Can somebody explain how the heads in this video are tuned?

dpk204

Senior Member
I have this GMAD head and I have an Onyx Resonant with a 5" port. I like the sound in this video. By watching this video, how do you suspect he hast tuned the heads? I can't seem to get this sound on my 22x18" Session Custom.

I tune it low, is he tuning it higher?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5NSUnCx1YI
 
First and foremost, it's pertinent to know what size bass drum he's using and what kind of wood it is.

Granted heads do have a lot to do with sound there are other variables: pedal, spring tension, beater type, and technique are some in addition to the size and wood used to make the drum.

With that aside it sounds that he's got it tuned fairly tight- very little give is aparent with the batter head and with very little resonance I suspect the same is true with the reso head.

Check out Jeff Ocheltree's video in the John Bonham section of this page about tuning Bonham's kit, specifically the snare. Bonham tuned his drums like the jazz drummers of the '20-'60's (as he was highly influenced by them). He tuned his reso heads pretty tight- as Jeff says, think like you're tuning a snare reso head- and he used felt strips (in this case the EMAD muffling works in place of the strips) to focus the sound.

I hope this helps and is detailed enough to help you out.

If you need anything else give me a shout.

~AJ
 
Have you thought about emailing the guy who posted the video through youtube?

Another thing to consider is he probably has it mic'd
 
Another thing to consider is he probably has it mic'd

Exactly, it's more than likely that the EQ-ing used to get the sound in the vid will make it difficult to tell exactly how he has that drum tuned. What you are hearing may be an accurate portrayal of the drum and head....or it may not. There's no way of knowing exactly what production was used to get the sound you're hearing there.

Here's what I would do. Set up my kick next to my computer and keep playing with the tuning til I had a sound that resembles what you are hearing on the vid. It may not replicate his exact tuning, but at the end of the day it's the sound that your chasing anyway.
 
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