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Thread: Is it possible to get more than one tone from a tom?

  1. #1

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    Default Is it possible to get more than one tone from a tom?

    I'm wondering what everyone's opinion on this is. I've found that most of the toms that I have owned have had one frequency at which they resonate the best, so I end up keeping them tuned about the same most of the time. On my current kit the toms seem to sound best tuned really low. However, there have been a few times when I've wanted to experiment with cranking down on the heads and trying to get that high pitched sing that I've heard on a lot of kits with smaller toms. Every time I've tried I haven't liked the tone and I ended up just tuning them back down to where they were originally.

    What's your advice? Is it possible to get two different tones out of the same tom, or do you think that every tom has one pitch at which is plays the best?

    If it matters, the toms I'm using now are both 8 ply maple on suspension hoops, 9"x13" and 13"x16".
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  2. #2

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    Default Re: Is it possible to get more than one tone from a tom?

    might hear it if you have the reverb on your mixer set high enough
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    if double bass is cheating then so is using two sticks

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  3. #3

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    Default Re: Is it possible to get more than one tone from a tom?

    Quote Originally Posted by Russ View Post
    might hear it if you have the reverb on your mixer set high enough
    No offense but i cannot see for the life of me what this means, how would turning up reverb on a recording at all help find a new pitch? Reverb is pretty much just adding echo to the sound already so i cant see how it could help.

    Although i reckon each drum does have a more responsive frequency i think alot of it is also just what sounds good to you. Like you i have tried tuning my toms higher but dont like the sound and also just tune them back down again. I think using different heads would allow you to get a different sound you like, doubled plied heads like remo pinstripes sound better ansd are built for lower pitches whereas you cold probably buy something which would give your drum avery nice higher frequency

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Is it possible to get more than one tone from a tom?

    yes, generally every tom has 3 potential tones.

    Cranked high like jazz/funk/R&B
    mid-to-low for rock/metal
    and deadened, either leave your heads on for 2 years or put too much tape/wadding/muffling on your drums

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Is it possible to get more than one tone from a tom?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mysterious Stan View Post
    No offense but i cannot see for the life of me what this means, how would turning up reverb on a recording at all help find a new pitch? Reverb is pretty much just adding echo to the sound already so i cant see how it could help.

    Although i reckon each drum does have a more responsive frequency i think alot of it is also just what sounds good to you. Like you i have tried tuning my toms higher but dont like the sound and also just tune them back down again. I think using different heads would allow you to get a different sound you like, doubled plied heads like remo pinstripes sound better ansd are built for lower pitches whereas you cold probably buy something which would give your drum avery nice higher frequency
    my bad i misunderstood the question i thought he meant getting the tones to travel or something and make it seem like there is more sound there than in reality
    ZildjianLeague/LP/Aquarian/Mapex/Pearl
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    Quote Originally Posted by amdrummer View Post
    if double bass is cheating then so is using two sticks

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  6. #6

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    Default Re: Is it possible to get more than one tone from a tom?

    Quote Originally Posted by El-kevo the drumtech View Post
    yes, generally every tom has 3 potential tones.

    Cranked high like jazz/funk/R&B
    mid-to-low for rock/metal
    and deadened, either leave your heads on for 2 years or put too much tape/wadding/muffling on your drums
    HA! Yes, Kevo's got this one! Probably because from being a drum tech. It depends on the sound you're looking for, when you are playing with the sound and you don't like what you're hearing, that's not to say it can be a "Tone", it just means that the tone you're getting, isn't the one you want. Keep playing with it, for me, I had to play with my toms alot to get the sound i'm looking for, changed several types of heads and so forth. Good luck, although tuning a drum IS frustrating, the pay out after you learn is priceless.
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  7. #7

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    Default Re: Is it possible to get more than one tone from a tom?

    Anything I can say will pale in comparison to what El-kevo can offer as a drum tech. Having said that, I do know that when tuning drums they will go through stages of resonance and stages of dissonance. When you beginning tuning at the lowest tones, you can find a place of resonsance, and as you continue tuning upward, it will begin to sound "off" before you find another place of resonance. Some drums have a narrower tuning range, and others have a wider tuning range. At this point, El-kevo can explain this a whole lot better than I can. Have I understood this correctly El-kevo?
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  8. #8

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    Default Re: Is it possible to get more than one tone from a tom?

    Hey now, i appreciate the compliments, but even i dont know everything.

    Tuning is a matter of preference. I've tuned drums customed edged so that even a towel instead of a drumhead would make it sound like a wet dream, but the drummer still would come in and drop all the tunings to a low loose rumble.

    I was basicly saying there is NO WRONG WAY to tune a drum short of the head being upside down. weither you like them cranked high or low there is at least two options for you...then you get into muffling/padding/deadening. theres a whole 'nother world there.

    A tuning is only for the drummer to hear, a good sound guy with any amount of gates/comps/delay can make a tin can sound good. i dont like to take this method since most sound guys are lazy, so i do it myself.

    why do sound guys only say check 1...check 1,2...?

    ...because on three you inevitably have to lift something!

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Is it possible to get more than one tone from a tom?

    Quote Originally Posted by pastor_bob View Post
    Anything I can say will pale in comparison to what El-kevo can offer as a drum tech. Having said that, I do know that when tuning drums they will go through stages of resonance and stages of dissonance. When you beginning tuning at the lowest tones, you can find a place of resonsance, and as you continue tuning upward, it will begin to sound "off" before you find another place of resonance. Some drums have a narrower tuning range, and others have a wider tuning range. At this point, El-kevo can explain this a whole lot better than I can. Have I understood this correctly El-kevo?
    So, do you think it's likely that my toms do have a point of resonance at a higher pitch? Meaning that I just need to sit down and spend some time trying to find it.
    "Guys, if you wanted Superman for this gig, you should have hired Superman. Instead, you got Batman." - Donny Gruendler

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  10. #10

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    Default Re: Is it possible to get more than one tone from a tom?

    dt344, it's certainly worth checking it out. If another sweet spot is there, the drum should resonate, then choke, then resonante again.
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  11. #11

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    Default Re: Is it possible to get more than one tone from a tom?

    DT344, From the pictures I've seen of you drums they look to be custom drums,plus they are maple,so I would say that you have a pretty good quality drum set. Like the others have posted I believe that your drums will be able to sound good at different tunings. Try different heads and most of all take your time and experiment with your tuning. Good luck. John

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