tim wrote:
Two reasons:
a shallower kick reacts faster sound wise. I feel like they have more punch in a live situation, not so much air moving around inside the drum creating odd frequencies, the sound gets to the front head and mic more quickly.Thump.
they are easy to carry and don't take up a lot of room on the bandstand/stage/small cramped space where you end up having to set up.
Mostly for the thump though, I like a more traditional drum sound and i feel like it is easier to get with the traditional size drum.same reason I like standard depth toms.
In live circumstances, I use a mic mounted internally, about four inches behind the batter. Which is probably why speed in a long bass has never been an issue for me. But I understand what you are talking about because square racks and over-square floors are quite sedentary in their willingness to speak..."I will, just not yet. Stop poking me." But I've never heard, to my knowledge, "odd frequencies." In the heavy Signature I wanted more amplitude, but the Classix and Designer basses have great dynamics, I presume in large part because of their thinner shells.
Truth is, since I started using Sonor, I've had nothing but deep bass drums, and Sonor's long basses were such an eye-opener in the '80s that I've never really thought too much about shortening the throw. I'm trying to imagine what even more punch would feel like.
The available space issue could become important... but again, never been a problem.