Bass drum head tuning problem :( please help...

I just bought two remo powerstroke pro drum head today, but no matter how I tune it, two bass drums never provide the same pitch...at first I thought that's the problem from the resonant head, then I take it off. but it still never can tune those 2 bass drum to the same pitch..... Youtube video tells me powerstroke pro doesn't has tuning, just need to use the wrinkles point tuning and I will hit the sweet spot.and I did use the wrinkles point tuning.............. I am using Pearl Forum series.. what should I do?

Pearl Forums are at the lower end of the spectrum as far as price and quality go. It doesn't surprise me that two bass drums from that line won't sound the same. Don't get me wrong, with manufacturing the way it is today, Forums are probably better than any kit in that price range from 20 years ago. For the money, they are definitely a good kit.
My question is, what's the point of having two bass drums if they both sound the same? Just trade one of those kicks in for a double pedal and call it a day.

I haven't heard any good things about the powerstroke pro. There is a reason the PS3 is the most widely used kick drum head.

I know this is going offtopic, but in response Fuzrock, it's easier, but still difficult to get the same sound from both beaters using a double pedal on a bass drum. As you move your beater a couple inches here or there on the bass drum, you can get a very different sound... with many double pedals, it's almost impossible to get it clamped on the drum and have both beaters even (i.e. offset the same distance from the center of the drum head). The action of the slave pedal also generates a different sound... AND of course, if your left foot technique isn't as strong as your right (like me!) it's harder to generate the same sound no matter what equipment you're using.

I guess what I have to add to the discussion is that I've come to accept that I'll never get both my left kick and right kick sound to be exactly the same... no matter what setup or equipment I use.

Issara, I'm not saying that you can't improve upon your situation. And I know that honing in on a sound with two drums is way more complicated and time consuming. I'm not sure if you're at this point (and I'd guess that you're not), but at some point you do have to accept that it's never going to be perfectly even, IMO.

It sounds like you're doing all that you can, here. Use your ears, try to get it as close as you can... and then get on with practicing and playing. Sorry if that's not comforting advice.

@Fuzrock, thank you for your response. you bring up an interesting point, two bass drum don't have to sound the same?

@ahector, thank you for your comment!! If I try my best to make those 2 sound the same but still fail, I will accept the imperfection....... thank you!! good response you all!!!

Ok, How should I Tune the resonate head of the bass drum? Losser or tighter?

I really don't think the price of the pearl forum is the issue whatsoever. Drum manufacturing has come along way. It could be something ridiculous such as more ear wax in one ear than the other! I think if you tension them the same, and make sure your beaters are matched and hitting in the same place, it will sound fine. You might just be over thinking it!

Issara said:

Ok, How should I Tune the resonate head of the bass drum? Losser or tighter?

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Kick drums are "supposed" to be tuned to the lowest possible pitch. Maybe a tiny bit higher, but you really don't want to go looking for a tone out of any other the two heads. It will sound like a big floor tom.

ddrumzildjian said:

Kick drums are "supposed" to be tuned to the lowest possible pitch. Maybe a tiny bit higher, but you really don't want to go looking for a tone out of any other the two heads. It will sound like a big floor tom.

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Not with a head as muffled as the Powerstroke Pro it won't. Maybe if you put two Ambassadors or Emperors on it...

ddrumzildjian said:

Kick drums are "supposed" to be tuned to the lowest possible pitch. Maybe a tiny bit higher, but you really don't want to go looking for a tone out of any other the two heads. It will sound like a big floor tom.

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Sorry man, I don't mean to be rude but that's an over-simplification and leads to mis-information.

1) There's not one only way to tune a bass drum or any drum, for what it matters.
2) A bass drum with "tone on its heads" as you call it doesn't necessarily sound as a big floor tom, and even if it did, that may sound good depending on the context.
3) That slappy-just above wrinkle-no tone sound that sounds "oh so good" behind your kit in your bedroom, is most likely gonna get lost in any un-miked gig and no one is gonna hear it.


Anyway, to the OP, I don't think that's easy to tune two drums, whatever they are, to sound EXACTLY the same... A lot comes into consideration to achieve that.. bearing edges, heads condition, rods, even the lugs and where they're placed.

I'd say tune them as close as you can and play them. When I had a double pedal, both beaters sounded different, but when you play with the whole kit that slight difference gets lost in the mix and you don't really notice it.

Cheers!

PS: Oh, and I had a Pearl Forum for like 5 years.. served me well. Gigged and even recorded it. Don't underestimate it, it's a very good kit. Just be sure to put good heads and take proper care of her.

diegobxr said:

Sorry man, I don't mean to be rude but that's an over-simplification and leads to mis-information.

1) There's not one only way to tune a bass drum or any drum, for what it matters.
2) A bass drum with "tone on its heads" as you call it doesn't necessarily sound as a big floor tom, and even if it did, that may sound good depending on the context.
3) That slappy-just above wrinkle-no tone sound that sounds "oh so good" behind your kit in your bedroom, is most likely gonna get lost in any un-miked gig and no one is gonna hear it.


Anyway, to the OP, I don't think that's easy to tune two drums, whatever they are, to sound EXACTLY the same... A lot comes into consideration to achieve that.. bearing edges, heads condition, rods, even the lugs and where they're placed.

I'd say tune them as close as you can and play them. When I had a double pedal, both beaters sounded different, but when you play with the whole kit that slight difference gets lost in the mix and you don't really notice it.

Cheers!

PS: Oh, and I had a Pearl Forum for like 5 years.. served me well. Gigged and even recorded it. Don't underestimate it, it's a very good kit. Just be sure to put good heads and take proper care of her.

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I completely agree. It depends on what sound you want to go for. I just assumed having two kick drums, he would rather go for more attack then anything else. I guess you jsust have to play around with them to see what you like...

@diegobxr, I totally agree with that, mostly I use this drum for metal drumming. I can't hear the differences between 2 bass drums with fast drumming, but when it comes to slow double drumming, I can hear 2 different sounds. But anyways, thank you for the information and comments.i will try to tune 2 bass drums as best as I can, but it seems to be hard.

Between, when I tune 2 bass drums close to the same tone, they give me 2 different batter reflection,...... Hella weird......OMG