Drum Dial- worth it?

Why do guitar players use tuners then?

haha i don't use a tuner for playing a guitar, so maybe i don't need a drumdial either.

Thanks for all your responses guys. Guess i'll just have to learn how to tune it properly eh? Maybe one day when i'm rich i'll get one but not now probably, i have too much other drum stuff to buy!
 
Ha ha ha I was actually just cracking a joke with that one, but thats why I love the drums *FREEDOM*. Tell me another instrument that is as versatile as a drum set....
 
Why do guitar players use tuners then?

There was a time when guitar players tuned "by ear" also. ............. "The first Peterson strobe tuner, called the Model 400, was introduced in 1967. It was the first solid-state strobe tuner, did not require calibration, and allowed musicians to select one-cent increments. This was a major breakthrough for the strobe tuner and helped pave the way for Peterson to become the leading tuner company in the world." Acoustic guitar type instruments date back some 3,300 years. The electric guitar was invented around 1930.
 
Torque keys are useless unless every screw has the same amount of friction in it's socket - independent of the head. That rarely happens.

Drum Dial's are useful to get back - at least close - to where you were when you change heads. When I swap a head I put it on, do the palm push method, tune it up 3 or so pounds too much, wait 24hrs, palm push again, dial in the setting I have posted on my wall and then fine tune by ear.

(Since I am not a fan of snare buzz it took quite a while to find snare and tom tuning ranges that sounded good and minimized buzz. I would hate to refigure that out if I changed mutiple heads at once. As I have 6 toms that would be quite the hassle. So - the drum dial is simply a tool and part of the solution)
 
thought id post here instead of making a new thread about it

im really worried that my drums sound "wrong"
as ive only once taken them out to play at a gig


with a drum dial, would i have to know what setting to have it on? or are there sites that have this sort of information?
 
thought id post here instead of making a new thread about it

im really worried that my drums sound "wrong"
as ive only once taken them out to play at a gig


with a drum dial, would i have to know what setting to have it on? or are there sites that have this sort of information?

Yes--the idea is to find the sound you like, then equalize things with the drum dial and make a note of the readings so you can replicate them later when you retune or change heads.

There are suggested settings with the drum dial instructions, but it would be a matter of sheer luck for them to work for you. Either those suggestions or suggestions from other drummers are worthless because they have different drums and different heads and may be going for a totally different sound than you.

I recommend you do the following whether you end up using a drum dial or not. Every drummer needs to learn where his drums sound best. It may take you an afternoon, but doing it will teach you a whole bunch.

Do this with each tom, preferably right on its mount:

First, loosen both heads down to finger tight. For the purposes of this experiment we'll tune both heads the same, even if you decide later to have them tuned to different pitches.

Add 1/4 turn to all tension rods, top and bottom, using the criss-cross pattern. If the heads still sound flappy/papery add another 1/4 turn, and keep adding 1/4 turn until you get the first real sound without distortion. Make sure both heads are the same pitch and touch up the lug-to-lug tuning.

You have now found the lowest note this drum will play.

Now add another 1/4 turn, top and bottom, keeping the lug-to-lug tuning good. Stop and listen. Keep doing this 1/4 turn at a time until you've reached a point where the drum is obviously choked, then back off until the drum sings again. This is the highest note the drum will play well.

In-between these two points there was probably one range--as small as one note but more usually 2-3 half-steps--where the drum really sings. (I.e., where it has the most sustain and is loudest and punchiest.) That's the range where you want to keep that drum.

Do this for all your toms. Once you're done you'll know exactly where to tune all your toms so they all sound their best.

After you've done that you can see what readings you get with a drum dial so you can find those sweet spots again without repeating the whole experiment.

Meanwhile, if you're new to tuning, or just want another perspective, these vids are pretty good:

Tuning toms

Tuning snares

Tuning bass drums

Why reso heads are important

Reducing snare buzz part 1 and part 2.
 
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