I’d like to announce to everyone the release of my Titanium snare drum for the upcoming January 09 NAMM show. I’d like to explain some of my ideas and intentions and hopefully answer some questions some of you may have.
The whole idea started about 6 or 7 seven years ago when I met Ronn Dunnett for the first time and started to become familiar with his incredible drums. I saw some of his titanium drums and I was intrigued. He explained the sound characteristics of titanium and I became very interested in the sonic possibilities. I asked Ronn if he could make one as a 4x14. His reply was something along the lines of “I’ll give it a shot.” A few months later Ronn brought a drum to me at a clinic I was doing at the Seattle Drum School. I immediately fell in love with the drum – its sound, its tone and its feel.
As most of you know I am a Gretsch endorser and a BIG Gretsch nut. I love playing their kits and snares both vintage and modern. I still love to play wood snares and am currently discussing future wood snare projects with Gretsch now. I’m releasing this drum with Gretsch’s blessing, as Gretsch does not offer a Titanium option at this time. My intentions are to maintain my great working relationship with Gretsch while making this particular snare drum available to the public so other drummers can enjoy this drum as much as I have.
As I started to play larger rooms with my band Galactic, I started searching for a drum that would be sensitive and buttery enough for the intricate buzz roll work that I do with some of the New Orleans second line grooves, but would also cut through a loud funk band when I smacked a back beat. This drum had what I was looking for in a “large room” snare drum. Over the years Ronn and I have experimented with different depths, thickness of the shell, depth of the snare bed, lugs, strainers, snare wires, rims, claws and other details.
We labored over the badge the most. Finally over lunch one day I showed him the New Orleans water meter cover (not sewer or man-hole, but water meter…and some of you know how much I love the Meters). The image of the New Orleans water meter cover is one of the most beloved and iconic images in New Orleans culture. Ronn was very excited with the idea of modifying the meter cover into the badge for my snare. I feel like the badge pays homage to the city that my fellow citizens and I are fighting to protect and rebuild. Also we both though that “Stanton Moore Drum Company” sounded better than “Stanton Moore Signature Snare Drum,” so we decided to go with that on the badge.
As for the design, a long time ago I was given a 20’s era snare drum by my friend and mentor Johnny Vidacovich. Unfortunately that drum got stolen. It was 4x14 with tube lugs and, single flange hoops and claws. I always dug the look and feel of that drum. When I started deciding on the look of my drum I kept recalling the drum that Johnny had given me. I thought it would be cool to incorporate the metal hoop and claw look of an older drum with the modern titanium shell. I’m always trying to blend the old with the new…to modernize tradition.
Everywhere I play this drum, drummers, engineers, producers and fans of music alike approach me and ask me “what is that drum?” I feel Ronn and I have created a drum that is special and deserves to be out in the market. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I have.
