How to tune a drumset?
- Thread starter Cloudsky
- Start date
How "odd" does it sound?
Did he "seat" the skins properly? For tuning the drums, the opposing lugs have to be kept at the same tension. So if one lug is turned 4 times, the one opposite has to be turned 4 times as well. Don't get any part stretching too much or bulging out on the skin. It has to be flat. So just keep tightening or loosing lugs until the tone feels right. You also have to hit the skin near the lugs to see if they have the same tone.
Did he "seat" the skins properly? For tuning the drums, the opposing lugs have to be kept at the same tension. So if one lug is turned 4 times, the one opposite has to be turned 4 times as well. Don't get any part stretching too much or bulging out on the skin. It has to be flat. So just keep tightening or loosing lugs until the tone feels right. You also have to hit the skin near the lugs to see if they have the same tone.
shred5
New member
Try this method...
First tom tune to C, second tom tune to E. Every subsequent tom tune a third note up.. C,E,G,B,etc..
I like this kinda tuning.. Can be applied to any kind of music. Jazz, pop, rock, swing, bosanova, etc..
But its a bit tedious because U have to strain ur ears to identify the correct pitch of the skins to that of a bass guitar or electric guitar. The best would be by using a keyboard..
Or even better get urself a Tama Tension watch at Swee Lee. That thing is a Drummer's salvation!!! Can ask Swee Lee for more detail..
First tom tune to C, second tom tune to E. Every subsequent tom tune a third note up.. C,E,G,B,etc..
I like this kinda tuning.. Can be applied to any kind of music. Jazz, pop, rock, swing, bosanova, etc..
But its a bit tedious because U have to strain ur ears to identify the correct pitch of the skins to that of a bass guitar or electric guitar. The best would be by using a keyboard..
Or even better get urself a Tama Tension watch at Swee Lee. That thing is a Drummer's salvation!!! Can ask Swee Lee for more detail..
shred5
New member
The Tension Watch (TW) is basically a small little device that reduces the time consuming process of drum tunings.
What U do is U place the TW on the tom/snare that U want to tune and tune it as U normally do..
Place the TW on the first lug on the tom..
Tune it to ur desired pitch.. and remember the readings on the TW as this is the readings of the tension of the skin. After U are satisfied with the pitch/tone, repeat the whole procedure within the tom just by tuning the remaining lugs according to the first TW readings.. Simple isn't it??
:lol:
Apply the same procedure for the rest of the set...
Last time I checked at Swee Lee, it cost ard $90 if I can recall but there's no stock.
One thing good abt TW is that it helps to reduces the time consumed when U tune the drums.. Furthermore, it helps to train Ur ears..
Just like guitarists, if U spend much of ur early days tuning guitars with a tuner, ur ears will recognised the correct tuning. Same goes for drummers.
But, tuning a drum is each drummers preference so there's no limit to how ur drum sounds like..
Ps:Just got myself an Instructional video, "Red Hot Rythm Method" by Chad Smith.. In it he shows his own way of tuning the drums.. Very cool method.. Go get the video!!! There's a lot of hot Groove in there boy!!!"
What U do is U place the TW on the tom/snare that U want to tune and tune it as U normally do..
Place the TW on the first lug on the tom..
Tune it to ur desired pitch.. and remember the readings on the TW as this is the readings of the tension of the skin. After U are satisfied with the pitch/tone, repeat the whole procedure within the tom just by tuning the remaining lugs according to the first TW readings.. Simple isn't it??
:lol:
Apply the same procedure for the rest of the set...
Last time I checked at Swee Lee, it cost ard $90 if I can recall but there's no stock.
One thing good abt TW is that it helps to reduces the time consumed when U tune the drums.. Furthermore, it helps to train Ur ears..
Just like guitarists, if U spend much of ur early days tuning guitars with a tuner, ur ears will recognised the correct tuning. Same goes for drummers.
But, tuning a drum is each drummers preference so there's no limit to how ur drum sounds like..
Ps:Just got myself an Instructional video, "Red Hot Rythm Method" by Chad Smith.. In it he shows his own way of tuning the drums.. Very cool method.. Go get the video!!! There's a lot of hot Groove in there boy!!!"
drummar-buah
New member
yeah...there's already alot of detail on how to tune your toms..but remember..tune it to YOUR DESIRED PITCH. it's your own personal preference. u may like your toms to be a high C..but your friend may like it at B..get wat i mean? personally i like high sounding toms. cuz i'm very influenced by dave weckl and mike portnoy.
to train and develop your ears to listen out for your desired pitch, u can try this. everytime u finish playing or practicing, turn ur toms to the lowest it can go..juz let the skin be flabby and lose (top and bottom if u want)
and when u want to play again the next day, retune it all over again. experiment with different pitches..and u will one day find a tone which u will fall in love with. that's one way to develop your hearing. this is also a process in which u can develop your own style.. *winks* 8)
~drummar buah~
to train and develop your ears to listen out for your desired pitch, u can try this. everytime u finish playing or practicing, turn ur toms to the lowest it can go..juz let the skin be flabby and lose (top and bottom if u want)
and when u want to play again the next day, retune it all over again. experiment with different pitches..and u will one day find a tone which u will fall in love with. that's one way to develop your hearing. this is also a process in which u can develop your own style.. *winks* 8)
~drummar buah~
You can't tune a tom to a pitch. It's physically impossible to hit a certain musical note with a drum that has 2 membranes (drum heads, rather).
And the Tama Tension Watch is just a huge gimmick. Your best instrument for tuning are still your ears. Listen. And tune to your preference.
Another thing that will serve you further than any 'tension watches', Prof Sound Tuning Bible: http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/
Tuning takes practicing, it's an art just like drumming itself. It takes time and effort to slowly understand each individual drum as each drum, technically, has its own characteristics. Any tensioning watches are just plain unnecessary.
And the Tama Tension Watch is just a huge gimmick. Your best instrument for tuning are still your ears. Listen. And tune to your preference.
Another thing that will serve you further than any 'tension watches', Prof Sound Tuning Bible: http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/
Tuning takes practicing, it's an art just like drumming itself. It takes time and effort to slowly understand each individual drum as each drum, technically, has its own characteristics. Any tensioning watches are just plain unnecessary.
actuallyi got a tension watch. hehe and its pretty good i feel, it really does take the strain of training of ears. well i mean yes u have to train ur ears but the guy with a middle finger avatar is right in a way by saying it helps the beginners. i know nuts of tunning a drum really and after 30mins i wanna kill the drum.
well okie heres wat i normally do, its nothing new really
1. place drum head on drum, make sure its in the center. i'm not sure wat seated means to tell u the truth.
2. place rim on and hand screw the lugs till it can'tm go anymore.
3.plaace one hand on the skin and with all my weight press down on it. then u will hear all the crackle and pops of the skin. dun do this if ur using a really thin skin or if its the resonant head(the skin at the bottom) if ur using a real thin skin, take a hair dryer and go ard the edges of the skin with it.
4. okie!! now do cross tunning. which means the lug opposite each other. if ur impatient then screw this method(i do sometimes)
5. turn each lug uniformly. eg quater turn or watever. okie this is where the ears come in. tap each lug aobut an inch from the edge of the drum to hear that their even.
6. oh do this with ur snares off as well. and hold the center of the drum down, u can hear the tones better.
if u got a TW the bass drum sounds best at 40 to 50 if memory serves me right.
hope this helps hommie
well okie heres wat i normally do, its nothing new really
1. place drum head on drum, make sure its in the center. i'm not sure wat seated means to tell u the truth.
2. place rim on and hand screw the lugs till it can'tm go anymore.
3.plaace one hand on the skin and with all my weight press down on it. then u will hear all the crackle and pops of the skin. dun do this if ur using a really thin skin or if its the resonant head(the skin at the bottom) if ur using a real thin skin, take a hair dryer and go ard the edges of the skin with it.
4. okie!! now do cross tunning. which means the lug opposite each other. if ur impatient then screw this method(i do sometimes)
5. turn each lug uniformly. eg quater turn or watever. okie this is where the ears come in. tap each lug aobut an inch from the edge of the drum to hear that their even.
6. oh do this with ur snares off as well. and hold the center of the drum down, u can hear the tones better.
if u got a TW the bass drum sounds best at 40 to 50 if memory serves me right.
hope this helps hommie
