Subjectivity in drum tuning
23i am absolutely not a drummer, and if i read a few about it, i never had an occasion to check anything with an actual drumkit.
anyway, i would like to know what you pay attention to when you tune a kick snare, what is your modus operandi...?
anyway, i would like to know what you pay attention to when you tune a kick snare, what is your modus operandi...?
"dissonances are becoming beautiful" - Charles Ives
Subjectivity in drum tuning
24When I put a new snare drum head on, I tighten it down, evenly, as tight as I can get it, then I flip it over and check to make sure that the bottom head is tuned uniformly. You can put a pair of pencils underneath the snares (when they're turned off) and get them up off the head in order to determine how the tension rods are pitched.
Once you've done that, the top head has had an opportunity to stretch some. I'd say tune it to halfway to full tension or 3/4. This is an intuitive process, and I don't have any objective standard for snare tuning that I can give you.
Then I just start listening to see what sounds right. The shell material and density will determine what's the best pitch for the top head. You can add or subtract low end from the snare by adjusting the overall tension of the bottom head.
Once you've done that, the top head has had an opportunity to stretch some. I'd say tune it to halfway to full tension or 3/4. This is an intuitive process, and I don't have any objective standard for snare tuning that I can give you.
Then I just start listening to see what sounds right. The shell material and density will determine what's the best pitch for the top head. You can add or subtract low end from the snare by adjusting the overall tension of the bottom head.
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Subjectivity in drum tuning
25dontfeartheringo wrote:Unfortunately, this is something i haven't pitched on the piano, so I'll either have to show it to you in the video or you can work it out on your own.
dontfeartheringo on Feb 03, 2008 wrote:I am going to borrow a video camera a do some drum tuning videos and other basic technique things here soon.
Promise.
dontfeartheringo on May 04, 2008 wrote:Not yet. I will do that this week. I have a couple of open nights at the studio.
dontfeartheringo on Mon Jun 09, 2008 wrote:I keep promising to get some video on how to tune drumheads up here. I will do it soon. I thought I was going to film tomorrow, turns out I have no video camera. Bleh.
dontfeartheringo on Sat Jun 21, 2008 wrote:I have new heads for my toms on my Ludwig Maple kit, AND i have a cameraman lined up for early next week. Tuning video comes soon!
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"That man is a head taller than me.
...That may change."
...That may change."