AModestRat
Member
Let me start out by saying that tuning is extremely subjective, and what sounds "proper" to one may be completely wrong to another.
Over the year or so since I've started seriously playing drums, I've had my struggles with tuning them (as have most people). However, two things I've noticed about tuning are:
1. I have never had a particular tone in mind
2. I don't think I've ever heard a "properly" tuned set (to my ears)
As time went on, I've started tuning my set higher and using less muffling. While muffled, JAW-tuned drums have their place, I've come to realize that my preferred tuning is in the medium to medium high range. Not quite jazz, but not quite rock either. I started tuning higher after watching a couple of Sweetwater, Memphis Drum Shop, and Chicago Music Exchange vids; most seemed to be tuned in that "sweet" range between thud and boing. A great example is Nick D'Virgilio's tuning of the Stone Custom Drum Company Niles set, just great resonance and punch.
Above all else, I've tried to put myself more in the audience's perspective than behind the kit. Besides a 2-1/4" felt strip on the bass drum resonance head, I have no externally-added muffling. It took a lot of trial-and-error to get here, but man do my drums sound great (not just my personal opinion, gotten compliments from others as well)!
Over the year or so since I've started seriously playing drums, I've had my struggles with tuning them (as have most people). However, two things I've noticed about tuning are:
1. I have never had a particular tone in mind
2. I don't think I've ever heard a "properly" tuned set (to my ears)
As time went on, I've started tuning my set higher and using less muffling. While muffled, JAW-tuned drums have their place, I've come to realize that my preferred tuning is in the medium to medium high range. Not quite jazz, but not quite rock either. I started tuning higher after watching a couple of Sweetwater, Memphis Drum Shop, and Chicago Music Exchange vids; most seemed to be tuned in that "sweet" range between thud and boing. A great example is Nick D'Virgilio's tuning of the Stone Custom Drum Company Niles set, just great resonance and punch.
Above all else, I've tried to put myself more in the audience's perspective than behind the kit. Besides a 2-1/4" felt strip on the bass drum resonance head, I have no externally-added muffling. It took a lot of trial-and-error to get here, but man do my drums sound great (not just my personal opinion, gotten compliments from others as well)!