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Thread: drum tuning?!

  1. #1

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    Default drum tuning?!

    After four years of playing drums I just realized something. I am possibly the worst drum tuner alive. I spent three days reading and watching everything on tuning I could possibly find and can sort of squeak out a decent sound, but its still not the sound I want on my toms. I want that dry 1970's low tom sound (maybe not quite as dry, but still) but I don't have any ideas how to achieve it. I am still using the stock Remo heads on my Yamaha Stage Custom drum set (which I know won't give me great sound, and certainly not the sound I want, but I don't want to ruin the pinstripe and ambassador heads I bought, and I definitely want to learn how to tune before I put those on). If anyone has any tips on getting that perfect sound, or even has general tips on tuning, I could certainly use some inspiration.

  2. #2

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    Craigory, tell us how you are tuning your toms now, and maybe we can fine tune the advice for you. I like to tune my toms in thirds so that they sound great in a roll through the toms.
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  3. #3

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    I have been tuning in fourths, but as of lately I have worried much less about tuning in pitches and more about the actual tone of each tom. Thats where my problem is. I can't recognize the "sweet spots" as well as I'd like to, and I can't produce the sound I know the drums are capable of.

  4. #4

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    Welcome craigory!

    The best advice I can give you is to break down and buy a drum dial. I had a problem getting my toms to sound good for the longest time, then one of the guys at my local shop talked me into getting one. Reluctantly, I bought one, figuring "there goes another $60", but low and behold, my drums have never sounded better! It takes a while to figure out exactly where you want your drums tuned to, but once you find that "sweet spot", you can tune your whole kit to perfection in 10 minutes flat. It was probably the best piece of equipment I have bought yet!
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  5. #5

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    il just add this, if Ec2 heads for your tom produce a "dry" sound, u might want to look into them.

  6. #6

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    i just tune to the drum. Between 6/8 turns per drum and it creates a great tension over the drum. Its what i did for mine and sounds great. I would like to learn how to tune them higher though :(
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  7. #7

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    one way that i have discovered that sounds great
    is if you start out
    placing the batter side head down (on carpet or something)
    and then tune that head relatively low but dont choke it it should still have resonance
    make sure that there are little or no harmonic differences between the lugs (i assume you know to tighten in a star or criss-cross patter)
    its also helpful to get your head really close to the drum and not hit hard
    just really soft taps
    from there you should tune the top head in a very similar fashion
    the top head should be tighter than the bottom head for this particular method
    it will help your heads last longer and such
    so from there play around with tunings for the top head
    different tensions but the main thing to find is a tension where the two heads dont cause any intereference with each other
    try for no standing waves that sound like annoying hums that are at different frequencies
    if any of this is unclear just let me know =]

  8. #8

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    I feel your pain! I spent a week off and on trying to tune my drums and finally got a sound I am comfortable with, not perfect, but I can live with it. I think I'm gong to buy drum dial soon because I constanly question the drums tone every time I play them. To me the extra money spent is well worth it. But it makes one wonder how Buddie Rich and the like tuned their drums. Did they have a hard time, or did it come natural?

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