Floor Tom Tuning

  • Thread starter Thread starter Zach Frazier
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Zach Frazier

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Hey I have a 16" floor tom and I cannot get the thing to tune how I want it to sound. I am looking for a low end boom, sorry if that doesn't make any sense. I really like how Travis Barker has his floor tom tuned. I understand it is mainly all about tuning what what your ears like and I totally understand that 100%, but it seems no matter how many times I tune my floor tom I am no where close to where I want the tom to be. I was wondering if there was any tips on tuning the top and the bottom heads to one another which might help me achieve what I am looking for. I have a Coated Empire on top and a Coated Ambassador on bottom if that helps any. Anything is appreciated, thanks.
 
How the tom sounds when you are right next to it is a lot different than how it will sound in the room, or even miked.

Emperor over Ambassador is a classic head combo, I always use that on my toms. I find that the toms sound best when tuned up a little, lets it sing more. I usually tune the bottom head about a third higher than the top head (although this is by no means exact).
 
Not that it makes any difference, just curious, but what manufacturer of drums do you have?
 
With floor toms, you can cheap ones to boom. I find Rob Brown's tom tuning method to be the best. You detune the drum completely on both reso and batter, than put pressure on the middle with your fingers and tune the tom up until there are no wrinkles where you're tuning it. With floor toms though, I use that method, than I detune a little (about a half turn) on each lug, as I like an extra low floor tom sound. I would get yourself a pack of studio rings though, with low tuning, especially with cheaper drums, they're gonna ring like hell. Some moongell and studio rings will take care of that for ya.

Here's the Rob Brown method. I suggest you watch all of his drum tuning videos. Dude's a genius.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISdMNKb-hjc
 
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