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Thread: Floor Tom Tuning?

  1. #1

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    Default Floor Tom Tuning?

    OK guys, some help please.
    I have tuned everything and all is well except for the floor tom.
    The kick, snare and mounted 8 X 12 are good but my 14 X 14 sounds dead.
    It has G1 clear for reso and G1 coated for batter, followed the tuning bible and it just has no tone. It sounded better out of the box with fairly loose heads. Any ideas appreaciated.
    STACK57

    Any man who may be asked in this century, what he did to make his life worthwhile...
    Can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, "I served in the United States Navy".
    -- President John F. Kennedy

    Gretsch Renown 57 and Renowns in Cherry Burst
    Noble & Cooley CD Maple kit and Horizon Hybrid kit
    Gretsch, Noble & Cooley, Pearl, Ludwig and Slingerland Snares
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  2. #2

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Mmmmhh I just have the reso fairly loose and the batter lower than my 9x13" in my 16x16". Sound from 8x12 and 9x13 is a little bit more "melodic" than from a square floor tom, but it shouldn't sound completely dead...
    Tama Royalstar: 14x22" Kick, 16x16" Floor Tom, 8x12" Tom, 9x13" Tom, 5x14" Snare

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  3. #3

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Mmmmhh I just have the reso fairly loose and the batter lower than my 9x13" in my 16x16". Sound from 8x12 and 9x13 is a little bit more "melodic" than from a square floor tom, but it shouldn't sound completely dead...
    Thanks, I have both the reso and batter tuned to the same pitch. I will try your way with the reso looser and let you know.
    STACK57

    Any man who may be asked in this century, what he did to make his life worthwhile...
    Can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, "I served in the United States Navy".
    -- President John F. Kennedy

    Gretsch Renown 57 and Renowns in Cherry Burst
    Noble & Cooley CD Maple kit and Horizon Hybrid kit
    Gretsch, Noble & Cooley, Pearl, Ludwig and Slingerland Snares
    Bosphorus & Zildjian Cymbals
    Gilbraltar Hardware

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Stack, whether the reso is the same or slightly different from the batter should not be the problem in making your floor tom go dead. My guess is that in tuning the batter, you tuned into a "dead zone." The tip off is that it had tone at a looser tuning. When you tune a drum, as you go up in pitch, the drum will go through a resonant tone, and then go dead before it reaches the next resonant tone. A drum might have 2-3 good tones with dead zones in between, depending on the tuning range of the drum.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  5. #5

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Thanks Bob, thats make sense the way you describe it. I will tune up and see where the next resonant zone is.
    STACK57

    Any man who may be asked in this century, what he did to make his life worthwhile...
    Can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, "I served in the United States Navy".
    -- President John F. Kennedy

    Gretsch Renown 57 and Renowns in Cherry Burst
    Noble & Cooley CD Maple kit and Horizon Hybrid kit
    Gretsch, Noble & Cooley, Pearl, Ludwig and Slingerland Snares
    Bosphorus & Zildjian Cymbals
    Gilbraltar Hardware

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    I think the best thing to try now is just experiment. Try tuning the top tighter then try tuning the botom looser then reverse it back and forth in small incrediments till you find that sweet spot. To get a good idea where you are, I place all my toms on the floor and just tap the top heads on the drums to see if they are melodic with each other. Then I do the same with the bottom heads. So what I'm trying to say is when you hit the other toms and they are in tune with each other and then you hit your floor tom it will prob be sharp or flat. Then from there I fine tune it with the others. John

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Thanks Tom, I did the initial tuning with the drums sitting on a blanket, doing the reso first then the batter. From the responses I believe I have just tuned into a dead spot and have not moved enough to get out of it. I will work on the fine tuning this evening and let you all know the results.
    STACK57

    Any man who may be asked in this century, what he did to make his life worthwhile...
    Can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, "I served in the United States Navy".
    -- President John F. Kennedy

    Gretsch Renown 57 and Renowns in Cherry Burst
    Noble & Cooley CD Maple kit and Horizon Hybrid kit
    Gretsch, Noble & Cooley, Pearl, Ludwig and Slingerland Snares
    Bosphorus & Zildjian Cymbals
    Gilbraltar Hardware

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Also you may want to check that the pitch is the same by tapping the head a inch in from the lug to make sure you have the same tension evenly around the circumfrence of the heads. I have the same floor tom as you and it took me a little work getting it to sound good. It actually was to resonant.
    I just checked and my reso head is about 1 step lower than my batter head.
    There are a lot of different methods of tuneing drums. I have always pitched my drums rather than trying to tune them to a note. Basically pitched intervals. Like George of the jungle intervals. Anybody remember that?

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Quote Originally Posted by VIbes View Post
    I have always pitched my drums rather than trying to tune them to a note. Basically pitched intervals. Like George of the jungle intervals. Anybody remember that?
    I'll have to remember to try the George of the Jungle interval the next time I'm tuning. I've always tuned my toms to the first interval in "Here Comes The Bride," and I really like that interval.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  10. #10

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Bob Gazden has a video on tom tuning on the evans drum head website, where he talks about the here comes the bride thing.
    Kevin
    DW Performance series - Gun Metal Metallic Lacquer
    24/12/16 6.5x14
    Sabian AA/AAX hi-hats & crashes
    Sabian HHX Evolution ride

    Drummers can be very tempomental.....

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    I never thought about that, but either one of those would be a good starting point. Just home so off I go to the drums.
    STACK57

    Any man who may be asked in this century, what he did to make his life worthwhile...
    Can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, "I served in the United States Navy".
    -- President John F. Kennedy

    Gretsch Renown 57 and Renowns in Cherry Burst
    Noble & Cooley CD Maple kit and Horizon Hybrid kit
    Gretsch, Noble & Cooley, Pearl, Ludwig and Slingerland Snares
    Bosphorus & Zildjian Cymbals
    Gilbraltar Hardware

  12. #12

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    The funny thing about tuning drums is that it's not a clear cut thing, unless you get into tympani, but we're talking kit drumming here.

    A guitar is either in tune or it's not. A piano is either in tune or it's not.

    A drumkit can be tuned as many different ways for as many different styles of music. Jazz drummers might tune to a note. Rock drummers might tune so low that the wrinkles are barely gone. Fusion guys are somewhere in between. Yet all of the drums are "in tune"
    Kevin
    DW Performance series - Gun Metal Metallic Lacquer
    24/12/16 6.5x14
    Sabian AA/AAX hi-hats & crashes
    Sabian HHX Evolution ride

    Drummers can be very tempomental.....

  13. #13

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Cycle Dude hit it right on the head. I have to laugh at guitar players. I always tell them like you said it is either in tune or it is not. I tell them I have anywhere between 20,16, or 12 adjustments to make on any given drum and no specific note to tune to. If you want to have some fun sometime take a drum, a drum key, and have a guitar player to help you tune from lug to lug. Ask them is this lug sharp or flat? after you do a top head say"O.K." now lets go to the bottom head, and only four more drums to go. Ha. Ha. My guitar players have a whole new respect for drummers who have good sounding drums.

    It is amazing how many guitar players take good sounding drums for granted or worse than that don't even notice the difference. I'm proud to say that I have educated a few guitar players who can now tell the difference between good and bad sounding drums.

    Now to top it all off we get our drums sounding really good in one room and then have to move to another enviorment. Guess what ???? We can't just reach down and add more reverb or take a little off like they can. Too loud? just reach down and turn down the volume, no need to change the way you play, just turn the volume knob down. Don't we all wish it was that easy for us. Didn't mean to get off track here. John

  14. #14

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    John, as one who plays both guitar and drums, I can say that you have definitely hit it right on the head! Changing the sound of a guitar is much easier (after you spend the time to find that "right" tone). You can also have a second guitar all set to go if you need a different sound.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  15. #15

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Useful discussion. I think I'm beginning to understand the issues now. Thanks.

  16. #16

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    After all these years away, I am beginning to remember all the fun I had setting up in different venues. I was at a gig tonight with some friends and helped the drummer set the house kit for his use, he brings his cymbals and snare and adjusts the toms to his like. So much fun and so much time! This discussion helped me understand what he does, setting to pitch between the toms for a melodic tone. In my younger days I didn't really pay that much attention to the tuning of the drums. I guess my ears have matured.
    He did have the Bospherous Stanton Moore Smash Crash that I picked up from him. Nice addition to my growing collection.
    STACK57

    Any man who may be asked in this century, what he did to make his life worthwhile...
    Can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, "I served in the United States Navy".
    -- President John F. Kennedy

    Gretsch Renown 57 and Renowns in Cherry Burst
    Noble & Cooley CD Maple kit and Horizon Hybrid kit
    Gretsch, Noble & Cooley, Pearl, Ludwig and Slingerland Snares
    Bosphorus & Zildjian Cymbals
    Gilbraltar Hardware

  17. #17

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Quote Originally Posted by VIbes View Post
    Also you may want to check that the pitch is the same by tapping the head a inch in from the lug to make sure you have the same tension evenly around the circumfrence of the heads. I have the same floor tom as you and it took me a little work getting it to sound good. It actually was to resonant.
    I just checked and my reso head is about 1 step lower than my batter head.
    There are a lot of different methods of tuneing drums. I have always pitched my drums rather than trying to tune them to a note. Basically pitched intervals. Like George of the jungle intervals. Anybody remember that?
    oh man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i thought i was the only one to do that george of the jungle thing , thats how i check my tuning . been doing that for years ... cool

  18. #18

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Quote Originally Posted by pastor_bob View Post
    John, as one who plays both guitar and drums, I can say that you have definitely hit it right on the head! Changing the sound of a guitar is much easier (after you spend the time to find that "right" tone). You can also have a second guitar all set to go if you need a different sound.
    its not too much hassle to tune drums and find the right tone: get an electro kit by Roland or Yamaha. Then you can change sounds with a quick twist of a knob.... (If you're like me there's satisfaction in this lazy approach)
    Guitarists can change their sound because they shell out cash for effects etc -there's nothing stopping a drummer from doing the same. If your drum is mic'd up its just as easy to add reverb, or compression or any other processing you like.
    So I'm not giving any sympathy

    Drumming is in general the most work of all the instruments though I will admit - paticularly loading and lugging - but in my opinion is the funnest instrument so its well worth it.

    In regard to the floor tom tuning - sounds like you've already got plenty of advice - i know its against the 'rules' in the bible but i find my 16x16 sounds best with the reso looser than the batter, just tight enough to avoid wrinkles. I'm really happy with how its sounds ATM - like an ancient war drum : 'doom-doom-doom!!"

  19. #19

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    Quote Originally Posted by brutal juice View Post
    i know its against the 'rules' in the bible but i find my 16x16 sounds best with the reso looser than the batter, just tight enough to avoid wrinkles.
    Same here. Both my 14" and 16" floor toms, the reso is looser than the batter.
    DW Collector's Series ~ Zildjian cymbals

  20. #20

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    I'd experiment with a thicker batter head. The G1 is a single-ply head. It's a good idea to use heavier batter heads on your larger drums. A thicker head will allow for lower tuning without distortion and give more mass to carry the vibration which makes your sustain longer.

    I see you are a coated guy like me, so here's what I like to use on my toms:

    8x10: Coated ambassador batter with either a clear diplomat or clear ambassador resonant. (depending on how much sustain I want -- thicker reso == longer sustain)
    12x12: Coated ambassador batter with clear ambassador resonant.
    14x14 & 16x16: Coated Emperor batter and clear ambassador resonant.

    A couple of notes on resonant heads... Don't use a thicker resonant head than your batter. More mass == more energy needed to excite the head. Since the resonant head is only activated by the pressure created by the batter, you will get the most sustain if the mass of the resonant head is less than the mass of the batter.

    Also, avoid using anything but a single-ply as a resonant head. The two plies work against each other and kill sustain.

  21. #21

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    Default Re: Floor Tom Tuning?

    All the replys are good, but I would avoid to much high end tuning, because you will strech out the skin at the tension ring, which will ruin the sound in the lower pitch range, I made that mistake when I used an old batter head I used on my snare for my floor tom, and it made it sound really dry and toneless. Other than that what he others have said will do ou well.

  22. #22

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    Thanks for all of the great info and advice. I am using coated 2 ply heads on the batter ends. I picked up a Drum Dial and what a difference. I have retuned everything and the toms really came into their own. Based on what you all have been saying and following the genreal guidelines with the dial all of the toms are tuned looser and have great bottom end now with good sustain.
    STACK57

    Any man who may be asked in this century, what he did to make his life worthwhile...
    Can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, "I served in the United States Navy".
    -- President John F. Kennedy

    Gretsch Renown 57 and Renowns in Cherry Burst
    Noble & Cooley CD Maple kit and Horizon Hybrid kit
    Gretsch, Noble & Cooley, Pearl, Ludwig and Slingerland Snares
    Bosphorus & Zildjian Cymbals
    Gilbraltar Hardware

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