Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 26

Thread: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

  1. #1
    scottyp is offline Senior Member (Respected Chatter)

    User Info Menu

    Default Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Here is a video I made tuning my toms to perfect 4th's using the Tune-bot



    A few quick points

    1- These heads were replaced over a year ago when I recorded an album. They have been used almost daily for a year and still worked out pretty good.

    2- I tuned my drums over 4 days ago and have played a lot so they are not in perfect tune now. (still sound good)

    3- I did minimal processing. There is a slight limiter/compressor on the main channel to prevent clipping. I put some small EQ on the toms to make it represent the natural sound more. There is a dip at 500hz, and a small boost around 100-200hz. as well as 6000 I think. Noting too crazy. It sounded fantastic while playing these in the room.

    I am sold on tuning to specific notes now in the same scale.. I'm going to try many more combos. Keep an eye out for a snare video as well.
    Last edited by scottyp; 03-14-2019 at 06:42 PM.

  2. #2

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    I tune my 1up/1dwn to a 4th. I’ve tried a 5th, but didn’t like it as well. I use the iDrumTune app, which actually samples the sound and gives you the overall frequency in Hz, along with a spectrum analyzer that shows you the overtones and how pure the note is.

    I’ve tuned them by ear and had them to what I thought was “perfect” and sounded great, then sampled them....only to be surprised at how far off they actually were. Then I adjusted them with the app and was amazed at how much better they sounded. My ears must really be bad, LOL.
    I highly recommend the iDrumTune App. It’s quick, easy, cheap, and it’s always handy since it’s on your phone.
    -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

  3. #3
    scottyp is offline Senior Member (Respected Chatter)

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    I'll check it out for sure. This was more for experimentation and seeing how a perfect 4th between the reso and batter sounded. On a one up one down kit I'd tune a 5th BETWEEN DRUMS, and a 4th BETWEEN HEADS on said drums. lol. At the end of the day it's all what works best for each person.

  4. #4

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    i tell you what I bought one of those and got so frustrated with it I took it back right away lol
    But I wish I wouldn't have

  5. #5
    scottyp is offline Senior Member (Respected Chatter)

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    I had a Drum dial, and the tunebot and a few more things sitting downstairs for years. I figured they were all gimmics and didn't work well and I kept trying and half the time my drums would end up worse than when I started. I got rid of all the rest and really dove in with this thing and FINALLY am able to get it going...

    Heres the way to cheat...... in my video I have the part with the diagram/photo of the notes. You can google or youtube an fsharp, or 300hz, or whatever you want. It will generate a tone.

    Tune your drum/lugs to that tone by ear.

    I've seen guys tune the lugs to a piano and it works great.

  6. #6

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Just what I was afraid of, Scotty went into the realm of rocket science.

    Scott, the snare and the 2 up toms sound fine. The floor tom, well, not so good. That's a Gatzen and/or Goode tuning if I ever heard 1. They swear that we will have a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Someone needs to tell them to look up 50 years ago, the Moon, and see if anything looks familiar.

    I tune my drums as follows: 1st up tom = 1 (surprise), 2nd up tom about 1 1/2 steps below the 1st tom. Going from the 2nd up tom to the 1st Floor Tom (16"x16"), I use the Kate Beckinsale style of tuning, which is . That tuning always sounds good, looks good, smells good, and, if she is in the Selena outfit, nobody cares if I'm playing on a coffee can with 2 spoons. The other 3 toms, so as to not be jealous, tune themselves.

    Scotty, you're a good guy and I admire your knowledge, BUT PLEASE TUNE THAT FLOOR TOM.
    YOU MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.

    YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW.

    VAE VICTIS

    ONCE YOU HIT A CERTAIN AGE, YOU BECOME PERMANENTLY UNIMPRESSED BY A LOT OF CRAP.

    I HIT THAT AGE 20 YEARS AGO.

    IF DOGS CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN, I WANT TO GO WHERE THEY GO

    WILL ROGERS

  7. #7

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    "I’ve tried a 5th, but didn’t like it as well"

    A 5th of what, he asked?
    YOU MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.

    YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW.

    VAE VICTIS

    ONCE YOU HIT A CERTAIN AGE, YOU BECOME PERMANENTLY UNIMPRESSED BY A LOT OF CRAP.

    I HIT THAT AGE 20 YEARS AGO.

    IF DOGS CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN, I WANT TO GO WHERE THEY GO

    WILL ROGERS

  8. #8

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    "I had a Drum dial, and the tunebot and a few more things sitting downstairs for years. I figured they were all gimmics and didn't work well".

    Had you stopped there, you would have been correct.

    I think I'll have some of my perfect 5th right now.
    YOU MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.

    YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW.

    VAE VICTIS

    ONCE YOU HIT A CERTAIN AGE, YOU BECOME PERMANENTLY UNIMPRESSED BY A LOT OF CRAP.

    I HIT THAT AGE 20 YEARS AGO.

    IF DOGS CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN, I WANT TO GO WHERE THEY GO

    WILL ROGERS

  9. #9

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Quote Originally Posted by SpazApproved View Post
    i tell you what I bought one of those and got so frustrated with it I took it back right away lol
    But I wish I wouldn't have
    Zack, have you ever thought of tuning forks? Should they not work, tuning machetes should do the trick.
    YOU MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.

    YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW.

    VAE VICTIS

    ONCE YOU HIT A CERTAIN AGE, YOU BECOME PERMANENTLY UNIMPRESSED BY A LOT OF CRAP.

    I HIT THAT AGE 20 YEARS AGO.

    IF DOGS CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN, I WANT TO GO WHERE THEY GO

    WILL ROGERS

  10. #10
    scottyp is offline Senior Member (Respected Chatter)

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    I agree something is off with the floor tom. I'm not 100% sold it's the tuning though. They are year old heads and the mic position on that one was pretty bad too. I'm going to play around with it a bit tomorrow. Just an FYI I don't go this in depth every time I tune. It was just an experiment. I think the results on the snare, and two racks were great. Might be a size thing so if I can use my math and science to figure that out it would be neat to find a good ratio for every size of drum for consistent tuning.

    As you can see, I've had the same heads on for a year, and tune very infrequent. I prefer to play rather than muck about most of the time.

    If you can get some tuning machetes i'll defiantly buy a few.

    perfect 5th should be the name of a scotch company.

  11. #11

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Quote Originally Posted by scottyp View Post
    I agree something is off with the floor tom. I'm not 100% sold it's the tuning though. They are year old heads and the mic position on that one was pretty bad too. I'm going to play around with it a bit tomorrow. Just an FYI I don't go this in depth every time I tune. It was just an experiment. I think the results on the snare, and two racks were great. Might be a size thing so if I can use my math and science to figure that out it would be neat to find a good ratio for every size of drum for consistent tuning.

    As you can see, I've had the same heads on for a year, and tune very infrequent. I prefer to play rather than muck about most of the time.

    If you can get some tuning machetes i'll defiantly buy a few.

    perfect 5th should be the name of a scotch company.
    I used to tune my drums years ago by delving into Calculus and Analytical Geometry. I had 3 drums that sounded fair to middlin', but the 4th drum sounded like a oboe. Go figure.

    They are out of stock on the tuning machetes

    I agree with you on the scotch co.
    YOU MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.

    YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW.

    VAE VICTIS

    ONCE YOU HIT A CERTAIN AGE, YOU BECOME PERMANENTLY UNIMPRESSED BY A LOT OF CRAP.

    I HIT THAT AGE 20 YEARS AGO.

    IF DOGS CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN, I WANT TO GO WHERE THEY GO

    WILL ROGERS

  12. #12

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Very interesting I am using a Tune Bot now & tuning both heads to the same pitch. I just use the calculator for this. We go on tour today & if I manage to get some time during set up, I will have a go at these settings as I am looking for something a little different
    The Varukers.

  13. #13
    scottyp is offline Senior Member (Respected Chatter)

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Quote Originally Posted by Kevaruka View Post
    Very interesting I am using a Tune Bot now & tuning both heads to the same pitch. I just use the calculator for this. We go on tour today & if I manage to get some time during set up, I will have a go at these settings as I am looking for something a little different
    Even just doing it by ear I always prefer a small pitch bend. I find myself putting gels on more when I tune to the same pitch. This is a more punchy sound with a shorter decay. There is nothing wrong tuning both heads the same. It is all based on the application. Try a single tom and see how it works for you. It's easy to change back.. It REALLY worked on my snare too.

  14. #14

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Hey guys -- I guess I'm really old-school but I don't use anything but my ears................here is how I answer the tuning question:

    I'm a believer that a drum and a specific combination of batter and reso (that's 3 variables in case you are counting) has a note that is the best answer.
    I tune my toms one at a time sitting on the easy chair until I find the note that sounds best.
    Once I put the kit together, it does not matter what the intervals are between toms..............and (usually) the drums sound great.
    For my snare and bass drum, I use a completely different approach to tuning.

    Quote Originally Posted by scottyp View Post
    Even just doing it by ear I always prefer a small pitch bend.
    I had a professor in music school that loved to tune his toms to "dip" (his term).
    How do you tune your toms to bend ? What is your preferred method ?
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  15. #15

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Quote Originally Posted by Ricardo View Post
    Hey guys -- I guess I'm really old-school but I don't use anything but my ears................
    Same. I continually get compliments on the sound of my drums from musicians and sound men.

  16. #16

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Same. I continually get compliments on the sound of my drums from musicians and sound men.
    Sounds or it didn't happen. A video would work better.
    YOU MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.

    YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW.

    VAE VICTIS

    ONCE YOU HIT A CERTAIN AGE, YOU BECOME PERMANENTLY UNIMPRESSED BY A LOT OF CRAP.

    I HIT THAT AGE 20 YEARS AGO.

    IF DOGS CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN, I WANT TO GO WHERE THEY GO

    WILL ROGERS

  17. #17

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    "I had a professor in music school that loved to tune his toms to "dip" (his term).
    How do you tune your toms to bend ? What is your preferred method ?"

    Ricky, you lost me with "dip" and "bend".

    My preferred method is to tune them on the set. Makes getting the intervals I want easier when the drum is right there.

    I do tune my floor tom to L#.
    YOU MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.

    YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW.

    VAE VICTIS

    ONCE YOU HIT A CERTAIN AGE, YOU BECOME PERMANENTLY UNIMPRESSED BY A LOT OF CRAP.

    I HIT THAT AGE 20 YEARS AGO.

    IF DOGS CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN, I WANT TO GO WHERE THEY GO

    WILL ROGERS

  18. #18
    scottyp is offline Senior Member (Respected Chatter)

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    I didn't get to exact intervals between my kit. I will tune a tom to sound good, then hit them and see if it should be lower or higher. The relation is only between batter and reso. Having a 14 instead of a 16 I tune my 14 on the low side, if it's the 16 I may tend to tune up a bit. If I tune one tom and its too high or too low i'll adjust it. Based on the wood, heads, hoops, bearing edge every single kit will sound a bit different. I have had toms of the same size sound great higher, some lower. I am going to try 4ths on my other kit though. It is tuned to the same note and sounds great. It's a breakbeats kit so pretty cheap and not overly resonant.

    Dip and bend come from having the reso or batter lower or higher than the other. In the perfect 4th method there is a dip/bend, but it isn't extreme. It's because the tom is playing 2 notes and the pitch bends. Like booowwwwww. . The attack is high and the tail end of the note is lower.

  19. #19

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    I do tune my floor tom to L#.
    I assume that occurs immediately after the 4th scotch ?
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  20. #20

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Quote Originally Posted by scottyp View Post
    I'll check it out for sure. This was more for experimentation and seeing how a perfect 4th between the reso and batter sounded. On a one up one down kit I'd tune a 5th BETWEEN DRUMS, and a 4th BETWEEN HEADS on said drums. lol. At the end of the day it's all what works best for each person.
    My main gig kit is a 10/13/18 so I tend to tune the reso and batter to the same pitch. The small sizes need all the help they can get in terms of resonance. Between the toms, I still prefer a 4th....at least on my particular kit. It seems to work well with the shells in terms of finding that natural resonant pitch on each.
    -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

  21. #21

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Quote Originally Posted by Ricardo View Post
    I assume that occurs immediately after the 4th scotch ?
    4th or 5th, not quite sure. Had them tuned to P, which is a perfect 16th above something. Depending on whether you were in front of the drums or behind them, they either sounded like the theme from "Close Encounters" or lemurs in heat.
    YOU MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU KNOW.

    YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW.

    VAE VICTIS

    ONCE YOU HIT A CERTAIN AGE, YOU BECOME PERMANENTLY UNIMPRESSED BY A LOT OF CRAP.

    I HIT THAT AGE 20 YEARS AGO.

    IF DOGS CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN, I WANT TO GO WHERE THEY GO

    WILL ROGERS

  22. #22

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    Quote Originally Posted by Ricardo View Post
    I'm a believer that a drum and a specific combination of batter and reso (that's 3 variables in case you are counting) has a note that is the best answer.
    I tune my toms one at a time sitting on the easy chair until I find the note that sounds best.
    Once I put the kit together, it does not matter what the intervals are between toms..............and (usually) the drums sound great.
    For my snare and bass drum, I use a completely different approach to tuning.
    Same here, I've always tuned each drum "to itself". But I also use the tune-bot to get there quickly ...

  23. #23

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    I have a DrumDial but after the first couple of weeks of using it, it stays in the box it came in. I was tempted to get a Tunebot but I'm happy how my kit sounds with just using my ears.

  24. #24

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    I battle with this. I often use a Tunebot, but then I also like to tune by ear also. When I do use the tunebot I use the settings attached

    Screenshot_20180928-215254.jpg

    Screenshot_20180928-215309.jpg
    Six Piece Mapex Saturn V, Five Piece DW Performance Series, NOS Slingerland Snares, Centent Ardor and Emperor Cymbals


  25. #25

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: Drum tuning to notes using the Tune-bot

    This looks to me like the promoter of these tools tries to persuade drummers to think like we own a piano.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •