Drum Tuning Notes

[Disposable]

I'm wondering about drum tuning to specific notes...

Is it okay to have the toms (2 Rack and 1 Floor)
Tuned as Floor = F, Low Rack = A High Rack = C
A major triad. Is this okay?
And if so, from there, where should the Kick and Snare be tuned?

[Ronan]

If you are going to be using the drums as a melodic instrument, the answer depends on the piece of music. IF the song is in C# major your toms out out of key every time you hit them. Thats why Terry Bozzio has 18 toms.

[Farview]

The drums tend to sound better when they are tuned to the note of thier shell. Tap the shell and tune the head to that pitch. My drums are tuned in 4ths more or less. (12,14,16,18) The kick is as low as I can get it without going flabby, and tyhe snare is tuned to whatever that snare likes to be tuned to. I have several snares and pick the one that is appropriate for the job.
If you are cutting tracks with the bass in the same room, the kick will tend to tune itself to the song automatically. I don't know why, but I've noticed it.

You could also just get a DW kit. They stamp the note of the shells on the inside of each shell.

[juststartingout]

Just a side note, the cymbols are tuned as well. You may want to tune to what sounds good with the cymbols that you have. There are limits to which your drums will sound good. I have 7 toms which I tune to C Major (E to D) with the snare tuned to A. Rides are C and Eb, crashes are C, E, F, dark crash is Eb and splashes are C and A.

[MichaelM]

Drum tuning bible:
http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/

[terminal_sound]

so does anyone know what notes go with what sizes?
like, 8, 10, 13, 16, 18... is there a recomended note, or range?
i would imagine the entire set would have to be tuned within the same key, or maybe in a certain pattern or interval, cuz i notice when you hit one drum next to another drum, u can hear the drum u didn't hit (my kit's way out of tune, so they all give off virbrations and nasty noise every time i hit the bass)
and i still have no idea how to tune a drum to a note.
just some thoughts...

[Farview]

It has nothing to do with the drum size. The different wood and thickness from drum to drum would change the note that the drum needs to be tuned to.
Tap the shell. The note that the shell gives off is the one to tune the head to.

[TripleJ]

Well technically you cannot tune a drum to a note. Very few drums can do this - Tympanis etc.

The idea of trying to tune to the fundamental frequency of the shell is not a bad idea really. You should be able to get it close - and if you can its gonna be alot louder.

Drum tuning is probably the hardest thing one can do.

[Sloan]

You could just pick up one of those old Remo PTS drumsets. Hey, they're pre-tuned!

That's what I've got right now.
Gotta be careful, doubt I'll be able to find new heads...

[Farview]

Originally Posted by TripleJ

Well technically you cannot tune a drum to a note. Very few drums can do this - Tympanis etc.

DW stamps the note of the shell on the inside of all of its drums. Tuning to that note is the best way to make those drums sound good (almost the only way) it is one of their main selling points.

I tune drums to a note all the time. You almost can't get around it, if the drum has any sustain at all, that's a note.

[patlang12]

So how do you find out what note the drum wants to be tuned to? I have tried using a guitar tuner, but that didn't work. I know my friend has a sixty dollar tuner, but I don't know what it does.