Tuning a Resonant snare side head

Guitar Guy

Junior Member
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl9wgXSfxew

The show gets started a little after 5 minutes. I'm trying to tune my resonant side head but I'm not hearing nearly anything resembling the kinds of pitches he's getting on that snare. Those are obvious but mine sound very ambiguous. I'm tapping mine with both my key and my fingers but I'm not hearing too much of a difference in pitch as I go around it, and I'm positive it's not because it's in tune.

What do you do if can't even hear a pitch?
 
I can hear the ICBM's incoming as I type this.... for some reason this subject raises the ire of some of the members herein.

I'm not an "expert" but I have tuned a bunch of heads in all kinds of weather and humidity and in many countries.

I torque based on the drum head size. I tune in fourths which varies based on the drum head size and is outlined in the little book that comes with the torque wrench. I tune both heads (batter and resonator) the same. I use a Neary torque wrench that was given to me by an old retired banjo builder. I have had great success with this tool and it makes it easy.

If anyone is interested banjo heads are torqued to G#, don't ask me why.

Before the missiles start landing....

After I torque both heads in the prescribed manner, I tap them about an inch in from each tension rod. Guess what? Both the batter and the resonant head are in tune and at the same pitch. If something isn't right I take the torque wrench and give it a loosening turn and bring it back up to torque. That usually does it.

And.... just as advertised the corresponding drum head sizes and torque settings bring them in at a fourth tuning.

A fourth sounds like the line of the song that goes... Here Comes The Bride


INCOMING!!!!
 
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Tighten the resonant head, really tight, until you are worried it may split. HArd to be exact but on many snares at least 1.5 turns of the key (after finger tight).
Then tighten a tiny bit more.
Then bring up the batter to the right pitch you desire.
 
I'm tapping mine with both my key and my fingers but I'm not hearing too much of a difference in pitch as I go around it, and I'm positive it's not because it's in tune.

What do you do if can't even hear a pitch?

If you are unable to discern pitch well enough to tension your drums:

1: Get someone to do it for you.
2: Record / Note the frequencies with a smartphone drum tuning app.
3: Use the app to tune your drum until you develop your ear.
 
I agree with trying to tighten it some more.

I torque based on the drum head size. I tune in fourths which varies based on the drum head size and is outlined in the little book that comes with the torque wrench. I tune both heads (batter and resonator) the same. I use a Neary torque wrench that was given to me by an old retired banjo builder. I have had great success with this tool and it makes it easy.

If anyone is interested banjo heads are torqued to G#, don't ask me why.
I bought a banjo a while back, maybe I should look into one of these if I get more serious with it.
 
Crank it and keep cranking it until the pitch doesn't get any higher. If you have a drum dial,crank it until stops registering any change. That could be anywhere between 80-85 or so.
 
A rule of thumb is that the pitch of the snare side should be about a major third to a perfect fourth higher than the top. I use about 85 on a drum dial.
 
Try this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxm3QunDjUs

Also, you can try a free app called Hearing Aid which has frequency sliders. It can help you isolate the fundamental if you use ear buds.

If you follow Bob's advice in the video, you'll have a great sounding snare.. Just remember, crank the hell out of that bottom head.. The top head you can play with a little bit. If you have a smartphone, download a tuning app and crank that thing down to the A like in the video.

Peace, Defender
 
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