Korg Forums

[M80]

Hi All,

First off, i love the Wavedrum. It's what i was looking for to introduce into my acoustic kit.And now some Cons: after one week i had the heads start to show bubbles which was reminisce of the same issuse i had with remo fiberskyn heads on my snare. I contacted Remo and they told me they fixed the problem with the FS heads which was due to to much pressure during the pressing process. I sent them photos of the wavedrum showing the bubble issue, and here is there response-

Thanks for sending me photos I just received word back from my product control that the Korg Co. used a drumhead that looked just like the Fiberskyn drumhead. If it does not say Remo with the crown on it then it is not made by Remo. We do make a fiberskyn head that will fit that drum and that would be the FT-0510-00- will fit but the collar will be a little short but drumhead will still fit. Basically the reason why you are getting the bubble up continuously is because the manufacture did not fix that problem and Remo Inc. did.
Christina Rodriguez
Remo Inc
Customer Service / Sales
28101 Industry Dr.
Valencia, Ca. 91355
crodriguez@remo.com

With that said, i guess i will just have to go buy a new 10" fiberskyn. Unless someone has a different recommendation for a head. And one other thing, not sure why there is no preset for just a regular acoustic drum kit:bass,snare, ride, etc..etc.. i don't even see a ride cymbal in sound bank.
Thanks.

[WaveDrummer]

That response from Remo is a bit comical to me. Having been involved with drum retail for over twenty years, I can tell you: Fiberskyn heads will bubble and peel. Period. It's the nature of the head. I'm not passing judgement on the design, it's just the way it is.

That being said, the Fiberskyn is a good choice for the Wavedrum if you're doing a lot playing with your hands and want the slight feel of a hand drum. If you are using sticks or mallets, the Fiberskyn will wear out more quickly than some other heads. Changing heads is easy enough however, so that might not be a big deal.

Other heads that I have found to work well with the Wavedrum are the Ebony Suede Ambassador (as featured on the Wavedrum Black) and the Remo Renaissance Ambassador.

[Charlie]

Can you hear any difference to the sound when using different heads?
I mostly play by hand (no sticks on the WD) - what head would you recommend for that? The one it comes with?
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[undrpsi]

Wavedrummer...

Since you have tried different heads...you're saying the fiber ones are the best for hand playing? Is the suede better than the fiber?

My unit arrives the end of the week and was wondering if I should go ahead and have an extra head laying around.

Thanks

Jay
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[WaveDrummer]

I will probably start a new thread in regards to head tension and "tuning" recommendations, but to address the above questions...

HEAD CHOICES:
I have found that the Fiberskyn does work quite well for hand techniques. To me, it as has slightly thicker "feel" then the suede head or other heads that I have tried. But it really comes down to personal preference.

I find both the Ebony Suede and the Renaissance to have less of a "textured" surface to them than the Fiberskyn. They are both very sensitive but will offer slightly less resistance to brushes if you want to achieve any swirling or sweeping techniques.

If brushes (metal or plastic) are not a part of your approach, then the regular Ebony Ambassador will also work well. Although there is really no "texture" to this head--it is totally smooth--I find that it offers a nice, slightly "grippy" feel against my fingers which can be nice for hand techniques. It also looks extremely cool! The Clear Ambassador as well as the Smooth White Ambassador will also work well on the Wavedrum.

But if you want a more "skin-like" feel, then stay with the Fiberskyn.

SOUND DIFFERENCES:
Since there is no actual resonance to the head on a Wavedrum (this is prevented by the fact that there is a transducer making contact with the edge of the head, and a large pressure sensor under the middle of the head) different heads won't make the Wavedrum sound different in the way that an acoustic drum would react.

The thickness of the head can effect sensitivity a bit. A 2-ply head will offer more durability but won't respond quite as well when more finesse is desired. So essentially, from a traditional standpoint: NO, different heads won't make the Wavedrum "sound" different in the same way they would affect an acoustic drum, because the sounds are more a product of the PCM samples and the Algorithmic computer modeling.

[Edit]
HOWEVER! Different heads WILL affect the overall timbre and response of the Wavedrum in subtle ways depending on the program.
(See my follow-up below)

[Charlie]

Thanx for this detailed answer. I understand there's no difference to the sound itself but there are personal preferences. I'll keep the head as it is for the time being.

And I'm looking forward to your comments on tuning/tension!
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[cuidate]

If I understand you correctly the ambassador skins are somewhat more sensitive especially as it relates to brushes. I'm guessing that might also apply to any sliding you might do with your hands as well?

What I'm most interested in is responsiveness to lighter finger taps. A "hair-trigger" response kinda thing.

[Bertotti]

When you guys are saying bubbling what does that look like. My remo fyberskin is doing great but the Korg head started denting, actual dents in the head. I don't know if that is all bad but I replaced it. Oddly I was actually thinking of using some dye on the head to change it's color. I don't know if that will cause it to break down early but I figure it's worth a try. FWIW

[WaveDrummer]

[Bertotti]

When I calibrated my head and rim, because the instructions told me to, I had an error code, I made it more sensitive. Sadly on a few programs it is now to sensitive because I get a little, best way I can describe it, feedback. I have to mute the rim or head or turn the volume down to get it to stop. i don't remember if you can set individual patch sensitivity if so I will change those but if not I will turn it down a bit globally. Personally I like the fiberskyn. I wonder how a natural material like on a bongo would do. I like the texture but then again I have just discovered brushes and mallets! Come payday I want to try some of the funny looking sticks that look like several small sticks bound together, no clue what you call them. I like the way they sound in the Korg vids from namm and other places. I suppose the heavier ambassador is the head to go with if your really pounding on the head. I do tend to really pound on it when I use some of the really bassy patches! i love the very low bassy drums!

[WaveDrummer]

Time to bump another thread!

Due to some of the work I've been doing recently, I've gained a different perspective on how head choices can affect the Wavedrum. In the past, most of my assessments were based on having one Wavedrum and switching heads. Now that I've been working extensively with two Wavedrums, in a different listening environment, I've had the opportunity to compare the effect of having different heads on two Wavedrums at the same time, side by side.

I've been creating some melodic sounds and pitching them differently between the two Wavedrums. I've been using a Remo Black Suede Ambassador on one Wavedrum and a Remo Fiberskyn on the other. At first I thought that some of the differences I was hearing were due to the difference pitches, or that maybe each Wavedrum just responded in its own unique way.

But now that I've put Fiberskyn heads on both Wavedrums, they sound and respond, much more uniformly. This became more obvious to me as I've been creating more original programs. With some of the factory sounds, it can be hard to determine what the "correct" type of sound or response is really suppose to be. But with my own sounds, I would have a very specific result in mind, and I would find that one Wavedrum would get closer to my goal than the other.

The Black Suede head definitely has a "brighter" and "sharper" quality to it. Some of the higher frequency sounds would jump out a bit more. But it didn't have the same warmth or low-end that the Fiberskyn has. The thickness of the heads has quite an effect on how the transducers respond—more than I had originally realized. Again though, part of this is because of the kind of sounds I've been playing with. Some programs are not affected that much by the different heads, especially some of the heavier, more aggressive sounds—especially when using sticks or mallets.

But for more subtle finger and hand playing, and for more exposed and delicate sounds, there is a big difference. Once again, the tabla program is one of the most revealing of the factory sounds. Since I play tabla, maybe I'm more sensitive to these differences, but the low-end and pitch-bending sounds are much easier to achieve with the Fiberskyn head.

For other sounds though, like a doumbek for instance, having a sharper and brighter sound might be more desirable for some users. It really depends on context and personal preference, and the type of playing that you are doing. I wouldn't say that one head is "better" than another, but different choices will offer slightly different results. Experimenting is really the only way to determine what those differences are and what works best for you!

[Bertotti]

I had thought of trying a black suede but after reading this I doubt I will unless I get a second WD, a dream still. I also prefer the low end of the fiberskyn. A great head that I also think sounded better then the stock one when I got it. I also think it is lasting longer the stock one started pitting and getting very worn after a couple months the fiberskyn has been on almost a year and is still going strong! I'm not sure how long you should get out of a head but for the amount of beating this gets I expected it to need replacing by now!

[Mr T]

Dear WaveDrummers, have you ever tried to use a remo ebony pinstripe? http://www.remo.com/portal/products/3/8/51/188/eb_pinstripe.html
I would really like to know if someone already tried it... because i'm seriously thinking about it... See you soon, keep in touch!

[tobintech]

This was released (finally) http://www.alternatemode.com/inhead.shtml I'm liking the idea of adding this with the rim trigger to be able to mix wavedrum sounds with triggered samples from my iPad or a computer.

The other thought I have (for Korg that is) utilizing this for the next generation wavedrum. Just think, xyz parameter control, within an acoustic head to utilize the sound shaping functions of the sound processor. The potential of a Mandala/Wavedrum hybrid. No real need for the dampening pad, so better rebound from the head. And as opposed to mandala's xz parameters ( it only detects from rim to center and velocity). There is a third dimension availble for some true control or multiple sounds on the same pad depending on where you hit it.

Just a pipe dream, make it a USB device with software for an iPad or a computer so the audio and data can be processed and spat back out and so upgrading via in app purchase lengthens the lifespan of the device