Matt Cameron's drum equipment
Lost In Ohio
Posts: 7,120
Anyone know what he uses? Specifically, does he use kevlar or mylar drum heads?
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Did you check in the Gear Heads forum? I think I ran across this info their.
Whats the difference in Kevlar or mylar? Whats better or more expensive?
Throughout the 1990s, Cameron favored three crashes (generally matching 19" Zildjian Z customs), a ride of 20 or 21 inches, and 15" hihats. Before 1996's Down on the Upside, a China cymbal was used infrequently, most notably on Superunknown's closing track "Like Suicide". Even after becoming a full-time member of Pearl Jam upon drummer Jack Irons' departure for health reasons, Cameron's cymbal setup has not changed radically from his Soundgarden days. Currently, the most noticeable difference is his use of the A Zildjian series as opposed to the heavier Z series. When beginning to play with Pearl Jam in 1998, Matt used fewer cymbals on his kit. In 2008 more crash cymbals were apparent, as well as his use of the crashes.
Cameron used California-based Drum Workshop drums during the majority of his time with Soundgarden. Cameron revealed in a 1994 interview with Modern Drummer magazine that to greater emphasize the dynamic shift in the aforementioned "Like Suicide", two kits were used, the latter having shells both larger in depth and diameter. Along with fellow Northwesterner William Goldsmith (Sunny Day Real Estate and Foo Fighters), Cameron was an early supporter of drummer and craftsman Gregg Keplinger, famous for perhaps the heaviest and most characteristic steel snare drum on today's market. During the recording of 1996's Down on the Upside, and the album's subsequent tour, he was endorsed by the Canadian custom outfit Ayotte, of which cohort Jeremy Taggart (Our Lady Peace) is a long-time artist.
Initially during Pearl Jam's U.S. Yield Tour Cameron could be seen using his purple Ayotte kit, the very same employed on Soundgarden's Saturday Night Live performances of "Pretty Noose" and "Burden in My Hand" (during which the bass drum read "Go Sonics!", a reference to the Seattle basketball team). Cameron's subsequent time with Pearl Jam is notable for his shift away from maple-shelled drums, arguably the most popular drum material in the rock market for its low fundamental tone and strong projection. He opted instead for the Yamaha Birch Custom Absolute, which is higher-pitched than maple and produces fewer overtones. In 2009, he began to use yet another type of wood, the Yamaha Oak Custom.
Matt's current drum and cymbal set up is:
Yamaha Oak Custom.
14x7 (primary) and 13x7 (secondary) brass snare drums,
12x8 rack tom,
13x9 rack tom,
16x16 floor tom,
18x16 floor tom (sometimes replaced by a 14x10 concert/open bottom floor tom at live shows),
24x16 bass drum.
Zildjian Cymbals.
14.25in K Custom Hybrid Hi-hats,
17in Z Custom Medium crash,
19in Z Custom Medium crash,
19in Z Custom Rock crash,
20in Z Custom Rock crash,
20in A Medium ride.
Cameron endorses Vic Firth drumsticks and has a signature model available. They are most similar to a 5B.