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Thread: High 10" tom resonates when I hit (strike) my low 12" tom, creating an annoying sound

  1. #1

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    Default High 10" tom resonates when I hit (strike) my low 12" tom, creating an annoying sound

    I bought a Tama Starclassic Performer B/B drum kit with 8x10, 9x12, 14x16 inch toms in Duracover Wraps from a Sam Ash store about months ago. I'm using Evans EC2s as the top heads and Evans EC Resonant heads as the bottom heads. Using the tune bot, I've tuned the 10" tom to C3 (Top head: 218 Hz, Bottom: 232 Hz), 12" to G2 (Top head: 147 Hz, bottom head: 193 Hz), and 16" to C2 (Top Head: 112, Bottom Head: 113). I've found these tunings to give each drum the type of resonance I want for each drum individually, with these nicely spaced intervals.

    The problem I've encountered is that for some reason, when I hit the 12" tom, it causes the 10" tom's batter (top) head to resonate. When heard together, it sounds like a "wobbly", "vibrato-like" sound, which muddies up the clean tone. I've determined this by putting my hand on and taking it off the 10" tom while striking the 12" tom, and also testing what sound I hear from each tom mic individually when hitting tom 2. I've also got someone to hit tom 2 while I put my ear up to the bottom head of tom 1. It is not coming from there but from the top head. I've put my ear against the top head too. I know it is not a problem with the stand because it even has the same result when I hold the tom with my hand by the mounting system. The two toms are both on Gauger Percussion RIMS mounts.

    I've tried muffing. One little drum dot near the edge of the top heads sounds good to me, but too much muffling and the drum sounds dead. I've even tried putting cotton balls in the drums, which someone suggested. It didn't help.

    Is there a solution? What I'm wondering is why tom 1's top head is so sensitive to me hitting tom 2, when tom 2 does not resonate like that when I hit tom 1. Is it because 10" toms are just that sensitive? Is it the number of plies or because it has a wrap? Hmm...

  2. #2

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    Default Re: High 10" tom resonates when I hit (strike) my low 12" tom, creating an annoying s

    Welcome to Drum Chat.

    Try de-tuning just one lug on the trouble drum. Just a quarter turn. Try all lugs until you find one the minimized the offending sound the most.

    Other wise you may need to retune the drum to a different interval and not by much.

    Lastly, when/if you are in a live situation, it won't be noticeable.

    Share some pictures of your drums when you get a chance.
    Signature here

  3. #3

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    Default Re: High 10" tom resonates when I hit (strike) my low 12" tom, creating an annoying s

    drums are either to loud/open or the relative resonating frequencies are too similar

    change the pitch so they are not so close .. change the amount of decay the toms have ...make the note shorter , add tape to the bottom, move the drums away from each other so they don't set each other off

    here's a hard pill to swallow , end of the day it's only you that can hear it ..the drums are to loud for anyone but the player to hear the sympathetic humming ...end of the day we all get a little bit of it so just make it livable

  4. #4

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    Default Re: High 10" tom resonates when I hit (strike) my low 12" tom, creating an annoying s

    The 10” batter is a 218Hz and the 12” reso is at 193Hz. I’m guessing these are so close that you’re getting sympathetic vibrations.
    Try narrowing the gap between the top & bottom head tensions on the 10”. Set the batter just a hair below your target note (C3) and the reso just a touch higher. Or, set them at the same tension for maximum resonance. Smaller toms like 10” are usually lacking in resonance anyway.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  5. #5

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    Default Re: High 10" tom resonates when I hit (strike) my low 12" tom, creating an annoying s

    Quote Originally Posted by N2Bluz View Post
    The 10” batter is a 218Hz and the 12” reso is at 193Hz. I’m guessing these are so close that you’re getting sympathetic vibrations.
    Try narrowing the gap between the top & bottom head tensions on the 10”. Set the batter just a hair below your target note (C3) and the reso just a touch higher. Or, set them at the same tension for maximum resonance. Smaller toms like 10” are usually lacking in resonance anyway.
    I've even tried setting Tom 2 to G (Top head: 163 Hz, Bottom Head: 174 Hz). Even with this difference in pitch between the two toms, the problem still persists.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: High 10" tom resonates when I hit (strike) my low 12" tom, creating an annoying s

    Quote Originally Posted by itchie View Post
    drums are either to loud/open or the relative resonating frequencies are too similar

    change the pitch so they are not so close .. change the amount of decay the toms have ...make the note shorter , add tape to the bottom, move the drums away from each other so they don't set each other off

    here's a hard pill to swallow , end of the day it's only you that can hear it ..the drums are to loud for anyone but the player to hear the sympathetic humming ...end of the day we all get a little bit of it so just make it livable
    Only it's a pretty annoying sound in my drum mics, which probably won't sound good in the studio. Maybe a good noise gate would fix the problem, but I'm afraid light hits would not be picked up.

  7. #7

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    Default Re: High 10" tom resonates when I hit (strike) my low 12" tom, creating an annoying s

    Try setting the top & bottom heads to the same pitch and see what happens. I’m not familiar with Tunebot, but if you’re setting it based on lug frequency, try matching the overall head pitch by ear to whatever note. The EC reso May be doing weird things in terms of frequency at individual lugs.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  8. #8

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    Default Re: High 10" tom resonates when I hit (strike) my low 12" tom, creating an annoying s

    Tried moving them apart? Or maybe retuning the 12” as others have suggested.
    Playing live it may not be noticeable. Have you tried the “here comes the bride” tuning approach?
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  9. #9

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    Default Re: High 10" tom resonates when I hit (strike) my low 12" tom, creating an annoying s

    Hi Lucas.

    Do what some of the other guys have subtly suggested: get away from that TuneBot! It's a tool, not a rule. Use it to get your tuning close to what you want, then experiment with tunings until that sympathetic ring goes away. I've experienced the same problem, and tuning always corrects it.

    Don't worry too much about every t-rod being exactly the same tension, yadda, yadda.

    I suspect, though, that there is just not enough interval between your 10" and 12" toms to eliminate very close harmonic interaction. You can't hurt your toms or heads by trying another tuning scheme, like Slinglander's "Here Comes The Bride" scheme.

    Tune the 10" tom to the note you like (with or without the TuneBot), then tune the other two toms to play the "Bride" ditty. This is a very popular interval.

    GeeDeeEmm

  10. #10

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    Default Re: High 10" tom resonates when I hit (strike) my low 12" tom, creating an annoying s

    One word Vibration.
    That is what drums do. That vibration can be transferred to adjacent drums. the resolution is dampening or isolation
    If I remember correctly, Tama uses the Ludwig style tom mount, which is a long L rod affixed to a common tom mount. All that metal mass is going to vibrate, especially that L rod which will act like a tuning fork. These are most likely the harmonics your experiencing... especially with microphones.
    Last edited by Kzac; 04-23-2019 at 06:07 AM.

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