Evans Level 360

D’Addario & Co. recently debuted the Evans Level 360 to address the frustrations that players experience when changing and tuning drumheads. In January, the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) had named the product one of the “Best in Show.”

When players change drumheads, most drumheads tend to lay slightly crooked on the bearing edge of the shell. As a result, physical force and over-tension may be necessary to make sure the head is in contact with the bearing edge of the shell. This situation causes frustrating tuning, suppressed volume and limited tonal range.

While companies have addressed the binding collar issue on the drum set, none have pursued the entire course of design, according to Richard A. Markus, percussion products manager at D’Addario.

The new Evans Level 360 presents a steeper collar design that improves the ease of contact with the drum’s bearing edge. Therefore, the product increases the level playing surface of the drumhead around 360 degrees of the drum.

“Due to the constant contact at the bearing edge throughout the tuning process, the drumhead allows the drum to have a wider pitch range,” Markus says. “The larger drums are able to tune lower, and the smaller drums can tune to a higher pitch than before. This is because the inside edge of the drumhead collar is not binding with the drum shell which is what stops the resonance of the drumhead.”

The company says that the new product will influence the marching activity in a variety of ways, including simplifying the tuning process, providing a wider range of tones and supplying more volume, especially for tenor drum players. Beginning early this year, the Level 360 is on all Evans 6” to 16” drum set tom and snare heads as well as all marching tenor heads.

“The additional benefit of all Evans drumheads is our proprietary ‘Roll-Over Hoop’ that holds the drum head film,” Markus says. “This patented flesh-hoop is designed to provide additional strength to the film to prevent the head ‘pulling out’ under the high tension required to bring marching tenors to the requisite pitch for the marching music’s application.”

Visit www.evansdrumheads.com for more information.

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