1. Why are all of Pearl marching shells made out of maple wood?

Pearl marching drums feature 100% Maple shells for their full, rich tone and unsurpassed projection. Formed under high temperature and pressure (using Pearl’s exclusive Heat Compression Shells Molding System) Pearl’s 100% Maple shells provide exceptional strength and stability under all climate conditions for dependability you can count on.

The distinct sound produced by Maple wood produces a superior blend and balance with the horn line. Have you ever heard a marching drumline that is so overbalanced, that they are actually distracting from the performance rather than adding to it? Odds are, these birch shelled drums, and not Maple!

Best of all, you get all the superior benefits of Maple at prices typically below that of the competition’s birch drums.

2. Why do Pearl’s tenors sound different from all other manufacturers?
There are three main factors in “The Pearl Sound” that people have come to desire in marching tenor drums. The first is the 100% Maple shells (as described above). The second is our rounded bearing edges (the part of the shell the head touches) on each drum. By making our bearing edges more rounded, more vibration is transferred from the head to the shell! The third factor is the sonic cut. Pearl’s tenors are scientifically proportioned from diameter to depth thus allowing the shell to remain in vibration longer. All of these factors combined ensure Pearl’s tenors produce a warm, resonant, full bodied tone, with extraordinary clarity, volume and cutting projection.

3. Why do my marching bass drums not project?
First, look at the muffling. Some muffling is necessary, but over-muffling will create a “dead drum,” meaning it will have no tone at all. We recommend using Pearl’s TS-14 Bass Drum Muffling Foam. Place one strip of foam in a complete circle on the head about 4-8 inches in from the shell (depending on the size of the drum – the higher the drum, the closer to the shell). As the drum size increases, you may need to add more foam to achieve the right amount of “ring” you want from the drum. To project properly, there has to be tone to the drum!

4. How should I tune my marching bass drums?
Although there is no universal way to tune these drums, one of the most common ways is to put a perfect 4th between the two bottom drums, and a minor 3rd between the others.

5. Should I use a plastic snare side head of a Kevlar snare side head?
There are many factors to consider in making this decision. If you like the “traditional” sound of the 70’s and early 80’s or if you’re doing only football games, the plastic head is your best bet. However, if you’re competing and want ultra precision, Kevlar heads are for you.

6. What are the differences in the Championship carriers offered by Pearl?
Our Mag-Vest carriers feature (fixed-size) contour-fit chest plates and magnesium shoulder hooks for outstanding comfort and durability. The Magnesium T-bar carriers feature ultra light weight and full adjustability to accommodate different body types. Both share the same professional-quality attachment hardware.

The Aluminum T-bar carrier shares many of the Magnesium T-bar’s features but is made of slightly heavier aluminum.

7. Why am I not getting snare response out of my snare drum when I use a Kevlar head?
This happens more often than you think and is caused by over tightening the top head! Kevlar inherently is going to give a high pitch, thus “over-cranking” is not necessary. The bottom head should be close to the same pitch as the top head (slightly under pitch of the top head is optimal). Also make sure the snares are touching the bottom head via the adjustment on the snare release. From time to time, you will also need to tune the bottom snares. The snares on Pearl Championship snare drums feature 16 strands of synthetic gut that are tunable to the desired tone.

8. What is the difference between Pearl’s indoor and outdoor drums?
The Championship indoor drums are specifically designed to reduce overtones, yet still maintain a good sound quality. All of the indoor drums have been reduced in shell depth to maximize the drum’s articulation and focus. The indoor snare drums possess a crisp response needed for hard reflective indoor surfaces, while still maintaining amazing tone, sensitivity and warmth. The indoor bass drums, due to their 12” depth (as opposed to a 14” depth of outdoor drums), produces an extremely tight, well rounded and deep sound with great projection, warmth and ultimate tonal clarity.

9. Why does Pearl make two different Competitor Series snare drums, and what’s the difference?
Pearl offers two Competitor snare drums due to band director demands. The Competitor FFX snare drum (Free-Floating) is designed for drum lines that prefer the durability of Kevlar heads but do not require the high tension of our Championship FFX snare drum. The Competitor snare (with shell mounted lugs) is designed for use with plastic heads and produces a “traditional” sound of the 70’s and early 80’s.