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Getting into Fusion Music: The Ultimate Drumkit Guide

By Magesh MageshContributing Author

Fusion music came to prominence in the 1970s. At first, it was a mixture of jazz harmony and rock rhythms. The complex drum beats and odd-time signatures are what made this style appealing to drummers. I would like to focus on 1990’s fusion which had smaller drum sizes and was probably more linked to funk than jazz.

Here are some important things to look for when putting together a fusion drumkit.

The Bass Drum

 I’ve always said it’s easier to make a small drum sound big, as opposed to making a big drum sound small.

A 20-inch bass is perfect for fusion music. It still has a lot of punch and bottom end. It’s not so low to give a one-dimensional sound. A 22-inch bass drum will also suffice.

Check out these bass drums: 

Pearl Export 20'x16' Bass Drum #31

Sonor 20'x16' AQ2 Bass Drum WHP

The Snare Drum

A snare drum is such an important factor that contributes to a drummer's sound. For fusion music, you want something high pitch but still with some depth. I don’t recommend using an O ring to muffle the snare drum. I feel it takes away too much of the drum's natural tone.

A standard 14-inch snare is fine. It will give you a good cracking sound for the backbeat and also make ghost notes sound tight. I prefer a wooden snare as opposed to a metal snare. I feel it has a warmer tone that is more pleasant to listen to.

Check out these snare drums: 
 

Mapex 14'x5.5' BP Natural Maple Burl

Pearl 14'x6,5' Special Reserve Snare

Mapex 14'x06' DL 'The Maximus' Snare

Tom Sizes

Most fusion drum kits come with some combination of 8,10,12 and 14-inch toms. I recommend keeping the drum sizes smaller as they have a lot of punch. Having larger sizes like an 18-inch floor tom will make it sound like Rock music and kill the fusion feel.

DW Satin Oil Fusion Set - Natural

DW Finish Ply Fusion Black Ice

Pearl Roadshow 20' Plus Jet Black

Cymbals

Fusion music has a lot of accents played by the drummer. If you are playing accents on a crash or ride cymbal you don’t want them to ‘wash out’. That means that the sound is so bright it gets hard to hear individual notes you are playing.

Famous fusion drummer Dave Weckl used a combination of popular Zildjian series cymbals. K’s which are bright and Z’s which are dark. This gave a good mixture of tones he could create with his cymbal setup.

Check out these cymbals:

Istanbul Agop 13' Xist Dry Dark Hi-Hat

Zildjian 13,7/14 K-Custom Session HiHat

Paiste 13' Signature Dark Hi-Hat

Skins

Double-ply drum skins (commonly called drum heads) are great for Rock but not for fusion. Double-ply heads are stronger but don’t have as much tone. I recommend using single-ply skins as they have a great tone that resonates.

Coated (white) skins will give you a brighter tone than clear skins although both are great for fusion music.

Check out these snare drum skins:

Evans EC2S Studio / Fusion Set Clear

Evans 14' Genera HDD Coated Snare

Evans 14' EC2S/SST Clear

Sticks

I feel that 5A sticks are perfect for fusion music.7A’s are a little too light and won’t give you a solid back beat on the snare. 5B’s are too heavy and will make it hard to create delicate ghost notes.

Check out these sticks:

Vic Firth 5A American Hickory Value Pack

Millenium Drumstick Starter Bundle

Vater 5A Power Drum Sticks Wood

In conclusion, remember that Fusion music is all about FINESSE! Practice your single and double stroke rolls as they are commonly used on the snare drum and hi-hats in fusion music.

Also listen to master drummers like Dennis Chambers, Dave Weckl, and Vinnie Coliuta.

Keep practicing!

About Magesh Magesh

Magesh is a musician and producer who has worked with Rihanna, Lionel Richie, Ricky Martin, Chris Brown, The Pussy Cat Dolls, Nelly Furtado, and Vernon Reid of Living Colour. He released an instructional drumming DVD called "Unique Beats" where he mixed the drum kit with electronics and Indian hand percussion. He recently moved from Australia to the UK to explore new musical opportunities.
Website: mageshdrumteacher.co.uk

Contact Magesh Magesh at magesh.magesh7@gmail.com

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