It’s that time of year when you may start reflecting and considering a change in your head selection for the upcoming marching band season. While there is some variety in marching snare and bass drum heads, there is a large variety of tenor head options available for you to choose from. Hopefully this product breakdown will give you more insight into the most popular options, as well as how each option might work for you and the overall sound of your band. We have listed some of the more popular models from both Remo and Evans below with the characteristics of each listed.

Remo Marching Tenor Heads

1. Remo Pinstripe Clear:**popular model**
   • Sound: Clear and controlled sound with internal dampening process.
   • Projection: Outstanding attack, clear projection.
   • Durability: Very durable, suitable for high-tension tuning.
   • Materials: Made from two 7-mil Mylar plies with a dampening agent. 14 mil total
2. Remo Emperor Clear:**popular model**
   • Sound: Provides bright and open tones with plenty of sustain.
   • Projection: Increased volume and overall projection
   • Durability: Good durability, although not as robust as the Pinstripe.
   • Materials: 2-ply 7.5mil clear film, 15mil total.
3. Remo Emperor Renaissance:**popular model**
   • Sound: Warm tone with controlled sustain
   • Projection: Clear articulation yet controlled and refined.
   • Durability: Durable, but does require more frequent tuning.
   • Materials: 2-ply of 7.5mil proprietary texture coating, 15mil total
4. Remo Emperor Suede:
   • Sound: Warm tone and big sound.
   • Projection: Maximum articulation.
   • Usage: Durable and useful outdoors.
   • Materials: 2-ply of 7.5 mil proprietary Suede textured film, 15mil total
5. Remo Emperor Smooth White:
   • Sound: Bright tone and clear attack.
   • Projection: One of the more articulate and highest projecting models.
   • Usage: Preferred for outdoor performances due to its projection.
   • Materials: 2-ply of 7.5 Smooth White Film, 15mil total

Evans Marching Tenor Heads

1. Evans TCX:**popular model**
   • Sound: Full, Rich tonal spectrum with enhanced volume and clarity.
   • Projection: Increased projection and articulation.
   • Durability: Highly durable, suitable for high-tension tuning.
   • Material: 2-ply 7mil clear film, 14mil total
2. Evans Marching EC2S:**popular model**
   • Sound: Focused Sound
   • Projection: Controlled overtones that help give clear articulation
   • Durability: Highly durable with the extra SST controls, similar to Remo Pinstripe.
   • Materials: 2-ply 7mil clear film with SST tone control, 14mil total
3. Evans MX Frost:
   • Sound: Warm Resonance and Tone
   • Projection: Highest Projection amongst Evans heads
   • Durability: Highly durable, suitable for high-tension tuning.
   • Materials: 2-ply 7mil clear frosted film, 14mil total
4. Evans MX White:
   • Sound: Warm Tone with Focused Sustain
   • Projection: Firm Projection and Defined Attack
   • Durability: Highly durable, suitable for high-tension tuning.
   • Materials: 2-ply 7.5mil White film, 15mil total
5. Evans MX Black:
   • Sound: Bright Attack with very open sound
   • Projection: Higher Level of Projection than the MX White with more resonance than an EC2S.
   • Durability: Highly durable, suitable for high-tension tuning.
   • Materials: 2ply 7.5mil black film, 15mil total.

Which one is right for me?

Ultimately, you will need to consider the type of music you are using in your show, strength of players, number of musicians on the field, performance venues, amongst other things, when picking out the head you want to use in marching band on your tenors. In general if you have a larger line and a larger band you may need to consider something that will give you the fullest sounds and maximum projection or something like the Remo Emperor Suede, Remo Emperor Clear or the Evans TCX. If you are still unsure and durability is more important to you for budgetary reasons then either the Remo Pinstripe or Evans Marching EC2S would be the top choice and two of the most popular models for marching tenors.

If you have specific questions or need advice in finding the right sound for you, give us a call at (317) 813-2070, or email us at chops@chopspercussion.com!