Re: Tuning to the Shell Timbre (DWs John Good)
My main kit is a 6 piece Yamaha Oak Custom with a Tama starclassic bubinga elite 14x6.5 snare. I have a "Tune-Bot" so I removed both heads from each tom and used the rubber covered "clamp" and clamped it to the drum shell and lightly rapped the shell with my middle finger joint and the Tune-Bot picked up the fundamental note and I repeated the process 10 times in a row to make sure the reading didnt vary and it didnt. I tuned the "reso" head to each drums 'fundamental note' and then proceeded to tune each tom to a "perfect 4th" and honestly, I noticed an increase in the sustain of each tom and by tuning to the "higher tone" that I chose, the kit has a more noticeable tonality than I had with the lower tuning I normally use. My toms used to blend in with the bass guitar, rhythm guitar, steel guitar and fiddle so that Ive been losing that 'individual tonality' of each tom, when I make a 'run' down from the 10 - 12- 14 - 16 floor. Now, with each drum 'singing' and tuned higher than previously, you can hear each tom clearly as I run down the "perfect 4th scale", which is one method of spacing your tom tuning intervals - Here's the Intervals I used; 10"=3 E / 12"= 2 B / 14"= 2 F# / 16"=2 C#
So, I must admit that it does make the toms resonate more - along with tuning to a higher note than normal has made a good improvement - for "Me".
I took my Magic Marker and put the "fundamental note" in small numbers inside each drum for future reference.
{On a side note: I have (2) Die Cast brass Snare drum hoops for sale in the Drums For Sale Section if anyone is interested in putting "Die Cast Brass Hoops on your 10 lug snare drum and just noticed I dont have pics posted so I will if I can figure out how to do it.}
Some may agree that this is a good method of tuning, others may not - and to all I will say "To each his own brand of poison".
Last edited by Warren Wright; 07-29-2014 at 05:56 PM.
Yamaha Oak Custom 22x17 with Brass Kick Port, Brass Hoop Claws,10-12-14 racks, 16 Floor and all toms have Brass Hoops and a Tama Starclassic Bubinga Elite 14x6.5 snare in Quilted Mocha Burst and Black Nickel hardware. All hi-end Zildjian Cymbals - K Dark Thin crashes & splashes, a Zildjian A crash & a Meinl 16" crash, Avedis Zildjian 1964 ride, K Custom hats plus New Beat hats on Closed X-Hat.
If a Man offends thee - - give each of his children a Drum~~~!!!
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