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Post by RealNoob on Jul 21, 2024 18:34:41 GMT -6
My drummers are young without the training to tune the kit. I just had a great payer here who tuned the kit (Yam Tour Custom Maple with Gretsch steel snare). Sounds killer.
I want to take note of where it is so I can return the kit to that tuning. How do I do this?
Do i record the freq at each lug, top and bottom for the toms and snare? Is that it? Is there a better way?
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Post by ragan on Jul 21, 2024 20:12:24 GMT -6
Drum dial and notes?
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Post by svart on Jul 22, 2024 9:21:26 GMT -6
TuneBot. Nothing beats it (pun intended).
Seriously. Invest in one and you'll never have trouble tuning again.
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Post by RealNoob on Jul 22, 2024 18:40:20 GMT -6
Ok, just ordered one. Thanks!
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Post by bgrotto on Jul 23, 2024 0:00:33 GMT -6
I second the TuneBot. Great device. That, plus a Sharpie to mark the numbers down on your drumheads, and bob's yer uncle.
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Post by thehightenor on Jul 23, 2024 7:24:47 GMT -6
I use Drumtune Pro on my iPhone - works well.
I even tune my congas with it.
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Post by EmRR on Jul 23, 2024 7:28:22 GMT -6
Resotune is a great option if you can find one.
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Post by doubledog on Jul 23, 2024 7:39:37 GMT -6
a Sharpie to mark the numbers down on your drumheads Sharpies are also great for writing down the date of when you put it on. Before long you will wonder "how long has this head been on here?", and then you'll know. That doesn't mean you have to change it. It all depends on how often you use the drum(s). all of my drum heads (studio and live kits) have dates. Some snare heads might be 5 years or older, but they don't get as much use. Some I haven't changed because they still sound like I want them to. but when something is not sounding right, and I can't tune it to right-ness again, then the date may help me decide if I need to change the head (vs. try something else). |
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Post by RealNoob on Jul 23, 2024 19:54:14 GMT -6
Thanks everyone - appreciate the marker ideas.
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Post by allbuttonmode on Jul 24, 2024 6:25:26 GMT -6
Another vote for the Tunebot. Such a great tool.
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Post by svart on Jul 24, 2024 7:19:14 GMT -6
RE: markers. I have a few of them in my little drum parts box next to the drum set and I also write the top/bottom lug frequencies and the drum note on the heads once I get them where I want them. TuneBot also has an app you can download and it'll estimate notes for your kit based on some information you give it. It's been pretty spot on and you can store the tunings as well.
I had some Target house brand permanent markers that I've used for a while. They seem to work better on the heads than Sharpie brand. These are pretty old so I dunno if current ones are any good though.
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Post by RealNoob on Jul 27, 2024 21:17:22 GMT -6
OK, so seems to work pretty easily on toms. The snare has been challenging. The lug hits produce readings all over the place - 58hz to 400hz at times. I was trying for a tuning of 229/343 but had a really hard time with readings, using the filter and high range as well.
I defaulted to 250/400 and I hate it. It is too bright/piccolo-ish and rings like a bell without dampening. I am shooting for a deep snare sound. It is a Gretsch 14"x6.5" steel snare. Any tips?
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Post by anders on Jul 29, 2024 15:31:13 GMT -6
Eric Valentine is using a synth / oscillator for tuning – just playing the correct tone through the speakers, and tuning the lugs to the pitch of the synth. I tried it and found it quicker than using Tunebot (but have years of experience tuning guitars by ear). I used a softsynth in Logic and a small Fostex monitor. Super quick.
Video:
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Post by doubledog on Jul 30, 2024 9:25:25 GMT -6
OK, so seems to work pretty easily on toms. The snare has been challenging. The lug hits produce readings all over the place - 58hz to 400hz at times. I was trying for a tuning of 229/343 but had a really hard time with readings, using the filter and high range as well. I defaulted to 250/400 and I hate it. It is too bright/piccolo-ish and rings like a bell without dampening. I am shooting for a deep snare sound. It is a Gretsch 14"x6.5" steel snare. Any tips? what kind of head are you using on the snare? That can make a huge difference too. If you want a deep/dry sound, then try something like an Evans HD Dry. An Ambassador is usually my choice, but it will likely need some muffling (moon gel or what have you) if you tune it down low cause it's going to ring more (especially with a steel shell). not every drum likes every kind of drum head and many drums will also have a sweet spot (for tuning). |
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Post by RealNoob on Jul 30, 2024 18:54:55 GMT -6
I have an ambassador coated on top and clear on snare side. Its what was available near by. I have some gels, dead ringers and a Big Fat Snare Drum donut. The latter tends to be too much muffling but I have it on standby.
I was thinking the key was the right lug freqs on top and bottom working together to provide the tone and limit resonance. I went back to research and found a couple of tunings I might try, if the Tunebot behaves.
1. 229T/343B
2. 250T/380B
3. 239T/386B
I think the top and bottom are too tight for this particular drum. Either one or both must come down.
At least I am learning through the difficulty. On a positive note, I did some alternate tunings on the rack toms, settings suggested by tunebot and they sound good - nice decay down, not too long.
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Post by RealNoob on Jul 31, 2024 20:48:38 GMT -6
Eric Valentine is using a synth / oscillator for tuning – just playing the correct tone through the speakers, and tuning the lugs to the pitch of the synth. I tried it and found it quicker than using Tunebot (but have years of experience tuning guitars by ear). I used a softsynth in Logic and a small Fostex monitor. Super quick. Video: That was incredible, especially the snare spring tuning. Really helpful. thanks! |
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Post by RealNoob on Aug 7, 2024 21:37:27 GMT -6
Used the #1 tuning this weekend. Sounded good. Appreciate the recc' for tunebot. Snare seems MUCH more sensitive to where you tap for lug tuning than toms. I had to find a sweet spot.
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Post by christophert on Aug 8, 2024 3:49:25 GMT -6
I use the Tunebot and like it.
I get each of my kits to sound as individually great as they can, and then use Tunebot to notate the tunings.
Every drum has a sweet spot, and may not sound so great with other requested precise tunings.
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Post by RealNoob on Aug 11, 2024 21:55:13 GMT -6
I use the Tunebot and like it. I get each of my kits to sound as individually great as they can, and then use Tunebot to notate the tunings. Every drum has a sweet spot, and may not sound so great with other requested precise tunings. Having been around drums forever, I know that to be true. I helped make a purchase for a DW custom years ago for my then church. If I remember right, they actually put the fundamental inside the shell. Don't know that those specifically ever worked for folks but that's how I was clued in to that. Question remains - how do you find it if no written on the shell like a DW? |
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Post by christophert on Aug 12, 2024 1:24:59 GMT -6
I use the Tunebot and like it. I get each of my kits to sound as individually great as they can, and then use Tunebot to notate the tunings. Every drum has a sweet spot, and may not sound so great with other requested precise tunings. Having been around drums forever, I know that to be true. I helped make a purchase for a DW custom years ago for my then church. If I remember right, they actually put the fundamental inside the shell. Don't know that those specifically ever worked for folks but that's how I was clued in to that. Question remains - how do you find it if no written on the shell like a DW? Basically, I had a great drummer friend come in for half a day, reskin and tune my 3 kits and spare snares, and get them to sound as great as possible. One kit big and open for hard rock genres / another for dry funky Motown, and the 3rd is a jazz kit. I then took the Tunebot and notated all of the frequencies. |
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Post by svart on Aug 13, 2024 7:06:44 GMT -6
OK, so seems to work pretty easily on toms. The snare has been challenging. The lug hits produce readings all over the place - 58hz to 400hz at times. I was trying for a tuning of 229/343 but had a really hard time with readings, using the filter and high range as well. I defaulted to 250/400 and I hate it. It is too bright/piccolo-ish and rings like a bell without dampening. I am shooting for a deep snare sound. It is a Gretsch 14"x6.5" steel snare. Any tips? You have to mute the head you are not tuning. I generally put the snare on my lap or on a stool cushion while tuning and it vastly improves the ability to hear the lug note. I usually run around 290-300 top and 400ish bottom and it's a good generic mid-tuned snare. I can't imagine 250 top being too bright and piccolo sounding at all. Although, a properly tensioned head should ring very easily. That's how you know the head tension is equalized around the perimeter. You'll need to dampen with moongels or drumdots. Hit the snare with your usual snare hand and touch the head near the lugs with your other hand's finger. Keep doing this while moving around the perimeter of the drum until you find a spot that snuffs the ring the most and place a piece of dampening material there. Keep doing this until it's dead enough for your liking. |
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Post by bikescene on Aug 16, 2024 6:59:48 GMT -6
If you have the Tune Bot studio, the Filter button can help with errant readings. You get one lug showing up correctly and press the Filter button to focus the device on that frequency range. That may also help in addition to the advice of mutingg the opposite head.
Whenever I can't recall pitches, I look up a music note to frequency chart for some ideas. Then I aim for fourths or fifth intervals.
Around 220T/330B for A3/E4 to get a lower tuning for center hits. Maybe 261T/391T for C4/G4 or 293T/391T for D4/G4 for louder rock where rimshots are more prominent. These aren't too far off the Tune Bot website suggestions or the ones mentioned in this thread.
When I tune kick, I'll mount the Tune Bot on a stick. Then place the stick on the kick with the head facing up.
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Post by RealNoob on Aug 18, 2024 19:34:25 GMT -6
Thanks again all. you're right about the filter but I have also learned more where I need to tap for lug tuning. One of my early issues was tapping too close to the lug.
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