Buzz in the middle tom

[pinkieandtherev]

OK, i'm stumped. I've read stuff on tuning, and tried everything I can think of...

My center tom is buzzing like crazy. The buzz decays quickly...it almost sounds like striking the head is causing some of the hardware on the drum itself to vibrate. I can't figure out what to try to dampen.

I had left this drum off the kit for awhile because I'd broken the head. I played the kit as a four-piece for awhile. When it came time to record again though, I needed the five-piece back. Since I put the new head on, I've yet to get the sound I want, although the buzz didn't really bother me until it came time to put the mics to it.

Any suggestions? Short of a new kit or a complete new head pack, both of which would be nice...

 

[RAMI]

Um...have you taken a look inside the drum???

You'll notice that all the hardware is held in place, from the inside, with screws...Go figure. You might want to take a drum head off and tighten all those screws.

Just a hunch.

 

[pinkieandtherev]

great idea...i'll try that first thing this morning.

OK....first off, it would help if I TUNED the drum to the proper tone...tune that head up tight enough, and boom...less resonance and no buzz. Tune the others up to match the new tone, and yay...it works

now to haul those office panels in tomorrow. wasn't going to do it today and just have to tear it down tonight for church.

 

[tmix]

Rami is right.
I will also add that often the lug hardware is to blame.
If it is not some internal (to the drum) screw or washer, it can also be the spring inside the floating nut element of the lug. (assuming you dont have tube lugs or solid lugs)
I used to have to pull my old lugs and put a foam ear plug inside the spring of the lug.

Quiets them down nicely.

It is also not uncommon for the heads to buzz a little if it is a 2 ply or hydraulic that is old and starting to seperate...particularly if it is tuned really loose.

 

[MidiPunk]

Could be the stand/rack the drum is mounted on too.
...Or uneven bearing edge.

 

[tddrummer]

Dont play it..everyone else is..lol

 

[8bus]

I was in a studio one time recording drum part for a guy and tom,s where ringing, so they found-out that it was the hardware so they took all of the lugs off and stuffed them with cotton balls, the ringing was gone.

 

[The549]

Could be the stand/rack the drum is mounted on too.
...Or uneven bearing edge.

There can be rattling things inside lugs, the lugs/screws themselves, or worst case is a poorly tuned/uneven bearing edge, which can cause a head to sizzle against the wood with certain (or any) kinds of tuning.