Tune-Bot Electronic Drum Tuner

[drumstix]

Tune Bot Drum Tuner

Update: For those of you that asked, Drum Bum now carries the Tune Bot and are offering free merchandise with the purchase. ~ Tom




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Gday guys,

Well this is an interesting one I came across on Facebook. Tunebot -An electronic drum head tuner. Doesn't seem like a bad bit of tech to be honest. A custom drum maker here in Brisbane is selling them for $130 (RRP $149). Apparently, Overtone Labs, the company behind it, is going to unveil it at Winter NAMM this year so I dunno how the bloke in Brisbane got a hold of em. What do you guys reckon?

Here's some pics, a Youtube review and a bit of info straight from the Tune-Bot site.

Every guitar player has an electronic tuner for speed and accuracy in tuning. Tuning a drum is much more time consuming and difficult than a guitar. Yet, until now there was no such thing as a real "drum tuner".

After years of research and development, Overtone Labs has finally created a fast, accurate, and effective drum tuning device. This new invention is about to change the way you tune your drums, and more importantly, change the way your drums sound.

TUNE-BOT IS USEFUL FOR:

Lug pitch matching
Measuring and adjusting overall tone
Interval tuning of Toms
Returning to you drums' optimal sound every time



TUNE-BOT FEATURES

Lug pitch measurement
Overall pitch measurement
Frequency and note modes
Overtone filters
Difference mode
80+ Save Slots
Easy to read display with backlight
Drum hoop clip
Drum tuning charts and pitch recommendations

HOW IT WORKS

To measure the pitch of your drum, just clip the device to the drum hoop and hit the drum. It's that simple. To measure the pitch of individual lugs, just hit the drum next to the lug as you would if tuning by ear. The device automatically filters out overtones and gives you a consistent and accurate reading in Hz or musical notes.

[VI952]

Seems pretty cool. I was kinda expecting like a tiny R.O.B after reading the title "Tune Bot"

[longgun]

Sounds better than the other "helpful" contraptions I've seen.....may have to try one of these out

[Kazaamski]

Tune Bot Drum Tuner

130 dollars for a device that tells my eyes what my ears already know.

[trickg]

130 dollars for a device that tells my eyes what my ears already know.

Possibly, although I bet it's more accurate than your ears. There are very few piano tuners who work nowadays without a Petersen strobe tuner and only bring a set of tuning forks.

What I'd like to do is to document not only the particular tone of a drum, but the differences between the batter and the reso, and the optimal difference between those.

It might be awesome, and then again, it might be a $130 paperweight. When it comes to the other tuning "helpers" such as drum dials and torque keys, I'm just not a fan - like you, I find my ears do a better job than the gadgets and my ears do it much more quickly.

[davewilson]

130 dollars for a device that tells my eyes what my ears already know.

I agree for the most part.. but I've found the various devices like the drum dial and the tension watch very useful for dealing with anomalies in bearing edges, rims, etc. that would have taken a lot longer (if ever) to address.

I had a Pearl floor tom that just never would sound right... after checking with a drum dial I found an area on the bottom that wouldn't equalize ( cast hoop) with the rest. Spinning the hoop 180 solved the prob... so it was an issue of two areas on a drum that were at max tolerance coming together.

The idea of a device doing the same job as a drum dial or tension watch without even having to move it is pretty cool actually. I've found that most drums have some anomalies in bearing edges, rims... minor defects in the heads themselves... that make getting an even tension of the head over the bearing edge akin to voodoo magic.. more of an art then science.

I'm happy to have something like this that removes some of that trial and error.. speeds up the process... gets me back playing and not tuning. it's no substitute for my ears.. but I've found tools of this type to be quite useful. And the more I think about it, you don't have to "flatten' out the drum to use it.. or take the drum off it's mount.. just clip it on and go. Seems like it would work on a noisy stage when it would otherwise be tough to hear what your doing... hmmmm

[davewilson]

Possibly, although I bet it's more accurate than your ears. There are very few piano tuners who work nowadays without a Petersen strobe tuner and only bring a set of tuning forks

Good point.. anyone who's ever had to set the intonation of a guitar would understand this... set it to the same pitch according to your ears then check it with the tuner.. you can get close but not dead on

[pastor_bob]

Tune Bot Drum Tuner

I've got a Torque Key, and Drum Dial, and a Snark tuner that I can use on both guitars and drums. All three have had their uses, but I am now at a point where my ears are doing a good job of telling me when things are right. I do agree with Dave that in some instances, having a device that can help find the specific issue can be helpful. I'd sure have to be convinced that this new device is head and shoulders above everything else before I'd part with $130 for it. After all, I could get a used cymbal for that, or some new heads!

[trickg]

The idea of a device doing the same job as a drum dial or tension watch without even having to move it is pretty cool actually. I've found that most drums have some anomalies in bearing edges, rims... minor defects in the heads themselves... that make getting an even tension of the head over the bearing edge akin to voodoo magic.. more of an art then science.

Man, you said it right there. With torque keys, unless everything is equal for every tension rod, it's not going to get it done, and in some cases it might not even come close. In my case using Optimounts, the rubber bushings tend to rub slightly on the tension rods where the Optimount is installed, so it throws off a torque key. With a drum dial, it can't account for variances in the head - especially if the heads have been played for a while and are over halfway past their life expectancy. The film stretches and it stretches most where it is hit the most, and frankly that's not the dead center of the drum, depending on the player of course.

I'm intrigued with the idea of the Tune-Bot - the question is whether or not they've gotten the bugs worked out and it's going to work well and be consistent over a period of time.

[longgun]

Man, you said it right there. With torque keys, unless everything is equal for every tension rod, it's not going to get it done, and in some cases it might not even come close. In my case using Optimounts, the rubber bushings tend to rub slightly on the tension rods where the Optimount is installed, so it throws off a torque key. With a drum dial, it can't account for variances in the head - especially if the heads have been played for a while and are over halfway past their life expectancy. The film stretches and it stretches most where it is hit the most, and frankly that's not the dead center of the drum, depending on the player of course.

I'm intrigued with the idea of the Tune-Bot - the question is whether or not they've gotten the bugs worked out and it's going to work well and be consistent over a period of time.

+1...for all of the reasons you stated, I've never really liked any of the "helpful" tuners.....still find that it is easier to tune by ear.

That being said, I would never tune my guitar by ear because if I'm a little off, you can definitely hear it. That's not the case with drums.

I will probably buy this and try it out, just wanting to find a way to get the "sweet-spot" tuning every time....kind of like a memory lock.

[marko138]

Seems really cool. Something I'd like to try...but not at that price.

[wolvie56]

So far all I see is something way overpriced that my ears can do for free.

[ntn2it]

Tune Bot Drum Tuner

It will be mine.......oooohhhhh....IT....WILL.....BE......MIN E!!!!!!

Good tools ain't cheap boys and girls. But if it works as advertised, it will be worth every penny (to me anyway).

[Tadman]

Interested to hear the first user tunebot reviews. The Tune-Bot Facebook website very recently updated that they are now loading the software for the units that are otherwise ready to ship out.

[Deedubs!]

Seems really cool. Something I'd like to try...but not at that price.

This!

[trickg]

WOW! I finally got the chance to watch the video and I'm pretty impressed by it - I had no idea it was going to be THAT accurate. I also like that they send it with a chart to use for "ideal" tunings when it comes to dialing in the right interval between the batter and the reso - tuning up one head is not that difficult, but sometimes tweaking the interval between the top and bottom can be a challenge.

I want one, and frankly, I think it would be well worth the money to insure that my drums always sound as good as they can, or even better, to do a quick tuneup on a house kit at a church.

[Deedubs!]

WOW! I finally got the chance to watch the video and I'm pretty impressed by it - I had no idea it was going to be THAT accurate. I also like that they send it with a chart to use for "ideal" tunings when it comes to dialing in the right interval between the batter and the reso - tuning up one head is not that difficult, but sometimes tweaking the interval between the top and bottom can be a challenge.

I want one, and frankly, I think it would be well worth the money to insure that my drums always sound as good as they can, or even better, to do a quick tuneup on a house kit at a church.

I have to agree. Just watched it too, and now I need to figure out how I'm going to talk the wife into letting me get one.

[Doubleb21]

Being new to drumming I think that would be excellent to have. I had my instructor tune my drums and there is no way I could have done it and been right This might not be for everyone but I bet a lot of people will get some great use out of it. I will be getting one for sure.

[kay-gee]

I can see it be a great device for a drum tech guy or a music store guy to make his products sound their best for prospective customers. For a guy like me though, I have all the time in the world to tune drums and I'd rather save the $$ and do it by ear. I own 3 guitars and zero guitar tuners. A tuning fork only.

all the best...

[trickg]

I have to agree. Just watched it too, and now I need to figure out how I'm going to talk the wife into letting me get one.

If you gig at all, it's an investment, and the payoff is in time and peace of mind - how can you put a price on that?

I can see it be a great device for a drum tech guy or a music store guy to make his products sound their best for prospective customers. For a guy like me though, I have all the time in the world to tune drums and I'd rather save the $$ and do it by ear. I own 3 guitars and zero guitar tuners. A tuning fork only.

all the best...

This product is what, $130? broken down by month it's $10.83 per month. Most people spend that on fast food in a week - to me, I don't see it as a money thing because I'll tell you right now that if one of my HHX crashes were to crack (specifically the 16" - it's no longer covered by the 2-year warranty) I'd be out finding a replacement tomorrow. I can find the money for the things I feel I need to help my craft, and I like it when my drums sound their best. I "can" do it by ear, but to be able to scientifically dial it right in to just where it should be - to me, $130 is a small price to pay for that.

[Deedubs!]

If you gig at all, it's an investment, and the payoff is in time and peace of mind - how can you put a price on that?

Well I'm a bass player in bands, but I'm a drum nerd at heart. I have my kit sounding great to my ears, but as a drum nerd I want all the cool gadgets!

[rickthedrummer]

With the sound of a drum set such a personal preference, I honestly can't see that this toy has any real value.

I like my drums to sound a certain way. Not too deep, not too high. I can get them close to where I want them in a few minutes.

I say get them close, because there really is no "perfect" drum sound. I think that what drummers look for is a good balance between the drums in their set. You may love the sound of your set, but, somewhere is a drummer who will think they sound lousy.

I know that there are a few people on the forum that like the sound of my drums, and I also know there are people that don't. It's the way it is with drums, and I don't think that some gizmo is going to change that.

[trickg]

Rick, I understand what you are saying, but the truth is, there is good tone and sound, and there is bad tone and sound, and while there are preferences within the boundaries of what is considered to be good, virtually no one will argue the point that bad is bad. What you've said, unless I'm misinterpreting something, is like saying some kid screeching away on a $75 violin can be preferable to Itzhak Perlman playing on his Stradivarius. One could definitely make the argument that they prefer the sound of Itzhak Perlman on his Stradivarius to Joshua Bell on his, but they both will have a very high quality of tone and musicianship.

Not so with drums. I've heard $5000 DWs that sounded like crud because the owner had no clue how to tune them. I've also heard $500 Pearl Exports sound fantastic because their owner did know how to tune.

I think that gizmo could revolutionize the art of kit drumming. No two kits are going to sound alike just the same as no two guitars are going to sound alike, even if they happen to be the same brand and model, never mind the plethora of variations that can be had with which heads a player chooses to use and how they choose to tune it up, but there is a world of difference that a good setup can make. Like guitars, a great guitar with a bad setup is going to sound bad.

[ntn2it]

Just so you guys know, this method has been done before and this is not some new fangled revolutionary idea. I have been tuning my drums this way for years. The item that I use only costs about $20 and here it is.


The thing that I like about the Tune-Bot is that it clips right onto the drum leaving me with both hands free to tap and turn the tension rods at the same time. For you guys who think the price is too high, maybe this would be a way you could also tune like this without the $120 price tag. Give it a thought. These tuners work exactly the same way that the Tune-Bot does, plus they usually have a metronome built into them as well. That's a win-win in my book any day!

[kay-gee]

If you gig at all, it's an investment, and the payoff is in time and peace of mind - how can you put a price on that?


This product is what, $130? broken down by month it's $10.83 per month. Most people spend that on fast food in a week - to me, I don't see it as a money thing because I'll tell you right now that if one of my HHX crashes were to crack (specifically the 16" - it's no longer covered by the 2-year warranty) I'd be out finding a replacement tomorrow. I can find the money for the things I feel I need to help my craft, and I like it when my drums sound their best. I "can" do it by ear, but to be able to scientifically dial it right in to just where it should be - to me, $130 is a small price to pay for that.

I hear what you're saying. I'm only speaking on my own behalf. I live on an island in the middle of no where. By the time that 130$ item is sitting in my hand it is a 250$ item. And to add insult to injury, it may not work right, or could fail to meet expectations. One thing about living here....GAS has been cured permanently! The NEEDS and the WANTS have been separated. The drumming situation I'm in at the moment does not require a gadget such as this. My drums and guitars will just have to sound the way they sound, great, good, or so-so!!

all the best...