Premier Rock Forum

One thing I do before applying a new skin is to spray the lug screws with a teeny bit of WD-40 to make the tuning easier and more consistent for each screw-turn.

I'm pretty sure Prof. Sound mentions this too. It's even more important if you are going to use one of those tension-based tuning devices (which I don't like personally, but some of my mates like them).

I didn't really read the other posts... 'cause I just wanted to offer my method without influence... as it has yielded good results for me:

1. Remove hoops, heads, tension screws and clean the drum with a slightly damp rag removing any debris.

2. Make sure bearing edge is free from 'burrs' or bumps. Lightly sand along shape of bearing edge with a fine grit paper (300 - 400) if any burrs need removing or smoothing. Don’t go nuts.

3. If drum is old or dried use BUTCHERS WAX to polish the bearing edge. Do not over wax.

4. Replace head with new one. Place the drum on the floor or flat level surface in front of you. Place head on drum. Make sure it is resting evenly on the drum.

5. Place hoop over the head and place screws in the hoop holes but do not tighten/thread the screws yet.

6. Start with one screw and thread it just until it catches in the threaded lug. This is very important. Do this for all of the screws making sure they are just ever so slightly turned/threaded into the lug nut (just until it catches).

7. Go around the drum with a drum key and tighten each screw the exact amount of turns until the hoop is BARELY holding the head down. This should be between 20 and 30 turns.

8. So now you should have all of the tension screws with the same EXACT amount of turns on them. Start with the 12-O'clock screw and turn it one full turn. The head should tighten. Now do the same for the rest. Now pick up the drum as hit it with a stick. If it is too high you can back off a 1/4 turn on each lug. If it is to low you can go up a 1/4 turn.

9. Repeat for the other head / side.

10. Fine tune

I recommend this so that you may keep track of the amount of turns on each lug. I like to get the drum close to spec evenly then fine-tune each lug individually. That way you don't have like 40 turns on one lug and 20 on the one across from it. This method keeps the head even on the shell.

You can use your own tuning method after you get it up to pitch with my method.

I like to use a thicker head on the bottom or resonant head. This seems to lower the overall pitch of the drum without fucking the attack tone up.

I use coated ambassadors on the batter side of all of my drums

On the resos:
Rack tom I use clear ambassador on the resonant side
I use Emperor on the floor tom and kick, coated on the Kick clear on the FT.

For rockin’ out I have liked the powerstroke batter on the kick.

I like diplomats on the Snare.

i hate the sound of Remo tom heads. I use evans hydraulic on my rack and floor tom

What is the consensus though...should the resonant head be tighter than the batter?

My drum teacher taught me this (U of I), and after searching countless sites, purchasing a drum tuner and trying to "hear" the pitch of the tom, I've found this method to be much more efficient and pretty darned good. He calls it zero-tuning.

1) set the tom on the ground and detune all the lugs on one head until they are loose, then finger tighten them
2) start with one lug, and pressing down on the rim next to it with your palm (put your weight on it), tune the lug until you feel it grip, then tune up a 1/2 turn
3) flip the drum around and do the same thing with the opposite lug, only applying a little less pressure (very scientific, right?)
4) do this with the next lug over (to the right), then the opposite of that one, and keep doing this till you get them all done
5) flip over and do the opposite side the same
6) listen for obvious tuning issues between lugs and tune accordingly, tuning by about a 1/4 turn, leaving the highest lug in place as a guide
7) try to match the two heads for the best resonance
when recording, detune the lug closest to the tom by a half turn or so (trust your ear -- you want it flat enough to get some punch, but not dead). If that's not enough, detune the lug opposite that one by a 1/2 turn or so.

As a general rule of thumb, I like to keep my toms pretty loose, but I like them to ring a bit. I prefer two-ply heads for recording, and one-ply heads for live. If you've still got too much ring, buy some cheap mufflers like the EMADs (although I've had problems with that brand coming loose really easily) or some sticky rubber gel buttons you can stick on the head. It's best if you can just get the tom to sound good without them, though. Don't buy the heads with the big circular pads in the middle. They kill the best part of the head.

alimagick wrote:What is the consensus though...should the resonant head be tighter than the batter?

Well it's really a matter of taste.

I personally like my rack tom with a "boing" sound. so I tune the resonant head a little tighter than the batter.

The floor tom I found a little unorthodox trick that seems to work really well for me. I use my usual ambassador on the top tune to taste, then I use a heavier emperor on the resonant side tuned lower than the top.

My reason for doing things this way it to maintain the traditional feel and sound from the top but shape the resonant tone with the bottom. I don't like the feel or sound of heavy heads on top. So I compensate by experimenting with the bottom heads.

as for snare... I tune it to sound like a good twangy timbale (with the snares off) then adjust the snare tension to taste.

good luck,

Howard wrote: when recording, detune the lug closest to the tom by a half turn or so (trust your ear -- you want it flat enough to get some punch, but not dead). If that's not enough, detune the lug opposite that one by a 1/2 turn or so.

What is the reasoning behind no. 8? I've never heard of that before. Is it to give it less of a "tonal" sound and more pure thump?

I've heard of these tunable Yamaha toms, but never seen one. Seems like a novelty, and I imagine the drum would react strangely as it's tuned to notes that may have a pleasant or non-pleasant relationship with the non-tunable bottom head.