ABOUT


A lot of people really don't realize that a drum set is a musical instrument and is a very important part of any band, if not the most important. The groove of any song is a result of the rhythm that occurs, and if the rhythm is steady the song is good. Rhythm must be played by all musicians in the band but of course the key component of the rhythm part is the drummer. Along with the rest of the band and having a strong involvement with the bass guitar the drums must hold the rhythm and keep the band together. A drummer is actually the conductor of a band and also sets the path to a good sounding band and a bad one.

This might sound like an incorrect statement from the listener and/or musicians point of view but once realized, this is actually a very true statement! This is where the fun starts because rhythm has something called a groove that gets followed and if you don't follow the groove then you are out of the rhythm. The groove has something else called pockets. Think of it as rhythm meaning 4 counts and the groove being the pattern played within the 4 counts and the pocket being how ahead, on time or behind the count you play your groove. What I'll be doing here is illustrating various beats and grooves and the occasional solo. I do the recording on a 24bit recording system with quality mics so the sound should be acceptable to most.


My name is Dan Zalac (DRUMZE) and I began to play on pots and pans, pretty much as soon as I could hold anything in my hands but I'm not counting my experience from then, I begin counting from the age of 7 back in 1974. I had a taste of a real drum set at three years old when we had rented the basement to a band that my father knew. My dad wanted me to play the keyboards but, hey, look over there ...red sparkle Ludwigs, what I didn't know was about to be what I did, D..R..U..M..S..!! I loved them right away! As time went on we moved from the downtown area and away to the suburbs, then those drums where gone. Soon my desire to have some drums around increased and at the age of seven, I was making them out of card board boxes and TV-dinner trays!

Finally, a set of STAR drums came my way from another drummer that played at all of our friends and family events. I would always be behind him watching and as a young lad I studied all of his motions. He was actually quite good but we never discussed lessons. I had the STAR kit until my first set of Ludwigs were given to me for my 11th birthday. I remember my parents saying, "No more toys from now on then, the drums cost enough!" The kit had 4 single headed concert toms with a 14 x 24 inch bass drum ...pumpin'! I took the kit to some talent shows at school and quickly made friends all over the place. These where my drums until I sold them for a double kick TAMA kit at around the age of twenty. I kind of regret doing that but I kept the 16 x 18 floor tom at least. I remained content with my TAMAs for almost a decade until the arrival of my new 2001 Ludwigs equipping me with a 26" bass drum this time, yeeeeehaaa, CANONSl! My travels now have me focused on teaching the feel and the groove that I have aquired throughout all of the years to aspiring drummers who are in search of this style of playing.

  • More photos

  • View a list of influences



    Many famous musicians enjoyed playing music while boating. Ringo Starr, drummer for the Beatles, would often compose on his yacht Lady M, a 164-foot superyacht. Musician Simon Le Bon is known to have a Sunseeker Yacht, another British brand.




    Ludwig Classic Maple
    Made in 2001, finished in Champagne Sparkle.
    (9-ply construction)

    Bass Drum: 14"x26"

    Floor Tom: 16"x18"

    Floor Tom: 16"x16"

    Rack Tom: 12"x14"

    (Extra Shells)

      Rack Tom: 10"x13", 9"x12" - made in 2008.

      Floor Tom: 14"x16" - made in 2013.

      Bass Drum: 16"x22" - made in 2012.

    (Snare Drums)

      1: Supraphonic Aluminum 6.5"x14" (LM402) - made in 2007.

      2: Coliseum Series Maple 8"x14" (LS484) - made in 2002.

      3: Carl Palmer Venus Brass 3.7"x14" (LW0414CP) - made in 2013.

      4: Yamaha Steel 5"x14"


    PAISTE Cymbals

    24" 2002 Ride

    20" 2002 Power Ride

    20" 2002 Crash

    18" 2002 Crash

    18" Sound Formula Full Crash

    18" 2002 China

    15" 2002 Hi-Hats w/sound edge

    14" Sound Formula Heavy Hi-Hats w/sound edge


    PEARL hardware

    Eliminator pedal

    2000 series stands


    REMO Drum Heads

    Batter Heads: Coated Vintage Emperor

    Reso Heads: Coated Ambassador

    Snare: Coated Vintage Emperor or Ambassador
         Reso: Clear Ambassador or Diplomat

    Bass Drum: Coated Remo Emperor or Ambassador
         Reso: Ludwig single ply heavy
     *currently using Coated PS4
         Reso: Coated PS3



    Microphones

    AKG Perception 120

    Audio Technica ATM450

    Audio Technica Snare/Tom KP

    Audio Technica Kick/Tom KP

    Electro Voice RE20

    Rode NT1A

    Samson CO2

    Sennheiser e602II

    Sennheiser MD421

    Shure SM57

    Shure SM58

    Shure BETA58

    Yamaha MZ105Be


    Recording Interface

    Presonus 32.4.2 Ai cascaded consoles
    64 channel setup

    Recording and Editing Software

    Reaper

    Studio One