tuning drums

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lo-Fi Mike
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Lo-Fi Mike

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what should I tune the drums to to get a tight sound that compliments the other drums.
snare drum ?note
left tom ?note
right tom ?note
floor tom ?note
bass drum ?note

thanx for the help :D
 
Generally, you'd want to try and get a relative tunning for the song you're recording.

Other than that, be able to tune them in a way so that they sound natural and not cause other drums to vibrate.
 
the intervals between drums are commonly tuned to fourths
 
Man, I'm not a drummer, and I know jack about tuning them, but a drummer friend of mine told me that if you take the .... skins(?) off both sides of the drum, then hit the side of the open shell, thats the tone that you want to tune it to.

If you want to know what specific tone it is, just have a hand held tuner by when you hit the empty shell.
 
Michael Jones said:
Man, I'm not a drummer, and I know jack about tuning them, but a drummer friend of mine told me that if you take the .... skins(?) off both sides of the drum, then hit the side of the open shell, thats the tone that you want to tune it to.

If you want to know what specific tone it is, just have a hand held tuner by when you hit the empty shell.
Click to expand...

That is the note that the drum wants to sit at, however there is some leeway.

If you have a set of DW's the note of the shell is stamped on the inside of the drum.
 
Tuning drums

Yes drums need to be in tune with themselves. What this really means is that the drum has an optimum range that it will sound best at. As someone mentioned, there is some leeway. But don't look for that as the leeway can put you on the freeway. Make sure all rods/lugs are fairly equal to start. I like the bottom heads at about one or one and a half turns. The top heads get two or more. Tap them individually while muffling the other head. If your'e doing the bottom, Muffle the top completly- vice vese for the other side. Listen that each lug sounds just like the other ones. This takes some practice but yeilds great rewards in tone. Each drum will sing. Yes fourths are good if you can get them there, don't struggle with this though, as it's better for them to be right with themselves. This will prevent the other drums from ringing and being out of whack for recording or just in general.
Einstiens theory of music E=Fb PS -Hope this helps. If you have questions post again, I'll try to help. :)
 
snare drums

the tunings i gave you were for toms, snares need a much tighter tuning. But the same rules apply. They need to be right with themselves first to get rid of that obnoxious buzzing. Peace
 
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