Monthly Archive for May, 2011

Only Good Vibes With Gibraltar’s Microphone Mounts And Clamps

Published
by
Dennis
on May 17, 2011
in Accessories, Brand Profile and Custom Hardware Setups
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By Tim Kane

Drum set, percussion and amplifier microphone mounts run the gamut today from simple clip-ons to more heavy-duty claws and just plain old-fashioned vocal stands. The design team here at Gibraltar Hardware has a few interesting varieties of our own specially geared to the demanding musician who does not have time for cluttered hassles and needs longevity from their equipment investments.

What’s ultimately important for musicians that regularly use microphones live and in studio are they’re placement possibilities. We understand that you need to easily maneuver mics to the sweet part of your snare, conga or amp’s sonic atmosphere, and position them in a way where they won’t be hit by an errant stick, overzealous hand, or guitarist’s stomping leg. Then there are the valid concerns we’ve read online about excessive vibrations channeled through some clip-on mic mounts that adversely impact sound quality. That’s one reason why most of our mic holder models have SC-GSM shock mounts installed on their ends. Likewise, the ability to isolate mics enough to separate certain percussive elements in a mix is crucial. To meet those demands, drummers require versatility in product line and we deliver on those expectations.

We’ve chosen eight Gibraltar Hardware microphone clamps and mounts to showcase this week as examples of the innovations we continue to achieve.

For our beloved Gibraltar drum rack owners, the SC-GRMM GIB RACK SHOCK MNT is the perfect assembly with dimensions fitting the same set-up efficiency and agility reasons. The GIB Rack Shock Mount is 16.5 x 16.5 x 1.5 inches and only weighs 1.2 pounds. It slides easily before locking and can be left in tact on your rack for breakdown when your playing time ends. Enough said.

The SC-GMBA GIB BOOM ARM W/SHOCK MNT comes in a cool black finish that attaches to virtually any cymbal stand or small accessory clamp. How many times have the legs of your traditional mic stand tipped over or posed a problem in getting the mic where you need it to be? This product is absolutely perfect for that outstretched ambient cymbal mic and exacting amplifier speaker placement. It also makes for a great replacement when the top portion of your vocal mic stand breaks.

What we love about the SC-GMQC GIB MIC QUICK SET CLAMP is its ability to attach to tubes 1.5-inches in diameter. With tube clamping, musicians can place this baby almost anywhere on a drum kit or percussion arrangement, or even hang it out in the audience off of a rafter or skinny support beam if you want to record a live crowd mix. The best part of SC-GMQC is its two different ratchet adjustments, greatly enhancing horizontal and vertical positioning options. The curved rubber bushing on the clamp itself also makes mounting a breeze and rock solid tight.

For drummers and percussionists who tend to hit their microphones by accident, the SC-JDRMM GIB JAW DBL RATCHET MIC MOUNT lessens that risk big time. Besides its seven inches vertical adjustment of the rod, it also tilts side-to side and backwards. That backward adjustment is an especially nice feature to accommodate different microphone sizes and placement. The rubbery coating on the claw and rubber fitting where the mic attaches eliminates unnecessary vibrations. And we’re proud to say that there are six other varieties in the Gibraltar jaw mount family to secure mics via drum hoops and percussion tension rods.

If height and maximum reach is what you need for mic placement, you should also definitely check out our SC-GMCMA SHOCK MOUNT CYMBAL ADAPTOR. This small but adaptive piece treads on to any standard 8mm cymbal tilter, essentially turning it into a microphone arm.

Same applies with our SC-MMMC MULTI MOUNT MICROPHONE CLAMP. The SC-MMMC is a quick on and off variable size clamp with a gooseneck mount and single wing nut that fits square or round 1.5-inch rack tubes, cymbal stands, marimba frames, any tube or metal piece down to 5/8-inches.

If you require something a bit more permanent in a particular set-up, you may want to try-out our SC-DMM NYLON CLAMP W/GOOSENECK MOUNT. All this nylon clamp needs is a gooseneck and you’re on to tightening the dual clamp wing nut and hex nut down on virtually any piece of hardware.

We’re really excited about this model, too. The SC-GBDIMM BASS DRUM MICROPHONE MOUNT attaches directly to the lug screws inside your bass drum shell to get perfect internal microphone placement – not to mention more pure sound recording and mix production. No more worries about external kick drum boom stands denting your resonate side drum head, or being shifted around during a gig by uncontrollable forces.

When micing a drum kit, percussion set-up, or amplifier, selecting the right mount or clamp can be the difference maker between a great recording and live mix or muddied mediocrity. We would like to think our options are made with high quality sound spirit meets efficient positioning in mind.

- Tim Kane is an independent drummer, instructor and writer living in Massachusetts. He writes a weekly blog for Gibraltar Hardware.

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XHM Update: In the studio with Gibraltar and Opus Dai

Published
by
Dennis
on May 9, 2011
in Artist Profile, Extreme Hardware Makeover and Interview
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The launch of Gibraltar’s Extreme Hardware Makeover web series featured Opus Dai drummer Jagger Gonzales. In episode one Jagger gets his drum rack, held together by duct tape and butter knives, completely over-hauled by the Gibraltar Hardware experts. On their next tour Jagger road tested the set up in numerous clubs. In this interview at the Troubadour in Los Angeles he fills us in on how the drum rack is performing so far. The next test was in the studio where Opus Dai is recording their latest CD. Here is Jagger’s follow up from his recent recording efforts.

Hey guys,
Hope you are well, just thought I’d share some photos from the recent recording session at Bay7. It went extremely well! This was the first time I’ve used the rack in a recording session and it was an ease to work with!

We were swapping out drums and cymbals, going from a 22””kick to a 24”, 15” hats to 13”, swapping out various snares….
All it took was a few turns of the screw on a clamp and the hardware adjusted in a second allowing total comfort and playability to any combination of changes. It was effortless and fast. As a result we were able to track 5 songs in just 1 and a half day! I totally think that was possible because we didn’t have to fuss with any hardware during studio time.

So, the rack performed exceedingly well yet again! Will keep you posted on the release date. We are looking at tracking drums for the 2nd half of the new material in July…
Just wanted to say thanx again!
~Jagger

Check out Jagger’s set up in these photos from the recording studio.

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Build virtual trees of cymbal and drum mounting options

Published
by
Dennis
on May 3, 2011
in Uncategorized
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By Tim Kane

How many of you have attached individual drum clamps to cymbal stands for a gig and then lost components at the bottom of your hardware bag or back stage? They have feet of their own sometimes. Likewise, the venues I play and practice at require a tighter drum kit set-up, so mounting a variety of cymbal arms from one stand via clamps makes sense. In our latest innovation this year, the team here at Gibraltar Hardware has solved this common kit challenge for both acoustic and electronic drummers.

The newly released Gibraltar 7700Q Quad Mount Stand and separately sold SC-SPAN Spanner Bar make for the perfect compliment to your kit. Gibraltar’s elliptical leg Quad Stand allows players to mount two acoustic toms or electronic pads along with two cymbal arms directly from a very solid and attractive platform mount. For the tech savvy skinner, you could feasibly mount four electronic drum pads before even attaching the Spanner Bar for additional clamping options. That means an entire 4-piece digital kit with two cymbal triggers could be housed on this one stand system.

Whether you choose to add the Spanner Bar to a Quad Mount or on another stand of your own, drummers and percussionists gain three additional clamps, two of which can be locked at either end of the tube. Our own Gibraltar-endorsed artist Jim Riley of Rascal Flatts, pictured here, recently used both of these items at the recent Drum Daze in Columbus. At that gig, Jim elected to mount the Spanner Bar on a single boom ride stand at his kit’s right side, and hung two tom-toms and splashes on the Quad Stand above his snare.

We’ve read quite a few forum posts kicking around about the stability of mounting multiple acoustic toms or electronic pads and cymbals arms to one stand. Some of you share very wise concerns that your rig would bounce and sway too much while striking the heads and cymbals, or even tip over. Let us calm those fears. While our system needs to have proper weight proportional balance for mounted items, meaning you shouldn’t try to anchor everything on one side, the dexterity of the Quad Mount Stand, particularly with a Spanner Bar add-on, eliminates those perceived challenges.

I mounted my two Gretsch Catalina Maple kit’s 10 and 12-inch shells on the Quad Stand, utilized its two built-in clamps, and then added the Spanner Bar, which all accept ½-inch through 1-inch diameter tubes. My cymbals range in size from a mega 24-inch heavy ride and 18-inch heavy crash ride to a lighter 16-inch crash and 8-inch splash. Again, you do need to think a little bit beforehand about proper spacing and balance, and it doesn’t hurt to point one of the tri-pod legs toward your feet (though not required).

On my scale at home, the Quad Stand weighs in at a light 10 pounds and the Spanner Bar is 5 pounds. At its safest extension, the Quad Mount Stand is 38.2 inches high – not including the two 6-3/4 –inch-tall tom spurs or your clamped on cymbal arms’ heights. The Spanner Bar is 24 inches long, giving you plenty of width for cymbal arm mounts away from other drum gear.

Ultimately, what the Quad Mount and Spanner Bar provide is greater freedom with less hardware intrusion. I can still perfectly position my two mounted toms left of my 22-inch kick drum, and leave room to hang my large ride off one clamp to the right – almost like a traditional jazz set-up. In between, the length of the spanner bar and extended height of the Quad Mount base allows an assortment of vertical and horizontal arrangements for my remaining three cymbals. Knowing our supporters demand customized options, the Quad Mount’s 2 Ball L-Rod mount for toms and electronic pads can be specially ordered to fit four millimeter variations from Hex Style to 9.5mm.

Beyond investing in one of our complete rack systems, the Gibraltar 7700Q Quad Mount Stand and SC-SPAN Spanner Bar build virtual trees of cymbal and drum mounting options without all the floor clutter.

- Tim Kane is an independent drummer, instructor and writer living in Massachusetts. He writes a weekly blog for Gibraltar Hardware.



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