New Compact Drum Tuner

C

chris_

Member
HI,
TuneBot , this is a new compact drum tuner, which get the tone\pitch at each lugs and at the middle of the head, also it can gets hertz or difference value between each lugs to match them equal, basically it get what you heard from your ears, similar to a guitar tuner but now for drums, unlike what we got before like tama tension watch\drum dial which was never the notes\tone but only the head surface tension.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiFO-J67_Bc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt1EKjrMZzM
 
Maybe, if it actually works, I got almost that into a drum dial, an evans torque key and a rhythm tech memo key and I find them all to be totally useless so where would that cash have been better spent?
 
tard said:
Maybe, if it actually works, I got almost that into a drum dial, an evans torque key and a rhythm tech memo key and I find them all to be totally useless so where would that cash have been better spent?
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A professional drum instructor that can instruct you on the finer points of tuning.

With the item on this thread, there are just too many variables that will constitute an erroneous reading. I wouldn't waste my money on it.

Dennis
 
I saw that at NAMM, and it does work... assuming you tune your drum to a specific pitch. I don't tune that way, and it's rarely necessary for me to transfer the same tuning to different kits, so it's really not for me. But it does what it says.

Bermuda
 
The reality is everybody tunes their drums to a pitched note, most don't know what those pitches are tho.

$150 is a jack for a tuner, a chromatic guitar tuner will do the same thing.
 

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With the "tuner" highlighted in this thread, and this is the engineer in me speaking, although my degree is not mechanical engineering, with uncontrolled outside variables, measuring devices can only be as accurate as those variables. The variables that I'm referring to is both the pressure needed on the head to prevent harmonics, the pressure of the stick hitting the head and also where the "tuner" is specifically placed on the hoop.

The manufacturer already stated that the "tuner" cannot read the note unless the harmonics of the drum were squelched. They did this with placing their hand on the middle of the drum head. This alone will alter the exact pitch of the head and depending on the pressure of the hand this could vary greatly and not be the same from tension rod to tension rod throughout the tuning process.

How hard the head is hit can vary the accuracy of such a device. A drum that is hit hard will sound different in pitch to a drum that is hit more softly or with more fitness. So it would seem to me that this device would show something a bit more sharp when hit with increase pressure.

Third, and this is pure speculation because I haven't had my hands on one of these "tuners", being placed on the hoop at ant particular point, I would believe that it would be more sensitive to the sound of the head at This point and would vary around the circumference of the drum head. As everyone knows, there is a vast difference in sound if the head is played in the center than if it's played more towards to tension rods where the "tuner" is placed.

One last question, who really knows if what your hearing is exactly what the "tuner's" display is indicating? This is not a big deal for me because if I would use the "tuner", it would be to perfectly be able to tune each tension rod to exactly the same pitch, but so far I haven't seen anything exacting or precision about this device to be thrilled with it's existence.

If you have a hundred and fifty dollar to blow on such a device and need a bit of a crutch to help your drum tuning, so be it. If it was me, I would find a reputable drum instructor and actually learn how to listen and be able to tune your drums by ear. Like drumming, both will take practice.

This is why I say "snake oil".

Dennis
 
Les Ismore said:
$150 is a jack for a tuner, a chromatic guitar tuner will do the same thing.
Click to expand...

The drum tuner does more than just read an exact chromatic note, and it memorizes tunings for different drums so you can replicate the tuning (in theory) when replacing heads or on another kit.

BTW, 'street' on the unit will be $99, not $150. Still, an expensive accessory for those who are already successful at tuning.

Bermuda
 
audiotech said:
The manufacturer already stated that the "tuner" cannot read the note unless the harmonics of the drum were squelched. They did this with placing their hand on the middle of the drum head.
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Because I got the demonstration in person, I didn't watch the video. But what you describe is interesting. Harmonics are squelched my muting the edge of the drum head (the Richie Ring effect) not the center (which squelches the fundamental note, making the harmonics more apparent - the 'dot' head effect on increasing attack/volume.) I suppose I could see what they say in the video, but I also know how a drum head works and reacts to various mutings.

Third, and this is pure speculation because I haven't had my hands on one of these "tuners", being placed on the hoop at ant particular point, I would believe that it would be more sensitive to the sound of the head at This point and would vary around the circumference of the drum head. As everyone knows, there is a vast difference in sound if the head is played in the center than if it's played more towards to tension rods where the "tuner" is placed.
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The tuner actually read every lug point accurately from its single position. That is, it registered a reading. I can see where it's useful primarily if you want to tune each rod evenly, rather than hitting the center of the head while going from rod to rod, and just waiting until the drum sounds good. I like to start with the head being evenly tensioned, but it doesn't have to be exact, and I can certainly get there quickly without a device. I'm more concerned with how the drum actually sounds, than with the method used to get it there. There's a point where I do just hit the head and make adjustments while it's being played at a normal volume for the gig. Hence, things like tuners, drum dials and the dreaded torque key don't fit into my tool kit. These devices solve a problem, but it's not a problem that everyone has.

Bermuda
 
audiotech said:
A professional drum instructor that can instruct you on the finer points of tuning.
Click to expand...

LOL, Im usually the one teaching others how to tune by ear, I had only bought these items (which sit in my bag collecting dust) as others had raved at how fast they can tune a drum with them and figured anything that could speed up tuning at a gig would be a help but my finding is I can still tune faster by ear and can initially get them closer in pitch by using even turns on the key than using any of the drum dials or torque keys. (Although a torque key can be handy between songs at a gig to quickly tighten a tension rod that has loosened from rim shots) The only thing I have seen that actually works is a "resotune" which lays across the drum and sends a sonic signal thru the drum and registers the actual pitch of the shell or you can program in the pitch you want the drum to be and again it sends a sonic signal thru the drum and registers the reading at all points then actually tells you which lug to turn and which way to turn it, same type of system they use for tuning pianos but adapted for drums. But at $250 its a bit pricy but if you were an instructor or owned a music shop and were tuning alot of drums it could be a valuable tool, you could even offer "sonic drum tuning" as a service just like piano tuning. BTW some really good drummers just never get the concept on how to tune well or develop the ear to do it properly and not all race car drivers can tune an engine well either.
 
I saw this at NAMM and a got an in person demo, and thought it was pretty cool for what it is. Pricey, I agree, but cool none the less.

Unlike a chromatic tuner though, this allows you to just to tune to any pitch regardless of a specific note, or you have the option of tuning to a note. The average guitar tuner really doesn't allow for tuning to anything other than specific notes.

And unlike tensions watches, drum dials, and other items that measure criteria that should give you drum in tune, but don't always, this measures the sound of the drum itself, letting you know it's either in tune, or not. And while other tuning devices work on toms, I find most of them are useless on snare drums and bass drums, while this one works on snare drums easily enough, and should translate to a bass drum well.

audiotech said:
With the "tuner" highlighted in this thread, and this is the engineer in me speaking, although my degree is not mechanical engineering, with uncontrolled outside variables, measuring devices can only be as accurate as those variables. The variables that I'm referring to is both the pressure needed on the head to prevent harmonics, the pressure of the stick hitting the head and also where the "tuner" is specifically placed on the hoop.

The manufacturer already stated that the "tuner" cannot read the note unless the harmonics of the drum were squelched. They did this with placing their hand on the middle of the drum head. This alone will alter the exact pitch of the head and depending on the pressure of the hand this could vary greatly and not be the same from tension rod to tension rod throughout the tuning process.

How hard the head is hit can vary the accuracy of such a device.
Click to expand...

This is all very true, and I won't disagree. However, in tuning by ear, all these same variables exist. Taping around the edge of the head by hand is going to produce a variety of different pressures, which in theory are measurable, but in reality, we don't notice.

As for tune by ear, yes, that is the goal for any drummer. But how many times are we loading into a venue, and another band is soundchecking, or the DJ is testing out the PA, or your guitar player is testing his amp, or otherwise it's just too noisy to hear the difference from lug to lug? In the middle of NAMM, it's insanely noisy, yet this was (as far as I could tell) still able to get a measurement.

All decent guitar players can tune by ear, but all professional guitar players and professional roadies still have a tuner so that surrounding noise is not a factor. And that is where I see an interesting parallel.
 
DrumEatDrum said:
All decent guitar players can tune by ear, but all professional guitar players and professional roadies still have a tuner so that surrounding noise is not a factor. And that is where I see an interesting parallel.
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If drummers had to tune every few songs then we would be screwed ..lol, but as for guitar players using tuners, even if they dont need them they should use them as there is nothing worse than to go see a band and every few songs its ba-ping, ba-ping, boin-ing, boin-ing, doin-ing, doin-ing, well you get the picture, very unprofessional and annoying to the crowd to say the least. I have even been in bands that have hired a less talented guitar player because the "EVH clone" they auditioned the night before was "too good" or "to proud" to use a tuner.
 
I see everyone's point of view. I'm not a technology snob, but I firmly believe that if I'm going to change my way of doing things, the new method must better better than what I'm already using. I've met a lot of people that are tone deaf and could not differentiate between two pitches that are fairly close to one another as in getting a head in-tune with itself. This is where my statement "learning how to hear" come into being. If you can't hear exactly what your doing, the outcome will be fruitless. This is just one of the reasons I always suggest a professional instructor. Most new players and some not so new to this craft start to have anxiety disorders when it comes to even turning a tension rod. This is where some of these tuners fall short, they don't instruct the player on how to hear but only give an indication on how the drum should sound.

I'm done and suppers here, lol.

Dennis
 
Does anyone know when these are going to be available for sale? It seems like a solid way to tune drums. Though the people who tune by ear and can distinguish pitches precisely wouldn't have a purpose for this. But not all of us are experts at tuning. If this thing will make my drums sound their best, I wouldn't have a problem paying $100 for it. I think it's about time something like this came out, it surely beats the drum dial and torque key IMO.
 
drums137 said:
Does anyone know when these are going to be available for sale? It seems like a solid way to tune drums. Though the people who tune by ear and can distinguish pitches precisely wouldn't have a purpose for this. But not all of us are experts at tuning. If this thing will make my drums sound their best, I wouldn't have a problem paying $100 for it. I think it's about time something like this came out, it surely beats the drum dial and torque key IMO.
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According to the company's face book, Guitar Center ordered a bunch, and they should ship out in a couple of weeks.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tune-bot/233100610086495

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bermuda said:
I saw that at NAMM, and it does work... assuming you tune your drum to a specific pitch. I don't tune that way, and it's rarely necessary for me to transfer the same tuning to different kits, so it's really not for me. But it does what it says.

Bermuda
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I agree. Saw the full demo live. It's no joke. I'm not paying that amount of coin for one but should have an answer soon on a better price.
 
Nodiggie said:
I agree. Saw the full demo live. It's no joke. I'm not paying that amount of coin for one but should have an answer soon on a better price.
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Rumor is they will sell for $99.

Which is still a lot of coin.

But as I said here: http://problemsandresults.com/blog/?p=52

You figure a drum dial is $59, and this should work 100 times better, and Boss TU-12 Chromatic Tuner (which is somewhat industry standard for a professional guitar tuner) sells for around $90-95, so maybe, just maybe, that price is not so far out there.
 
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