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Thread: Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

  1. #1

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    Default Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

    Ive never really gone overly tight on my toms just because I was affraid of warping the rim or doing some sort of damage. I would say at the tightest I have gone like 1 full turn past finger tight. I was recently talking to a friend of mine and he said he tunes his 12" tom like 3 full turns passed finger tight and his 16" floor tom about 2 turns passed finger tight. Is this fairly common? Also I have heard alot of people saying they tune there snare so tight it hurts, how many turns roughly would this be? Ive always turned mine around 1.2-2 turns on both heads. Affraid to go much tighter than that on the bottom head because I'm affraid to break it.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

    This depends on the threading of your lugs. Not so easy to compare between different drum sets. For example, to tune the high tom to Aflat on my set may take only 1.5 turns, and on somebody elses lugs it may take 3. It is tension that counts, to create the pitch, not number of turns. its true snares are generally cranked up higher, to cut better or have some 'pop'. Take the time and do some experimenting, but in the end no matter how many turns you use, get the sound you want.

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

    Tight isn't a word I associate with my toms because I tend to tune my toms pretty low - especially my 14x11 hanging tom. That's looser than it probably should be in an effort to get the lows out of it I want. That will soon be rectified with the additon of a 16x14 tom that I'm building, but I digress.

    I've never really thought about it in terms of turns past finger tight. I pull the pitch up to where I think it should be for the drum, and that's that. I can assure you though that none of my drums, not even my snares, are so tight it hurts. To me, past a certain point you choke the tone out the drum if you over tighten it.
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  4. #4

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    Default Re: Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

    As Droptune said,"...no matter how many turns you use, get the sound you want."
    Counting turns does not always do the job of tuning to your own expectations(how perfect are your turns, anyway?) It's all about the sound.

    BTW, my toms are just tight enough for decent double stroke rolls with some rebound. Loose to me means "dead."
    Last edited by slinglander; 10-14-2011 at 11:59 AM. Reason: added afterthought

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

    Brandon, tuning to a specific number of turns is fine to get you near something you want, but just remember, as the others have said, that it's about what sounds right to you. Learn the number of turns it takes on your kit to get the sound you like from each drum. Then keep developing your ear, because even with counting turns, there will be fine tuning involved. As slingerland said, "how perfect are your turns, anyway?" There are always short cuts to get us close, but then the fine tuning depends on having a good ear.

    Oh, and I don't usually crank up my snares.
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  6. #6

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    Default Re: Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

    Yeah I wasnt saying I'm trying to get his exact sound and I know it would require fine tuning anyhow, just too me, 3 turns seemed like way too many for a tom, like to the point of causing damage so I was just asking what others thought.

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

    All the above is correct, of course, but to answer the OP's question "How tight is too tight..?", I would say that if the lugs or rods strip, or if the lug is wrenched from the shell, it's probably too tight. This very unlikely to happen for bass drums or toms (assuming a decent manufacture, not 'kiddy' drums...),but can become an issue with snares; some folks just keep cranking up. I've seen snares in poor shape after this treatment, but it is really an extreme. Normally one's ears, or, failing that, one's mechanical sympathy, will warn that the tension is too much.
    For 'normal' tuning ranges, there should be no danger to the drum, rim or head in tightening; nothing will bust. If it does, there is a serious quality problem, or the drum has previously been damaged.
    Have no fear in tightening/loosening, you'll almost certainly hear and 'feel' if you're going too far.
    If you have any drumming chums, a teacher, or a local drum shop, some idea of reasonable taughtness could be demostrated for you, I would think.
    Hope this helps...
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  8. #8

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    I know a lot of people disagree, but this is exactly why I think a drum dial is so beneficial for new drummers. When I first started playing I had zero clue what was reasonable. Every time I turned a lug on my snare and heard the glue joint crack I thought I was breaking it.

    Most toms are going to be tuned somewhere between 70 and 80 on a drum dial. It takes someone new about 30 seconds with a drum dial to find and explore that range of tension. Once they explore that range of tension with a drum dial they'll be able to do it by feel and ear in the future.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

    Well, I heard an engineer say to me once, when brass piccolos were all the rage ages ago, he said "What is it with these (in those days) young guys and their piccolos? Man, they tune 'em so tight that all I hear is this snap which sounds like a toothpick breaking....gimme an old school player with a deep wood snare, at least you can bloody hear that!" lol...
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  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doc_d View Post
    I know a lot of people disagree, but this is exactly why I think a drum dial is so beneficial for new drummers. When I first started playing I had zero clue what was reasonable. Every time I turned a lug on my snare and heard the glue joint crack I thought I was breaking it.

    Most toms are going to be tuned somewhere between 70 and 80 on a drum dial. It takes someone new about 30 seconds with a drum dial to find and explore that range of tension. Once they explore that range of tension with a drum dial they'll be able to do it by feel and ear in the future.
    I agree with you 100% man. I have the TTM ( Tama Tension Watch) which is the Japanese version of the Ddial. Once I had my toms tuned to what I was happy with then I put the TTW on it to get the readings and have been going with the same readings ever since. The tension on my toms 40/50 which is probably equal to your 70/80.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    I agree with you 100% man. I have the TTM ( Tama Tension Watch) which is the Japanese version of the Ddial. Once I had my toms tuned to what I was happy with then I put the TTW on it to get the readings and have been going with the same readings ever since. The tension on my toms 40/50 which is probably equal to your 70/80.
    I'm using about 50 batter and 55 reso on the TTW right now. Tons of sustain from them.

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by marko138 View Post
    I'm using about 50 batter and 55 reso on the TTW right now. Tons of sustain from them.
    Thanks marko I will try those tensions and see what my toms sound like cause I am happy with the sound now. It's only a diferrence 10 mm which is not realy that much maybe a 1/8 of a turn more than mine. Each tom is tuned different though. Are your toms all tuned at 50/55 cause mine are all different depending on the size. The bigger the lower the number. Just curious.

  13. #13

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    Default Re: Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    Thanks marko I will try those tensions and see what my toms sound like cause I am happy with the sound now. It's only a diferrence 10 mm which is not realy that much maybe a 1/8 of a turn more than mine. Each tom is tuned different though. Are your toms all tuned at 50/55 cause mine are all different depending on the size. The bigger the lower the number. Just curious.
    Well, my 10, 14 and 16 are all the same. My 12 is just a touch higher. About 55/60 instead of 50/55.

  14. #14

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    Default Re: Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

    My snare is only overtightened because the head on it is warped and dented, because I guess Remo heads suck. (i've a read a bunch of threads with problems with remo heads, usually about the coated heads)

    In my opinion the best way to tune your drums is to use notes. First of all, you need some kind of tuning device - try this site http://www.seventhstring.com/tuner/tuner.html
    it is an acoustic instrument tuner, and it worked fine for me when I used it (keep in mind I also had a keyboard to try and match the notes by ear first, as well as an external mic) ideally you would have your tom mics connected to your computer to tune them one by one, but otherwise any microphone should be fine.

    Try different notes. Finger tighten them, and before you use the tuner, just keep going up and down with pitch trying to find that pitch that makes your drums sing, each drum will have those pitches that sound best with them, so try and find that. Then use the tuner to bring it closer (I usually don't tune it perfectly because, well its a drum set, not a guitar, it doesn't actually need to be tuned to notes to sound good, it just makes things less complicated, and gives you standards)


    If you really like that idea. I would suggest this, and this is what I do.

    First I tune my 12" tom to a note that sounds good. (for me that is around a C#) then I tune the rest of my toms in decreasing 4ths. (so my 13" tom would be an F#, my floor tom however, is just a C, not a B#, otherwise it sounds too low and has little resonance)

    My snare, really with my screwed head I don't even bother to tune it, I just tighten the lugs every once and a while. When I get my next snare head, it will be Evans.
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  15. #15

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    Default Re: Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

    [QUOTE=Fifty;433361]My snare is only overtightened because the head on it is warped and dented, because I guess Remo heads suck. (i've a read a bunch of threads with problems with remo heads, usually about the coated heads)

    Umm, Remo heads that get warped and dented don't get that way because they suck. They get like that from being used. For every Remo head that I change out on my snares, I also have another Evans (even 2ply heads) and Aquarian head that looks just like it. I change my snare head about 4 times per year. They just plain wear out. Fact. The snare is the most hit, the hardest hit, and the most tensioned drum head in the kit. Expect any brand to wear out.
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  16. #16

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    my local GC center had a trade-in PDP X7 some punk kid had before his parents got him a custom kit. he had it for 6 months and all the tom tension rods were bent 45 degrees.
    the drum tech had a helluva time fixing the thing up. holes in the heads the size of a fist.
    THAT is too tight.

  17. #17

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    I broke a lug once. Flatout broke it on my old PDP snare. So..if you break a lug, I would say you are getting close. I also pulled a head out of the hoop. Take your pick.

  18. #18

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    I tried on a pair of shoes the other day at a store, ouchy, man they were tight!! the assistant suggested I try them on with the tongue out. Well I stuck my tongue out, and the were still too tight.



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  19. #19

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    Default Re: Tuning, How Tight Is Too Tight?

    Quote Originally Posted by Doc_d View Post
    I know a lot of people disagree, but this is exactly why I think a drum dial is so beneficial for new drummers. When I first started playing I had zero clue what was reasonable. Every time I turned a lug on my snare and heard the glue joint crack I thought I was breaking it.

    Most toms are going to be tuned somewhere between 70 and 80 on a drum dial. It takes someone new about 30 seconds with a drum dial to find and explore that range of tension. Once they explore that range of tension with a drum dial they'll be able to do it by feel and ear in the future.
    I can agree with your statement, with this one exception, don't just rely on the DD..use your ears as well..ultimately that's your best tuner...

    I use a DD to ensure my tension is even, then when I mount the tom I make the necessary adjustments, based on what I hear (or want to hear)..and sometimes the tension may not be completely even when I'm done...

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