Tuning Drums for a Non Drummer! Heeeellllllppp!

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dirtyguitar

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Old drummer just rejoined the band. Lack of options. He has a new kit which he has 5 minutes on. His old kit was not exactly tweeked. Now he walks in with a pearl export 5 piec that rings like a circus drum.

PROBLEM: We are about to record. How do I tune the fucker??
 
Been playing for 27 yrs. and never known of a scientific way. Turn the key and tune by ear. If they sound too ringy, put a strip of cloth across the inside heads.
 
Tuning is a tough thing, mostly because drummers are looking for a certain kind of sound, and the tuning and shell type makes it that way.

Pearl Exports are damn good drums for the money, but they don't give you many tuning options. Try to tune the lugs, tapping lightly on the head at each nut. Until the tone is aproximately the same around the head. Then do the same for the bottom head. After all the drums are done, go back and match the pitch of each drum ring with the pitch of the bass guitar strings, keeping the lug as even with each other's tone as possible. (eg: Floor tom to the low E, 13" to the A, 12" to the D, 10" to the G -- or whatever corresponding tuning you guys play in.)

Once the tuning is correct, use Remo "zeros", or Aquarian "rings" set on the top heads to help muffle excess ring. Also, some electrical tape fastened un a "u" shape under the bottom head also helps reduce ring. And as a last resort, buy some feminine napkins, cut them in half and use the adhesive side to stick them on the top head near the rim (out of the way from being hit, of course) It takes some time, but isn't your recording worth it?
 
PS: the type of heads can also make a HUGE difference in the sound.

Try Evans G2 clear on the toms and G2 coated on the snare, Aquarian also makes a 2-ply hydraulic-style head that sound nice; but for export series drums stay away from Remo pinstripes--I've never been able to get a controlled or predictable sound with that head/shell combination. If your drummer is a Remo freak, however, go for the standard two-ply, or single ply with a "high and tight" tuning and a lot of muffling. Good luck.
 
PPS: One last thought:

'How' the drums are recorded can also help. The engineer or recordist may already have these techniques in his/her bag of tricks, but it couldn't hurt to mention them:

1-Use a noise-gate and/or compressor/limiter to control rogue sounds

2-back the mics off a little--mics laid up and close to the heads will pick up more ring at louder levels for a longer time.

3-the EQ can help contour excessive overtones. Listen to the recorded sound thru the monitors and if something rings wrong in your ear, isolate that frequency and temper it.
 
Thanks guys!

danondrums, thanks for the tips, Gidge that is an AWESOME link!

I'll let you know how it works out.
 
I always wonder where Gidge finds those links so fast.:)
 
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