BEAT OF HIS OWN DRUM
“VIRTUE Drums began, oddly enough, because of my dentist. I was working a job I didn’t really enjoy and she asked what I would do if I could do anything else. That question got me thinking, ‘I’ve always wanted to do more with drums’. My background is sound engineering, recording, and live sound, but playing the drums has always been my passion and I wanted to do more.
I started building drums as VIRTUE in 2017 and the retail store came in 2020; a great year to open a storefront! Initially it was more as a showroom for my drums so musicians could actually come try them out.
When I was little, I got in trouble at church for picking up the drummer’s drumsticks, so I’ve always been drawn to the instrument. Drums have a cool factor. It appealed to me visually. It’s a big instrument, you’re physically moving across the kit and hitting things. I started playing when I was 12 in the middle school band and got my first drum set the following year for Christmas. When it comes to music education, I’d say the number one thing I’d say to parents is let them play. Support them in that, whatever instrument it is. I hear stories from people who are 40 or 50 years old saying they never got to play the drums, even though that’s what they wanted. Beyond the creative side, if they stick with it and join a band, that’s human interaction, creating something spontaneous, improvising and being collaborative with other people. Those are skills we don’t want to lose.
I’m much less of a showy drummer and more of a support-the-song type drummer. My background is rock drumming, but even within that, I want to rhythmically support what’s going on musically. If there’s a vocal, I want to be mindful of that. If there’s a lead instrument, I want to facilitate what they’re trying to do. Despite what it might look like, there’s nuance in playing the drums. It’s not just about keeping a beat. There’s subtle texture you can add in lighter playing or alternative instruments.
I’ve always tinkered with improving and modifying my drums since my first set. When I started building drums professionally, some of that came from passion for playing, but also from my career in sound engineering. I was the only drummer on staff, so people would come in to record with drums that sounded terrible and say, hey, can you make these not suck? I could, but if the drum isn’t well made it can be a struggle. Your drum shouldn’t be hard to tune. It should stay in tune. A musician should be able to focus on the music, not constantly retuning or fighting the instrument. That’s the passion for me: Improving people’s existing drums or building world-class drums from the ground up.
Because of my background in sound engineering, I build my drums with a focus on the sound, first and foremost. I feel like most of the market focuses on aesthetics and what looks cool. But I start with a conversation with the player: how are you going to use the drum? In what kind of room? What context? What kind of music? How do you play? Those things matter the most to me.
When I understand what the musician needs, I start building. In the construction of the drum, the material, shell thickness, grain orientation, dimensions, bearing edges, and snare beds are all characteristics that affect the sound and performance of a drum, and these variables match an instrument to its performer.
Another notable correlation between my work in sound and drums can be found in the development of my Timbre-Ring™. This original design yields exceptionally warm, yet open tone by utilizing a thick, asymmetrical round-over edge on a thinner shell, allowing the drum to demonstrate a ‘pre-EQ’d’ sound with superior shell resonance when compared to drums with traditional reinforcement rings or thicker shells, while also minimizing the increase in pitch and reduced sensitivity that is inherent in those other shell designs. The tone of the instrument also adapts dynamically to the player’s input, creating a natural compression at higher dynamic levels and a pure sonic decay that you simply won’t find in other drums.
After we get the sound dialed in, we’ll make it look nice with a natural, timeless look.
The passion for sound is still the core of why I do this. It’s honestly a bad business proposition as only a tiny percentage of the population plays the drums compared to other instruments, so the customer base is small. But it’s something I love and that’s why I do it.
Along with the building of custom drums, we are a comprehensive drum shop. As far as I know, we’re the only music store in Michigan that specializes exclusively in drums. We carry everything: cymbals, drum sets, snare drums, and accessories. A huge part of what we do is service work doing repairs, modifications, and things you won’t get at a big box store. Whether you want something built, modified, repaired, or you’re buying your first kit, we cover all of that. We also offer options at every level, from beginner to high-end, and people drive in from a couple-hour radius because there aren’t many places where you can come in and actually play and compare different products in the store.
Beyond the passion for sound, the reason I named the company VIRTUE Drums is this idea that different drums have different qualities. They’re not right or wrong, just different. But it also reflects the way I want to do business: with honesty, integrity and excellence. I want to talk to everyone who comes in, understand what they’re looking for, help them find the right thing and walk away happy.”
– Jeff Stutzman
VIRTUE Drums
1206 W. Michigan Ave., Jackson, MI 49202
PODCAST
