Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: I know this has been asked a million times....

  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    Default I know this has been asked a million times....

    ...but I have specifics involved, cos I'm awkward like that

    I have a Mapex M Birch 10" 12" 13" 16" 22" 14" snare sizes and really need help tuning the toms and bass drum. They still have the stock heads on them, the bass drum has a 5" port hole and I don't have the money for drum dials or torque keys. I would just like to know any tips or if anyone has the same kit that could share some tips with what they may have done.

    Mapex Drums | Zildjian and Meinl Cymbals | Evans Drumheads | Pro Mark Drum Sticks

  2. #2

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    you can get by with just above( a smidge tighter than) a wrinkle on the toms and bass. the snare is a bit tricky..
    Yamaha DTXtreme III FrankenXpress w/ various pads and cymbals
    Pearl Eliminator w/Vater Bomber
    Roc-N-Soc Motion
    Vater 7A Sugar Maple
    Simmons DA-200S
    Sony MDR-7506
    MacBookPro Core2 Duo 2.33,4gb,500gb w/SD2, Reason 4, and LE9

    http://s591.photobucket.com/albums/ss358/Charlygo/



  3. #3

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Chaz... so much depends on what kind of sound you're looking for. Start with that first. From there, its a lot of trial and error. Tuning drums is an art form and can take years to develop. Here are some free online resources on drum tuning as well as some drum tuning tips to start. Aside from that, take it one drum at a time. What kind of sound are you looking for out of your bass drum? A low thud? Something more ringy? Once we have this information, we'll better be able to assist you.

  4. #4

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Well since you can't afford bass batter heads with built in muffling like EMAD, Powerstroke 3, Powerstroke 4, Powersonic, Super Kick etc, you might as well just do the old trick of a pillow in your kick drum. Place it directly in the middle of the drum with it just slightly touchig the batter. Then tighten just above wrinkles, otherwise you'll get a slap sound
    You can get away with just above wrinkles toms, you'll get a deep pitch from them

  5. #5

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Sorry I didn't post much info guys, was in a bit of a rush to sort things last night and it was late over here lol

    From my bass drum, I'm looking for a sound that doesn't ring for days on end, but is more of a nice compact "thud" for want of a better word. I still want it to sound like a drum though, not electric or at the other end of the scale, a piece of paper being hit with a stick.

    For my toms, I'm looking for again not too much sustain, but so they provide the tones they should...I'm not very good with describing the sounds I want, but I guess I'm looking for warm yet bright sounds.

    The snare I have already done with a lot of hard work and some help lol
    Mapex Drums | Zildjian and Meinl Cymbals | Evans Drumheads | Pro Mark Drum Sticks

  6. #6

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Just above wrinkle on toms won't give you the sound you seem to be looking for. You won't get much tone that way. Use the online resources provided to tune those.

    On the BD, get it a little above wrinkle, and use the pillow and you'll get a nice tight thud like you want. If the sound is too dead, tune it a little higher. I don't work too hard on tuning my BD in terms of making sure it's "in tune".
    Jesse

    1986 Tama Crestar - Lacquered Piano White
    2016 Roland TD-25K
    2015 Tama Starclassic B/B - Indigo Blue Sparkle

  7. #7

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Bass Drum... For me, I use a small pillow, EQ heads and a hole in the reso head. If you don't let the pillow touch the front head, you'll still get lots of tone along with the "thud". So much of the sound you'll get will depend on the quality of your drum, the size, and many other factors. With some experimentation, I don't think it's that hard to get a good solid bass drum sound.

    For toms, I like the Remo Emporers myself. They give you a nice full bodied sound without too much click like the pinstripes. Get the pitch out of your bottom head. Find the sweet spot for each individual tom and your drums should sing. Again, this depends on the quality of your drums, the type of wood, how well you tune, etc. It takes a lot of experimentation. Everyone's drums are different.

    Good luck!

  8. #8

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Quote Originally Posted by kaosotis View Post
    Just above wrinkle on toms won't give you the sound you seem to be looking for. You won't get much tone that way. Use the online resources provided to tune those.

    On the BD, get it a little above wrinkle, and use the pillow and you'll get a nice tight thud like you want. If the sound is too dead, tune it a little higher. I don't work too hard on tuning my BD in terms of making sure it's "in tune".
    I only mentioned just above wrinkles on toms 'cos he started he can't afford any tuning key etc, personally I would never tune toms like that.

  9. #9

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Yeah, finances are a bit low at the moment, I'm trying to save up for new batter heads as well. I'm thinking of getting some Emperors as they've been suggested a fair bit on this forum, and with trying to save for those and still keeping money for everyday life, commuting to college, work, etc...it's proving to be tough lol, so anything on top of that like torque keys or drum dials is a struggle, but hey, should get my new heads within the next 15 or so years
    Mapex Drums | Zildjian and Meinl Cymbals | Evans Drumheads | Pro Mark Drum Sticks

  10. #10

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Chaz, the fancy tuning devices like the Drum Dial and the Torque are overrated. All you need is a $2 drum key. Drummers have been tuning their drums with this for years with great success.

  11. #11

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    While I'm a Drum Dial supporter, Drummer is correct. It's not a necessity in any way. I see it as a convenience device.

    Like I said, use the online tutorials and you'll get them tuned fine. Just takes practice.
    Jesse

    1986 Tama Crestar - Lacquered Piano White
    2016 Roland TD-25K
    2015 Tama Starclassic B/B - Indigo Blue Sparkle

  12. #12

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    I tune everything by ear using a simple cheap tuning key, I've never used a drum dial or Torque Key or Automatic Tuner or whatever

  13. #13

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Yeah, I have a free day tomorrow, so I'm going to spend the day tuning up, seeing what I can do, then playing them of course...just to test them
    Mapex Drums | Zildjian and Meinl Cymbals | Evans Drumheads | Pro Mark Drum Sticks

  14. #14

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    look up drum tuning on youtube and theyll show you how to tune any drum. if you cant do that, just finger tighten until you hit resistance and then tune the rods in even increments in the order of tuning charts. its hard to explain, so id just go check out youtube and they will be a big help in getting the most out of it.. i had a snare i was convinced sounded bad, and then i watched a vid on tuning my snare right(batter side=C, reso side=A) and i got everything out of it

  15. #15

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Quote Originally Posted by The Chazbo View Post
    ...but I have specifics involved, cos I'm awkward like that

    I have a Mapex M Birch 10" 12" 13" 16" 22" 14" snare sizes and really need help tuning the toms and bass drum. They still have the stock heads on them, the bass drum has a 5" port hole and I don't have the money for drum dials or torque keys. I would just like to know any tips or if anyone has the same kit that could share some tips with what they may have done.

    Man..I have my Mapexs just singing. I hate to say it Chaz, but dont expect much from the throwaway stock heads.
    I will post a method I learned from a guy on the internet that really has helped my tuning skills out immensely. -Les

  16. #16

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Chaz, I have always used remo heads, but go to the evans drum head website. They have videos on drum tuning made by a guy named Bob Gatzen (sp?) They are awesome!!!

    BTW, I'd suggest starting with the largest tom and work up to the smallest.
    Kevin
    DW Performance series - Gun Metal Metallic Lacquer
    24/12/16 6.5x14
    Sabian AA/AAX hi-hats & crashes
    Sabian HHX Evolution ride

    Drummers can be very tempomental.....

  17. #17

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Chaz,
    Hope all is well, you will get ten different answers to your question from ten different people. Only you know what sound you want out of your drums. Don't get frustrated, you'll find out that the experimenting is the only way to learn. I take and tune my bottom head first. I finger tighten the tension lugs and then give them maybe a half turn more. I tap the center of the head and listen to the sound. Is it pleaseing to the ear? If not then I tighten or loosen the tension rods until I find "the sound" I'm after. Next I put my finger in the middle of the head and give just a little pressure. I take a stick and tap about 1-1.5 inches from the tension rods. If there is a rod higher or lower than what I want I tune it. I try and get each rod the same pitch. Next I put the batter head on and do the same procedure. Make sure you sit the reso head on something that will kill it's sound. When I am done I tap the batter head and listen to the drum it'self. Do I like this sound, does it ring too much, not enough? to fine tune the resonance I tighten or loosen the reso head. I have found that this is more effective then the batter. Try it out and see what you can come up with.

  18. #18

    User Info Menu

    Smile Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    Quote Originally Posted by The Chazbo View Post
    Sorry I didn't post much info guys, was in a bit of a rush to sort things last night and it was late over here lol

    From my bass drum, I'm looking for a sound that doesn't ring for days on end, but is more of a nice compact "thud" for want of a better word. I still want it to sound like a drum though, not electric or at the other end of the scale, a piece of paper being hit with a stick.

    For my toms, I'm looking for again not too much sustain, but so they provide the tones they should...I'm not very good with describing the sounds I want, but I guess I'm looking for warm yet bright sounds.


    The snare I have already done with a lot of hard work and some help lol

    Don't forget the dampners inside the toms to control "ring"
    first I loosen them off, get the desired pitch, then apply the dampener (while hitting the tom for sound) I hope this helps?
    Cheers.

  19. #19

    User Info Menu

    Default Re: I know this has been asked a million times....

    get dts's boyee.. FATALITY

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
  •