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.
5 Piece Pearl kit 12" 13" 16" toms, 14" snare.
16" Sabian XS20 Rock Crash
20" Sabian XS20 Medium Ride
14" Sabian AAX-Celerator Hi-Hats
18" Sabian AAX-Plosion Crash
19" Sabian AAX-Treme Chinese - pending
Pearl Power Stroke Eliminator X Double kick pedal
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