drum tuning

[Leeking]

I am a guitarist, so I don't know much about drums 'cept I play Yamaha midi electric drumpad in church.

there is always a myth that whether each drum pad has a standard tuning? meaning each pad has it's own note, like each string on a guitar....

how do you know if the drum is in tune??

hope you guys can clear things up for me....

Thanks.

 

[mikeh]

Normally, drums are not tuned to specific notes. A drum shell has a "range" in which it sounds best - if you try to tune too high above the range it "chokes" the sound and if you try to tune too low below the range in flattens the sound (no resonance). You try to tune a drum first to itself, and then to the other drums.

The same basic concept would apply to electonic drums - just get the kit to sound "good" whatever that phrase means to you.

That being said, it is possible to tune drums to specific notes (some drummers try to tune to 3rds or 4ths). It is not uncommon in a recording studio to tune the drums to the key of the song being recorded.

Personally, having played drums for over 30 years (and hopfully having learned to tune them reasonably well) it is my humble opinion that every drum has a personality, which changes on a whim (different rooms, temperature, etc. etc.) and you ultimately have to tune the drums to the environment they are in to make them work at that moment in time - this would apply to electronic drums as well.

 

[Leeking]

That being said, it is possible to tune drums to specific notes (some drummers try to tune to 3rds or 4ths). It is not uncommon in a recording studio to tune the drums to the key of the song being recorded.

Can you do this with a drum machine?

Thanks, mikeh, I learn something new today.

 

[mikeh]

It depends on the drum machine. Drum machines tend to tune in "steps" a click at a time. These steps normally do not correspond to standard 440 tuning. But you may be able to get close (again depending on the machine). Trust your ears.

 

[Vaigod]

I tend to agree with Mikeh on the tuning issue. Get the drum to sing on its own before you get the set together. Some of the higher end Drumkits that are available today are sometimes made from the same piece of timber to try to retain characteristics that are common to the kit to help achieve this. As far as tuning to standard pitch is concerned, I would say go with what you like. I have played E-drums for a few years now, and acoustics the majority of my life and have tuned not only to notes/keys/chords, but have tuned to room acoustics as well. The bottom line at the end of the day is: Do you like how they sound? If you are, then you have done a good job. Have fun, and dont be afraid to experiment while you learn.