TOM TUNING

Re: Tama Rockstar Tuning Dilemma

It's been a lot of years since I used the Evans Hydraulic heads and when I did that really flat dead sound was kind of popular. Anyhow here's my thought on what you may be experiencing. If I remember right the Hydraulic head as a layer of some kind of oil between the two plies. That stuff can move around and I'm thinking that as you tune the drum and strike the head the oil is floating around (maybe to the other side) and messing with your ability to get the same pitch from lug to lug. If I remember right I used to tune those as the others have said by getting the resonant head where I wanted it and then just barely getting the wrinkles out of the hydraulic batters. Then for fine tuning I just barely tapped the head with my finger rather than striking it with a stick. You really shouldn't expect to get much tone out of those heads. Hope that helps some.
 
Re: Tama Rockstar Tuning Dilemma

Yea, it helps a lot. Thanks to everyone for all of the help. I'm definitely going to look into some new heads soon, so I can actually get some tone going on my kit :)

I've had these heads for a long time. Back in the day I used to use all triggers for my drums and the dead sound was fine. But, I really don't like it anymore.

Thanks Everybody!
 
Re: Mapex Saturn...tuning styles?

see...now my definition of resonance wasn't the answer you were looking for but yet you say you "have to wail the beejezus out of them to make them really sound like I want".

too loose of tuning does have a lot to do with it because you're fighting to bring out the tone of the drum instead of letting the head and the shell do the work for you.

i hope you understand my point a little better now.

LOL, just playing around. I'm an RF engineer, so I got a kick out of that.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm a 40 yo drummer that understands that despite drumming for 31 years, I've a lot to learn from most everyone. I appreciate your advice. I just really think the issue is the heads I'm using rather than my tuning method.

The Super-2s / Classic clears will be in this week. I think I'll like them better, judging by what my peers are saying about them.

SJ
 
Re: Mapex Saturn...tuning styles?

I experienced the same probs. with the EC2's, I had to tune them sooooo low to get a good tone out of them and then it was like hitting a pillow. The G2's sing out just by looking at them compared to the EC2's


Yes, I had come to that same conclusion.

I gave the EC2's away this weekend.

Not my kind of head.

Thanks for the input; I appreciate it.

SJ
 
Re: Tuning issue

Have you tried leaving your heads alone for 24 hours to settle into the drums?
 
Re: Tuning issue

I have Yamaha Stage Custom Advantage Toms.

I get the right sound I want when I tune loosely, nice and resonant, not a choked sound. How can I fix that so I can tune tighter with the same sound, reso head?

I will try setting the heads next time. Didnt know you had to do that. Thanks so far guys!
 
Re: Tuning issue

Letting the heads sit for awhile will help definately. I used to think that I had to tune the heads really lose to get resonance also. But I have learned tuning the reso heads considerably higher then the batter heads gives me lots of resonance. I tune the batter side about medium tension and tune the bottom heads way up, my drums are very boomy. This is the technique that Bonzo used.
 
Re: Tuning issue

I think I saw this somewhere... dont remember where though... that you can quicken the head's settling onto the rim by circling around the edge, where the glue is, with a hair drier.

The thought behind this is that the heat will dry glue and stop the stretching.

I know it sounds nuts... but I think it works.

this is the best forum out there...
 
floor tom tuning

hi, iv just bought new skins for my toms but im having trouble tuning them up nice.
iv put coated g2's on the batters and clear ambassadors on the reso's.

my rack tom doesnt sound too bad but it quite dead, as iv someones got there finger on the reso. should i loosen or tighten the reso? how tight or loose? (12x10)

my floor sounds horrid. i dont realy no how to explain it. it sort of grumbles and groans? lol. how tight or loose should be batter and reso be? (16x16)

thanks heaps.
 
Re: floor tom tuning

You know... I'm not at all sure about this... but I think Evans might be having issues with their Coated G2s lately. The last few I've bought have been pretty bad, and I've heard of a few other people on here having troubles. Maybe I'll shoot them a email, see what's up.

Edit: Ok, just sent them an email. We'll see what's happening.

As for the tuning, just keep fiddling with it, or check out the link to the DTB in my sig if nothing else works.
 
Re: floor tom tuning

kasper92, it would be helpful if you could mention how tight you currently have the batter/resonant heads on your toms in relation to each other, to help pinpoint the problem.

Anyway, a good place to start tuning your toms is to make sure that all the tension rods are tensioned evenly. Mute one of the heads against a carpet. With the other head, tap about 1" away from each tension rod, listening closely for the pitch; adjust the tension rods until they are all in tune with each other. Then repeat the process on the other head. This might solve your rack tom's deadness and floor tom's funny noises.

For your rack tom specifically, my guess is that tightening the resonant head has a better chance of "livening" up the sound, than loosening it does.

Good luck with your toms!
 
Re: floor tom tuning

iv fixed the rack tom but the floor tom still doesnt sound good. the batter is slightly loose because im trying to get a warm tone and the resonant's quiet loose to stop ringing
 
Re: floor tom tuning

It's damn tricky to get a decent sound from large toms, i recently got some pinstripes and im still finding the sweet spot in terms of how best to tune them for the sound i like.

Im not sure if this is the case but i always seem to find when first using a new head it tends to 'strech' and slightly drop out of tune till they settle in. Like the other guy said get one head sounding good before you work on the other, i start by taking both heads off and doing the reso head first, letting it stand for a few mins and playing it again making any adjustments it might need, only then i think about putting on the batter.
 
Re: floor tom tuning

Im not sure if this is the case but i always seem to find when first using a new head it tends to 'strech' and slightly drop out of tune till they settle in. Like the other guy said get one head sounding good before you work on the other, i start by taking both heads off and doing the reso head first, letting it stand for a few mins and playing it again making any adjustments it might need, only then i think about putting on the batter.[/QUOTE]

how tight should the reso be in this case? and what should it sound like? its a clear ambassador btw
 
Re: floor tom tuning

You know... I'm not at all sure about this... but I think Evans might be having issues with their Coated G2s lately. The last few I've bought have been pretty bad, and I've heard of a few other people on here having troubles. Maybe I'll shoot them a email, see what's up.

Edit: Ok, just sent them an email. We'll see what's happening.

As for the tuning, just keep fiddling with it, or check out the link to the DTB in my sig if nothing else works.


It sure seems like EVERYONE is having quality control issues these days!

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw
 
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