Drum Tuning
Several of my my students and audience members have asked me about how I choose my drum tunings. I wrote an article on it a while back for one of my newsletters, and decided to bring it back here for folks to check out.
These are general guidelines, the type of heads you use, the attributes of the drum the head sits on and your personal style all have a big impact on the final sound.I usually start with the bottom head. I find it easier to get a pure fundamental tone for the drum when no top head is placed yet. Additionally, because the bottom head is not struck, it does not need to be frequently tuned, it’s nice to “set it and forget it”.
To begin, remove your drum from its stand and put it on a table or the floor. This will allow you to isolate the head to be tuned. Before you put a new head on the drum first wipe any residue off of the shell and off the hoop. Place the head on the shell and the hoop on the drum. Make sure that the head and hoop are centered on the shell.
Finger-tighten the tuning screws. Now tighten each screw one rotation with your drum key. It’s best to tighten across the drum, i.e. go from the screw in the 12:00 position to the one at 6:00, then the one at 3:00 to 9:00 etc. After you have turned each screw one rotation, press in the center of the head to help regulate your adjustments. Repeat this procedure until you are approaching your desired pitch.
Now the fine-tuning begins. With your finger or a drumstick gently tap the head 1″ inside each tuning screw. Listen to the pitch at each point. Make a mental note of the highest and lowest points. Slightly tighten the lowest screw and loosen the highest one. Now press the center of the head. Tap each point again; different screws may need adjustment each time. Adjust the highest and lowest points towards the middle. Continue the adjusting and pressing procedure until the head is evenly tuned. Turn the drum over and repeat the process on the opposite head.
For Rock or Funk:
Tune the bottom head a minor third lower than the top head. This will give your drum a deeper tone and a slight fall-off or dip in the decay.
Snare:
Follow the steps above, then adjust the heads so that the bottom head is a Perfect fourth lower than the top head Tune the top head high for better stick response.
Bass Drum:
Jazz drummers usually prefer an open, tom-like resonance and, often, a high pitch for their Bass Drum sound. Pop and funk drummers often play low pitched, single headed bass drums and want more attack and less resonance. Deadening material is placed on the batter head to reduce resonance and help create more punch. A felt strip, or a pillow inside touching the front head usually gives the desired result.
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