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Thread: Help with bass drum

  1. #1

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    Default Help with bass drum

    Ok i bought a nice pearl export 7 piece set about 2 years ago as my starter set.
    So it got to my house and i put it together. Knowing nothing i didnt know how to tune them well. So i tuned them crappy untill i learned.

    I have 2 22" bass drums, so when i started tuning them i wanted them t equal the same, i got one to sound good so when i tried same exact thing on the other one it just didnt sound the same, so i figured it was cause i didnt know how to tune well.

    So 2 years went by and im still having the same problem, i know how to tune now and no matter what i do one sounds amazing and the other one sounds like a piece of crap. What could be the problem? any tips/suggestions?

    Please help this is very aggravating.
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  2. #2

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    First , welcome to Drum Chat ,and nice lookin Pearls .

    How do you know theyre tuned the same , how do you know they have the same amount of tension on each lug . Thats the 1st thing I would like to know .

    I wouldnt worry too much about making sure theyre tuned identically ,its better that you get the 2nd one at least sounding good to your ear .

    From the pictures they are facing the same direction with nothing in front to obstruct the sound , so I dont know why you cant get the sound you want from your 2nd BD .

    ( try getting rid of the Bon Jovi poster and replace it with Garth Brooks ).....LOL

    Good luck with it , lets see what the others may suggest .

  3. #3

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    I'm curious as to why you set up as shown in your photos? Normally, the bass drums would be at 45 degrees to right and left with the upper toms in the middle and the snare bisecting them. As to tuning both bass drums the same, that's the beautimous imperfection of wood...no two shells will ever sound exactly alike. It's one of the primary reasons so many drummers opt for the single bass drum with a double bass pedal.
    There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value.

    http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...vaz/TheSet.jpg

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by gonefishin View Post
    First , welcome to Drum Chat ,and nice lookin Pearls .

    How do you know theyre tuned the same , how do you know they have the same amount of tension on each lug . Thats the 1st thing I would like to know .

    I wouldnt worry too much about making sure theyre tuned identically ,its better that you get the 2nd one at least sounding good to your ear .

    From the pictures they are facing the same direction with nothing in front to obstruct the sound , so I dont know why you cant get the sound you want from your 2nd BD .

    ( try getting rid of the Bon Jovi poster and replace it with Garth Brooks ).....LOL

    Good luck with it , lets see what the others may suggest .
    Thanks

    IM not 100% sure its the same tension but i tuned them identical. Same amount of turns and everything. And thats my dads poster collection lol. I dont like bon jovi. good observation tho lol i didn't even realize they were there.


    Quote Originally Posted by fiacovaz View Post
    I'm curious as to why you set up as shown in your photos? Normally, the bass drums would be at 45 degrees to right and left with the upper toms in the middle and the snare bisecting them. As to tuning both bass drums the same, that's the beautimous imperfection of wood...no two shells will ever sound exactly alike. It's one of the primary reasons so many drummers opt for the single bass drum with a double bass pedal.
    Well first reason is because i have been looking to get a 10" tom or roto toms so i was playing around wit spacing.. and second. my other tom is a bully and wont allow the 12" tom next to it without having to move my bass drums. And it may be the wood thing you mentioned. but these seem like they were made out of different wood or something. its just that bad

    The tension FEELS the same lol and they just dont sound the same. and when i tryn to mess around with it it doesnt get better. I like to play lamb of god and stuff with double bass, but everytime i do double bass it sounds like umpa-loompas.

    I guess i should get a drum dial to see the tension.

  5. #5

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    Tune them by sound not by tension.

  6. #6

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    I hear this over and over again. When I was a a young double bass player in the 80s we wanted them to sound different from each other, not the same. It was very common to see a 22 and a 24 sitting next to each other in the same kit. Then you could play them as different drums. When you are play fast you will not hear it but played slow it is a very cool option to have two different bass drum sounds available to you.

    I would tune the drum to itself so it sounds good and call it a day, try it and experiment with slower patterns and listen to haw cool it sounds ;-)
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  7. #7

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    u got NO ports in the front head I see, are the batter heads the same? have you swapped over the heads to see if it makes a difference? do u have any dampening/old socks, in the drum or on the batter head like a muffle ring!!
    its gets soooo complicated, just buy an electronic set man.
    glad I may have confused you even more!!



    Official cowbell hater.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Northern Redneck View Post
    Tune them by sound not by tension.
    i gave that a shot and it kind of helped but still not tooo great.


    Quote Originally Posted by rmandelbaum View Post
    I hear this over and over again. When I was a a young double bass player in the 80s we wanted them to sound different from each other, not the same. It was very common to see a 22 and a 24 sitting next to each other in the same kit. Then you could play them as different drums. When you are play fast you will not hear it but played slow it is a very cool option to have two different bass drum sounds available to you.

    I would tune the drum to itself so it sounds good and call it a day, try it and experiment with slower patterns and listen to haw cool it sounds ;-)
    Yea i thought about having two different sounds and just getting a double pedal (Axis Longboards lol) but i dont have the funding after the collegebills come lol.

    Quote Originally Posted by ratmycue View Post
    u got NO ports in the front head I see, are the batter heads the same? have you swapped over the heads to see if it makes a difference? do u have any dampening/old socks, in the drum or on the batter head like a muffle ring!!
    its gets soooo complicated, just buy an electronic set man.
    glad I may have confused you even more!!
    No i dont have ports and no muffling things at all i like the open sound of the drum, nothing really to retard it. And i HATE electronic sets.. wayy to easy. they take the fun out of drumming in my opinion. Oh and i have switched everything on the different drums/ rings, batter(eq3. btw) and reso heads, didnt help.

    I really think that its the shell thats different from eachother.
    I guess ill just have to save up some money and get those axis longboards and set them up for my right bass. And ill hook up my extra pedal to a cowbell or a clave or something lol.

  9. #9

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    Yeah, you possibly should try tuning it to sound right and not try to match the sound. I agree about the variation in sound so its pretty cool if they do not sound the same. Single bass drum players with double pedals use different types of beaters to get that effect like a wood and a felt beater instead of two wood beaters.
    I play, Gretsch Catalina Birch, 7 piece in the vintage sunburst finish.


    RIP, Frank. You will not be forgotten. Missing you, mate

  10. #10

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    Welcome to drum chat I would like to point out that the front heads have a lot to do with the tuning of the drums so make sure you are tuning them . Also do you use pillows in the bass drums? They can be moved around to change the sound.

  11. #11

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    i agree, muffiling is an issue when it comes to bass drum tuning. and as listed above, no two bass drums can sound the same, unless you mic or trigger them (but really, the triggering system would cost more than your set and for me triggers are a hassle)
    also what kind of sound are you going for? more punch? more attack? more of a round tone?
    Ostinato is the way to go!

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by livewire80 View Post
    Yeah, you possibly should try tuning it to sound right and not try to match the sound. I agree about the variation in sound so its pretty cool if they do not sound the same. Single bass drum players with double pedals use different types of beaters to get that effect like a wood and a felt beater instead of two wood beaters.
    Yea im gonna tune to sound now. And thats pretty interesting. i didnt know that, i knew they used different radius, flat vs hammer kinda thing but thats pretty interesting.

    Quote Originally Posted by 2slow View Post
    Welcome to drum chat I would like to point out that the front heads have a lot to do with the tuning of the drums so make sure you are tuning them . Also do you use pillows in the bass drums? They can be moved around to change the sound.
    Thank you, i like it here you guys respond fast lol, and i do tune them well so they arent the problem. and no pillows i like an open sound.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ringo View Post
    i agree, muffiling is an issue when it comes to bass drum tuning. and as listed above, no two bass drums can sound the same, unless you mic or trigger them (but really, the triggering system would cost more than your set and for me triggers are a hassle)
    also what kind of sound are you going for? more punch? more attack? more of a round tone?

    yea i wouldnt wanna do that lol. and i like an open sound, i play/listen to a lot of tool and lamb of god, also carter beauford from dave matthews. I love way Danny Carey of tool makes his drums sound, they have a more open sound to them. I know his drumset is made out of paistes' metal and highly customized with his mandala pads but i like the way his set sounds.

    Thanks a lot guys. i didnt think id be getting this much help. im gonna try tuning them after school tommorow and let you kow what happens.

    BTW how do you guys tune your drums?

  13. #13

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    By sound (Ear). When you do this often enough, you will develop a good ear and can tune your drums to play in any situation and even while playing.
    There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value.

    http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...vaz/TheSet.jpg

  14. #14

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    well i tune my bass drum tight on the reso and kinda loose on the batter to get a real hard attack sound.
    snare, tighter on reso and slightly less tight on the batter for a lot of crack
    toms: as equal as possible, not too tight, not too loose.
    Ostinato is the way to go!

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by fiacovaz View Post
    I'm curious as to why you set up as shown in your photos? Normally, the bass drums would be at 45 degrees to right and left with the upper toms in the middle and the snare bisecting them. As to tuning both bass drums the same, that's the beautimous imperfection of wood...no two shells will ever sound exactly alike. It's one of the primary reasons so many drummers opt for the single bass drum with a double bass pedal.
    HOLA como estas MI AMIGO FIACOVAZ (FRANK* CREATIVE ARTISTIC OPEN MINDED DRUMMER ARTIST(CAT) EXCELLENTE' *BUT ,AS far as FOR haveing or USEING (1) (one) BASS DRUM WITH DOUBLE PEDALS OR
    EVEN TRIPLE PEDALS*is THE FACT the THE LEFT PEDAL BEATER AS IT STRIKES (HITS) the BASS DRUM AS you KNOW that THE LEFT BEATER is CLOSER to the LEFT SIDE- RIM which CRETES A HIGHER PITCHED TONE *SO in
    essence the SOUND is FORSURE going TO BE ALTER(CHANGED) which NOW ,WHAT I about to STATE *IS My OWN CONCEPTIONS of WHAT ,My AWARENESS IS My Own UNIQUE EXTREMMMXXX OUT of THE BOX *SPIRITUAL
    ANCIENT ARTISTRY *IS I PREFER HAVEING THE TONES DIFFERENT ,Just Like within ALL the TOMS *I sure Would NOT WHAT ALL My RACK TOMS TUNED
    WITHIN the SAME PITCH of ANY of My TAMBORES ,AND I ,Know that your AWARE of ALL of what I just STATED AMIGO * AND when ,I used(TWO(2)-BASS-DRUMS ,I tuned them FORSURE within DIFFERENT PITCHED TONES* BUT * like ,I always STATE WHATEVER WORKS for the CREATIVE ARTISTIC
    Open Minded ARTIST ,is ALL GREAT within their own unique STYLE(ARTISTRY) within all their JOURNEYS * GRACIAS

  16. #16

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    thats your starter kit?!?!!?!?!?!


    if women don't find you handsome.
    they should atleast find you handy.

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by begtimm561 View Post
    thats your starter kit?!?!!?!?!?!
    lol yea. Nice aint it?

  18. #18

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    ok well i retuned them and they sound one now. my Whole set sounds better. mainly cause i moved it inside and its warmer in here, but they could of used a good tune up. Now.. i need some new cymbals lol

  19. #19

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    Keeping In Mind Keith Moon Tuned Many Of His Toms Da Same ,,,,Course He Played "UP" Not "OUT" As Most Of Us Do...
    A Nearly Impossible Task To Learn After We've Been Taught Otherwise, Jeff Pocarro Told Me :
    "Tune It Till It Sounds Right To You"
    He Also Mentioned Thats Why He Had Paul Jamison
    In His Life To Do It Right Night After Night!!!!
    "FEEL DA GROOVE & PLAY IT FORWARD..."

    "BEAUTY IS IN THE EARS OF THE BEHOLDER ,
    ENJOY IT ALL,,, MY BROTHERS & SISTERS"

    COMMANDER & CHIEPH OF
    "PHROGGE'S AQUARIAN ARMY"

    LEGEND IN MY OWN MIND
    & FORCE BEHIND DA
    "PHX AZ LEGEND OF DA ZYDECO GROOVE VEST"
    (AND OTHER TOYZ) INCLUDING PIZZABOX SNARE DRUM

    IT'S ALL ABOUT DA SHOW !!!!!

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by echoe09 View Post
    ok well i retuned them and they sound one now. my Whole set sounds better. mainly cause i moved it inside and its warmer in here, but they could of used a good tune up. Now.. i need some new cymbals lol
    Good to hear echoe, that you got it going!
    I play, Gretsch Catalina Birch, 7 piece in the vintage sunburst finish.


    RIP, Frank. You will not be forgotten. Missing you, mate

  21. #21
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    little late but also check your heads to see if glue or seal has let go on any of them. to little to late lol

  22. #22

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    when i played 2 kicks i always tuned them the same (by ear btw), the trick is getting your left foot to work a pedal the exact way you do your right. this is harder than it seems and makes a big impact on how it sounding even. i knew alot of guys that tuned the left kick different to compensate for a weaker left foot.

    i say if you have 2 kicks and don't mind hauling them then go with that over a double pedal. i have played double pedal for a long time since getting rid of my old 2 kick kit. and it still don't feel right to me. the feel of independence is not there.

  23. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by begtimm561 View Post
    thats your starter kit?!?!!?!?!?!
    I thought the same thing lol. My starter kit is nowhere near as nice as that. I am jealous.
    "You have to love music more then food. More than air. More than yourself."-The Wizard (August Rush)

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