BASS DRUM TUNING

[Green_Shoes]

Originally Posted by frank0072

punchy= more tight.
if you want it deep and wobbly you should tune loose.

Bingo! Play around with it, sound also depends on what you hit the batter side with, the power, the skin, the base drum and the responase head plus if you have anything inside the base drum.

[Fett2oo5]

Triggers?
Forgive me, for I am not knowing.

[smoney22]

Ok, I like a really boomy deep bass drum, but I also like to play fast double bass metal stuff. So, if I tune my kick very low would fast double bass just turn out all muddy and undefined?

[ZDrums24]

Triggers are sensors on the head that are hooked to a 'brain.' They essentially turn your acoustic kit into an electric kit (or just add some new, unnatural sounds to the mix).

The Drum Tuning Bible does a good job describing how to tune for different sounds.

From my experience, a tighter batter gives you more punch (and more beater rebound). You'll probably either want a reso tuned real low (for presence) or maybe no reso at all (if you dont like that look, evans makes a mesh screen that gives you the look of a front head but the sound of none, but i have not tried this product).

I've also noticed that a tighter batter makes your bass drum a little more audible (more highs, more cut).

different beaters give you different sounds as well. I have a tama iron cobra double pedal on my kit, but ive replaced the stock felt beaters with puresound's felt speedball beaters which have a pretty wide contact surface and a head that swivels to line up with the drumhead. I noticed a huge increase in the amount of punch i got out of the drum. They also offer rubber and plastic beaters, which have even punchier colours from my understanding.

check out impact pads as well. I use one of the black evans double patches, which is supposed to soften the impact sound (i've been using them so long that i don't remember how drastic the difference was). they have a few others that all do different things to the sound. they also protect the heads.

and then there are all the heads they have on the market...

hope that helped a bit.

[azula]

what method of tensioning is conducive for faster pedal play? in other words, would a tigher batter head let you use quicker footwork, or vise versa? thanks guys.

[ZDrums24]

In my experience, a tighter batter head gives you more beater rebound, which translates into the footboard coming back up into playing position quicker.

Also, I find a solid front head gives you more rebound since the air has no where to go (relatively speaking).

Another thing thatll give you more rebound is a pillow against the batter head. It stiffens up the feel a bit.

I theorize that tightening the front head might give you more rebound since the air moves quicker inside the drum, but I havent tried it.

[Elysium]

how do I tune my bass drum so that it sounds like Martin Lopez's bass drum from the album "ghost reveries"

[azula]

Originally Posted by ZDrums24

In my experience, a tighter batter head gives you more beater rebound, which translates into the footboard coming back up into playing position quicker.

Also, I find a solid front head gives you more rebound since the air has no where to go (relatively speaking).

Another thing thatll give you more rebound is a pillow against the batter head. It stiffens up the feel a bit.

I theorize that tightening the front head might give you more rebound since the air moves quicker inside the drum, but I havent tried it.

you hit the nail on the head, i have two drum sets and one of them has a pillow against the batter head and that one feels more comfortable to me and i get a better response from the pedal....

[ZDrums24]

It really does. my problem is that almost every suggestion I have for helping your gain more rebound from the drum is the opposite of what I want short of tightening the batter a little. I need a hole in the head for recording (no internal miking system yet...) and I love leaving my bass drum wide open. Add in a couple of those massive speedball beaters and... well, lets say I was very happy when I discovered that tightening the front head a little gave me a better sound.

[mytquick87]

Fendi- your drumriff sounds awesome, im trying to get my bass sounding the same way- whats your heads combo on them?

[dimanaru]

I have a new remo 22" drumhead with the image of an american native and looks so cool!

[Father.Fields.]

How does Jojo Mayer tune his bass drum?
High batter?
Just get the wrinkles out of the reso?

[tard]

hope this can help

http://www.aquariandrumheads.com/dow.../!aquaria3.pdf

[Bryan77]

Hey, guys do any of you have any tips on double bass tuning. I took out all the muffling and tuned them to a very, very close pitch. But, when I added the muffling (just a pillow) to each bass drum, the left bass drum went to a low sound and the right one went higher. I don't understand if it was because of the pillows maybe? If so, what do you think I could use as an alternative instead of pillows?

Use an emad batter head. many folks run this type of batter and don't use internal muffling. That eliminates a variable right there.

[Vipercussionist]

Originally Posted by Bryan77

Hey, guys do any of you have any tips on double bass tuning. I took out all the muffling and tuned them to a very, very close pitch. But, when I added the muffling (just a pillow) to each bass drum, the left bass drum went to a low sound and the right one went higher. I don't understand if it was because of the pillows maybe? If so, what do you think I could use as an alternative instead of pillows?

It may be the heads have the same general note, but where the pillow ISN'T hitting is tuned a bit different. Try tuning them with the pillows inside, so the notes will be the same when the drums are set up in the manner you'd be using them.

[IneptDrummer]

Aquarian Superkick II batter and Regulator front. No need for any linens. Save the pillows for sleeping on. : )

Or, like the previous poster said, tune them with the pillows in place.

[Bryan77]

Originally Posted by IneptDrummer

Aquarian Superkick II batter and Regulator front. No need for any linens. Save the pillows for sleeping on. : )

Or, like the previous poster said, tune them with the pillows in place.

I actually was using the pillows I used to sleep on because they were big and fluffy. I thought that was perfect for the bass drums but that would mean me sleeping on one really thin pillow that was very uncomfortable.

[Buzter]

I'm just curious. Why have 2 bass drums tuned exactly the same?

[NIMBY]

Originally Posted by Buzter

I'm just curious. Why have 2 bass drums tuned exactly the same?

im assuming he's using them in a "metal" setup (?) where you use 2 kicks instead of a
double pedal, so they have to be tuned to the same note/sound for doing double kick patterns.

If they were tuned different, it would sound oh so strange.

[Bryan77]

Originally Posted by NIMBY

im assuming he's using them in a "metal" setup (?) where you use 2 kicks instead of a
double pedal, so they have to be tuned to the same note/sound for doing double kick patterns.

If they were tuned different, it would sound oh so strange.

Yes you are correct.

[Buzter]

I'm all for 2 bass drums but it just doesn't make sense to me. Looks cool though.

Originally Posted by NIMBY

im assuming he's using them in a "metal" setup (?) where you use 2 kicks instead of a
double pedal, so they have to be tuned to the same note/sound for doing double kick patterns.

If they were tuned different, it would sound oh so strange.

[Xalky]

Originally Posted by IneptDrummer

Aquarian Superkick II batter and Regulator front. No need for any linens. Save the pillows for sleeping on. : )

I'll second the Aquarian Superkick II with the regulator front. I have a Gretsch Reknown Maple and even with an Emad I would get too much ringing out of the drum. The resonant head was the stock reso from gretsch which had some interior muffling ala EQ3 around the perimeter. I'd have to tune way loose and lose all the pedal rebound if I wanted that fat sound.

Not the case with the above Aquarian setup. I get a nice low full rounded thud with the batter tuned high enough to get some really nice rebound. The batter is tuned about a medium tension. I am now getting that bass sound that I always wanted like Carter Beauford. Theres a definite Tone but it's short and muted. No pillows. I'm using the felt tip beaters that came with the Pearl eliminator pedal.

[Remobeater]

Originally Posted by Buzter

I'm all for 2 bass drums but it just doesn't make sense to me. Looks cool though.

Two Bass drums are awesome!
I just got a second 22" and there are many pro's. The two bass drums allow you to play fast rhythms without having the bass drum completely dead; it allows the punch to ring out for longer. There also seems to be much better response, the bass drum has longer time to resonate and respond to the beater. I think the double pedal has a little bit of energy loss in the slave pedal because of the extra mass and transmission from the left side.
Just my opinion though, it is harder to get them tuned the same.

[bluescasters]

I know same here....

[speedwolf]

Like many others have mentioned, I also prefer the SK II. To make the head last longer, it's good to get a drum pad...especially if you use double bass....Aquarian also makes a good one that has a lot of punch to it. It makes the drum head last longer, which is good because SK's are expensive....at least for me.
And please don't put pillows and blankets in there. It's lazy and sounds terrible.

This is really easy and quick, for the lowest possible sound. And adjust to whatever feels good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga8Q12mKYxI

If you play around with it a lot, you learn what feels best for you, and you can then get to tuning quicker, later.

[speedwolf]

Originally Posted by Buzter

I'm just curious. Why have 2 bass drums tuned exactly the same?

For metal, definitely keep them the same. I'd only tune them differently for jazz or something...imagine Chris Adler with two differently pitched bass drums....weird....lol

[evolving_machine]

I just got the tight screw lug screws and used them on the resonant head for the bass drum. If you do not know what this is, it is a bolt for the drum that has a slot milled into the thread near the end. In the slot they squeeze a piece of plastic, maybe nylon.

The purpose of the nylon is to make a little bit of friction on the lug so that it would not unscrew from vibration. With these bolts, I am able to loosen the resonant head very loose. The loose head on the bass drum deadens the sound almost like putting a pillow in the drum. I also have the lugs for the batter side of the bass as well as both snare heads.

[matt949]

right now im using a evan emad batter and the stock pdp reso on my bass i tuned it really low and i love to deepness in it but it feels a bit warbly on my foot im kind aguessing this is cause the front head isnt ported. and if i kept the same tuning but put a small port hole in the reso would it still sound roughly the same and just not feel the same cause they air isnt bumping around or should i just try tuning it a bit differently and keep her closed?

[lawacker]

I heard that the point where the beater strikes the head has a lot to do with the sound of some bass drums. They say it should not hit dead center. It should be a little lower or a little higher than center, so the drum will not choke. I always though it was dead center, anyways I set mine up a little higher. Not sure if it made a big diffrence. My sounds great with the ps3 batter and fiberskin 3 reso. No port, no muffling, and a 2in. lift. Nice and full and boomy blends great with the music.

[mrmike]

One thing that has not been mentioned is where you are in relation to the drum. Have someone else play your kit while you stand away from the kit. Chances are your bass drum will sound a lot different than when you sitting at the kit. Another thing to try is to get on all fours and use the pedal with your hand and you will find that the sound will be much bigger. Another way to make your bass drum sound bigger/louder in your practice space is to put your bass drum against the wall.

As with any instrument one of the biggest factors to get a good sound is the room. My practice space is pretty dead so a put down 2 sheets of 4'x8' plywood. It gave my bass drum more punch and volume and made my 14" floor tom sound huge.

[MIKEDOOM]

Dave Weckl's way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH_RoUQyv5A is definately my favourite way of tuning drums this goes for the bassdrums too. Also bare in mind the chamber in which the drums are situated should always be considered when tuning your kit.

For 2 bass drums I tend to tighten the resonant head more than the batter for a tighter punchier sound and leave a pillow of even size and weight in either bass drum against the bottom of the shell just touching either head.

[ZDrums24]

Originally Posted by matt949

right now im using a evan emad batter and the stock pdp reso on my bass i tuned it really low and i love to deepness in it but it feels a bit warbly on my foot im kind aguessing this is cause the front head isnt ported. and if i kept the same tuning but put a small port hole in the reso would it still sound roughly the same and just not feel the same cause they air isnt bumping around or should i just try tuning it a bit differently and keep her closed?

If the head isn't ported, you will get more rebound. If the head is ported, the beater will be more disposed to wait for the spring on the pedal to pull it back since the air has an easier time escaping. I'm not sure what "warbly" means, but this is what I've found in my experience. Personally, I love the feel of a solid head, but you do lose some of the punch that way if you aren't using internal mic'ing

[Dom Daviault]

Hi.
I play Remo Coated Ambassador on batter side and Remo Ebony Ambassador on resonant (I know it's kind of weird!). I have difficulty to tune them correctly. My bass drum, actually, sounds strange; it has a too much dry and powerful attack on front, and a kind of flask, vibrating sound on the batter side head. I tuned it temporarily by tuning both heads in unison, because other kinds of tuning were worse.
I play a lot of jazz, funk and a bit of pop. I'm looking for less attack, with low overtones, on both side of bass drum, if necessarily.
Which type of tuning should I use?

[ZDrums24]

What size is the drum?

Oh, and that head combination isn't that weird, especially if you play jazz.

In general, if you tune the batter up and keep the resonant low, you get punch with low end rumble. If you tune them both low, youll just get a low sound with less punch and a lot of resonance. If one head is buzzing (which is what i think you mean by a 'vibrating sound'), then tune that head up a little (its probably flapping against the shell due to lack of tension). Coated heads are also on the dry, punchy side, so going clear may help.

I've actually also head a lot of luck with fiberskyn on both sides for jazz drums because they are just plain dark with a bit of resonance (not really punch, though). You can leave these wide open even on bigger drums.

If you are playing pop and funk, assuming you have the typical 20/22" bass, aim for something with a ring (like a thin powerstroke or evans bass drum head). These will have the low end you are looking for, but will rein in the high end ring of the drum to bring a little bit of the punch out that you need for those genres as well as darken the drum a bit. If you don't use any muffling other than the preinstalled rings, the drum will still resonant a bit, especially if you have a 22x18 like mine.

Another thing to consider is your tuning. If a head is out of tune, it will not ring well and if the heads are at a few specific intervals apart in pitch, they will cancel each other out and cause the drum to have a dead, dry sound.

Also, experiment with impact patches. Evans makes a nylon patch that does a nice job softening attack. This won't fix your overly dry sound, however.

[Dom Daviault]

I play on a 22"x16" bass drum.
I'll follow your indications to tune the batter up and the resonant low. To which interval should I tune it?

[ZDrums24]

depends on the drum, heads, and your preferences.

[Raghallaigh]

everytime i hit the bass drum, without putting a good bit of power behind the pedal, it keeps bouncing off the head and this make it very hard to practice double bass. how can i fix this?

its tuned (the batter head about 1 - 2 turn) (the front head about 2 - 2 and a half turns)

[cruzdrum]

its proly the pedal,you could retune your batter side head ,try a little lower,until it feels,good,or adjust your pedal

[scoreking81]

One thing I figured out with my kick is that if you remove 3 lugs on the reso head, you get a really awesome punchy sound, just make sure the rim on the reso side is wood, or else you will get a metallic ring that sounds kinda crappy