Drumheads

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saads

saads

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I've heard when you get a new drumhead you should tune it a little higher than desired, leave it on for a while (maybe even a day), and then start playing. I don't really do that, i just put it on and start playing. I've tried putting it on and waiting but i haven't noticed a difference. What about you guys?
 
I just put it on, tune it, and starting whaling away. I check the tuning of my drums pretty regularly though. A new head will seat in and stretch some just a like a guitar string.
 
Anyone mind posting some instructions on how to tune drums for future reference?
 
Greg_L said:
It would be easier for you to just Google it. There's like 10 trillion pages on tuning drums.
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Not to mention youtube videos.


Greg_L said:
I just put it on, tune it, and starting whaling away. I check the tuning of my drums pretty regularly though. A new head will seat in and stretch some just a like a guitar string.
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That's what i do too. Some people swear that if you don't let it set in you'll ruin the head. And not just one or two, quite a lot of people. Guess there's not much truth it.
 
saads said:
I've heard when you get a new drumhead you should tune it a little higher than desired, leave it on for a while (maybe even a day), and then start playing. I don't really do that, i just put it on and start playing. I've tried putting it on and waiting but i haven't noticed a difference. What about you guys?
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When I put on a new plastic head, after I tune it up roughly, I push down on the center of it with palms of my hands, pretty hard. Sometimes you can hear some cracking sounds and that's ok! It seats the head fully. I've seen guitarists do a similar thing to new strings by pulling them or bending them hard.
 
dintymoore said:
When I put on a new plastic head, after I tune it up roughly, I push down on the center of it with palms of my hands, pretty hard. Sometimes you can hear some cracking sounds and that's ok! It seats the head fully. I've seen guitarists do a similar thing to new strings by pulling them or bending them hard.
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That's what I do. Just put the head on, tighten the lugs a bit (roughly tune it), then stretch the head by pushing on it with your fist. Do that a few times, then tune away.

Hell, with a kick drum, you can lay the drum down and practically stand on the center of the head to stretch it. You won't break it.
 
I love old skins. For me my kit sounds better with worn in skins, they sit real nice.
When replacing a skin I usually over tighten it(sounds horrible) for a day, or just over night. Then I'll tweak it to around how I want it the next day.

IME if I try tuning a new skin to the tone I'm going for it usually only holds that tone a little while til it starts to loosen off. Both tuning's work, but IMO you have to fuss with it less if you let it sit over-tightened over night.
 
Vhyle said:
... Hell, with a kick drum, you can lay the drum down and practically stand on the center of the head to stretch it. You won't break it.
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I thought that I was the only one that had actually done that! :)

No hi heels all you manly-men! :eek:

That method was taught to me in the early 70's (the pre-USB era they talk about in history books).
 
Yeah I actually went to YouTube and watched some videos after posting that. People like to give lessons. Google doesn't always have all the pretty pictures to go with it.
 
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