- - D - - Says I struggle too.

Submitted On: Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 - 11:26 AM

Hey man, I struggle with tuning everytime i get some new heads or they go out of tune and i try to get it back up and running. Sometimes i will sit there for hours, days sometimes weeks just searching for the right sound i want and it can be somewhat frustrating, but that is why i have a punching bag next to me at all times. lol. but really its just a matter of practicing it because it is an art of its own, keep at it and stay positive. peace.

D3Pantera Says Re: How do I get that perfect tom sound Ive always wanted?

Submitted On: Monday, Jun 22, 2009 - 9:50 PM

Ok. I have struggled with tuning for years. I found a web site that explains what is happening in good detail. Go to Drummingweb.com . What I do. I tap tune the top until the tom sings, I don't want a dead sound. Then the same on the bottom head. I tune the bottom head higher in pitch than the top head. I play on an old mapex mars kit and get compliments all the time about my drum sound. Tuning is al about experimentation. Just try different things.

John_Roberts Says Re: How do I get that perfect tom sound Ive always wanted?

Submitted On: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 - 10:46 AM

Yes, evenly tensioning the heads are important, just like tuning a guitar by tensioning the strings but guitars don't have 6 pegs per string :-)

a good link to simple tap tuning technique http://www.peavey.com/media/pdf/misc/drumtuning.pdf
a good link to a more comprehensive discussion about drum tuning. http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/

JR

ThatDrummerKid Says Re: How do I get that perfect tom sound Ive always wanted?

Submitted On: Friday, Jun 5, 2009 - 3:02 PM

Yes, tom tuning.. one of the difficult things that come with most kits you will buy. The easiest drums I have ever tuned where a set of Gretsch Maple Renown (at drumfreak's studio)

I guess it's all about right heads for the right application and the right drums :]

seminole Says Re: How do I get that perfect tom sound Ive always wanted?

Submitted On: Wednesday, Jun 3, 2009 - 2:54 PM

Hi drum addict 97,

This is a very good and common question, but it is also a very complicated one too. I'll try to be brief and direct. First that "paper-y" sound you've mentioned is A) one or more of you tension rods are too loose or B) your drum head is bad. A lot of drummers want a big, fat tom sound that is heard on recordings and live mixes. These sounds are processed through electronics and can be difficult for some drummers to reproduce on thier kits at home. With some trial and error, help from your local drum shop and friends you should be able to get a sound you'll be happy with so here's a little info that may help you.

Assuming the shells and edges are good on your kit, first check for dings, dents, worn out (yes this means old) and broken drum heads, top and bottom. If they appear in good, like new condition, then you can move on and try some of these other ideas.

Big, fat tom sounds are associated with low tuning, but when you tune low there isn't much tension on the tuning rods and they can easily de-tune and cause that "paper-y" or "flat" dead sounding drum. Here's a quick way to tell if the head tension is too loose in spots.

First, check for wrinkles on your drum heads. Apply presure with your thumb and move it along the drum head around the inside edge of your drum shell. Listen for any cracking sounds. This will help you to find any tension rods that may be too loose. If you find a crackling sound, slightly tighten the tension rod closest to that spot(s), tighten until the crackling is gone. Play the drum to hear if the "paper-y" sound is gone and tune to your liking.

Also head type will make a difference and the type of wood your drum is made of, but since you already have drums you can try these ideas for changing the sound and tone of your kit. Double ply and pre-muffled heads like Aquarian Focus-X, Remo P3 and Evans EC2 series make any drum they're on fatter sounding. You could also use Remo's sound rings or Moon Gels to add attack and fattening tone to your kit as well.

The exact sound you're looking for might not be obtainable with the kit you own today, but with some help and guidance you should be able to get a good sound from your kit as long as the shell are round and the edges are good, but that's another story.

I hope this didn't confuse anyone too much and good luck finding your sound.

ricky Says Re: How do I get that perfect tom sound Ive always wanted?

Submitted On: Wednesday, Jun 3, 2009 - 2:54 PM

Well one of the beauties of having a acoustic kit is your ability to experiment with tuning and creating your personal sound. there are many ways to do this. you can just adjust the tuning on the bottom and top heads, or you can buy different heads for the drums and try tuning it then. One thing I do is I tune the bottom heads a little tighter than the top heads. Hope this has helped Take Care!