch
Best Snare Head For Contemporary Worship
Modern Praise and Worship: The Best Bass Drum Heads
Remo Powerstroke P3 Clear Bass Drumhead, 26″
Best Bass Drum Head For Contemporary Worship
Best Drum Heads for Traditional and Orchestral Worship
Sometimes, traditional hymns and orchestra arrangements are the most challenging types of church music to perform. The beats of these songs are different. Drums are not intended to drive the music but rather accompany it. This style of music requires drum heads with a lower initial attack and a warmer nature. This video is similar to the one you see.
Top TomTom Heads for Traditional and Orchestral Worship
Evans G2 Tompack, Coated, Rock (10 inch, 12 inch, 16 inch)
Best Tom Heads For Traditional Music
Best Snare Drum Head For For Traditional And Orchestral Worship
Remo Ambassador Coated Drum Head – 14 Inch
Best Snare Head For Traditional Music
Best Bass Drum Head for Traditional and Orchestral Worship
Remo Ambassador Coated Bass Drum Head – 20 Inch
Best For Traditional Music
Best Drum Heads for Southern Gospel and Country Western Hymns
Southern Gospel and Country and Western hymns are two distinct genres of music. A versatile drum head is essential. You might be playing a song for a camp meeting while playing a ballad the next time. Drumheads must be able to play both. This video shows the versatility required for this type of music.
Top TomTom Heads for Southern Gospel and Country Western Hymns
Remo PP-0950-BE Emperor Coated Tom Drumhead Pack – 12″, 13″ & 16″
Best Tom Heads For Country And Gospel
Best Snare Drum Head for Southern Gospel and Country Western Hymns
Evans Power Center Reverse Dot Drum Head, 14 Inch
Best Snare Head For Gospel And Country
The Best Bass Drum Heads for Southern Gospel and Country Western Hymns
Evans EMAD2 Clear Bass Drum Head, 22”
Best For Gospel And Country
It’s all in the journey
It is as much a journey as a recommendation to find the best drumheads for your church. Evans and Remo make great drum heads. It is up to you to decide which type of drum head will work best for your church. I hope you find the information you need to answer this question.
Enjoy the ride, and may the Lord bless you as you offer your drumming gifts to your church.