I'm pretty sure we all know that a gock (hitting snare head and rim simultaneously) is a lot louder and more penetrating than a normal stroke. My question is why. Obviously it has to do with hitting the rim as well as the head, but why does that make it so much louder and piercing?

I'm kinda of looking for a detailed response here. So maybe there are some acoustical engineers or something that can help me out on this one.

try this thread!
http://www.drumlines.org/threads/ubbthreads.php/topics/67585/1.html

fell victim to the cardinal sin, didn't search first.

I should start a therapy group...

but we can use this thread to discuss another question...

Who calls rim shots, gocks? I've never heard a rim shot called a gock. Gocks were always Spock drums or jam blocks.

I've always called them rim shots, and Gocks were the jam blocks.

I was taught there are 4 types of rim shots.
Gock, bead in center in the head
Rim, Bead 1/2 way to edge, about 4"
Ping, bead 1/2 inch from the rim
Side, a rim shot played to the snare bed, where the bead is abiout an inch from the rim.

Spocks are a little drum and gock blocks are the red/blue time keepers of the band.

I'm used to hearing the word "gock" to refer to a rim shot, particularly the standard center-of-the-head variety as Insomniac mentioned. (And if he's from Michigan while I'm originally from California, the word must be pretty widespread.)

On the other hand, I'm aware that some people somewhere use the name gock to refer to a spock drum. Maybe a regional thing?

I think it might be because of the person who taught them. Everyone has different types of methods of teaching. I came from a concert background and when I wanted to learn about marching percussion, I turned to Wikipedia. Wikipedia told me that a gock shot is a shot where you hit the head and the rim at the same time. Another instructor may disagree with the definition.

When I was in the band at U of Iowa, the standard way to start any field tune was called 4 taps 4 gocks. I don't know who started calling it that (read goofy band director) but that was the 'tradition'. 4 taps by the center snare and 4 killer, gockking, rim shots by the full snare line to start the piece/segment.