Tune Bot - Worthwhile or Not?

Merlin5;1504249 But here's another point said:
Yet that shell resonance might also be meaningless because the tension on the drum might change that shells resonance when the heads are mounted.

Also, well made drums will have a wider tuning range, making a shells resonant note much less important.
 
I finally got to use the Tune Bot today.

My kit is a Mapex Saturn V, and today I set about tuning the toms: 10, 12 and 16, with the Mapex-supplied Remo heads. Having looked at this tuning guide I decided that perfect fourths intervals of C-G-D would work for me.

The 10 and 12 toms were very close to these tunings already, and gratifyingly for my ego, all lugs were within a poofteenth of each other.

The 16 proved more challenging, particularly the reso head, until I figured out that with the drum resting upside down their were lots of weird overtones. By tilting the drum so that there was minimal contact between hoop and floor, I got better readings.

I've gone for same tuning top and bottom, in the interest of max sustain. The smaller toms haven't changed very much (although I may revisit that once I've played them as part of the kit), but the 16 FT now sounds like a timpano..timpanus...kettle drum.

Next I'll move onto the snare...and in the medium term I'll play around with different tunings. So far, what I do like is the ability to quickly get (back) to known points, as others have said.

For the 16" have you tried tuning it to a C2 fundamental? That'd put the lug pitch at about 112hz top and bottom. With the 10" and 12" tuned to C and G, it'd be kind of like a 5th chord. Also, what batter heads are on your toms?

Other than that, I'd reiterate what others have said about using the filter button and muting the opposite head while tuning. Good luck! :)
 
Thanks for all the input.

I have placed an order for a Tune Bot, and I'll report back when I've had a chance to have a play with it.


Spend some time with it.. I hated it for the first bit as I couldn't dial it it.. Use the TuneBot phone app and punch in your drum sizes. Once I got it going I use it every time.

There are many tutorials on YouTube also.

Your drums will sing once you get it right... I usually get it in perfect tune, then slap on a moongel for my taste as the music I play wouldn't work with that much ring.
 
If someone doesn't need to store their settings on the device, maybe the Tune Bot Gig would be the smarter buy at $59? I picked mine up just to try out and ended up keeping it. It performs all the basic functions nicely and clearly laid out.

The tune bot gig does not store your settings, but if you have a smart phone you can download the app and it will allow up to 5 kit settings to be saved. I love the tune-bot. Its a great tool. I tune to the note I am looking for by ear and put the tuner on to match the lugs to avoid overtones. Once I have the drum exactly where I want it I save the drum in my kit settings. I just recently changed heads and was done within 15 minutes.
 
The tune bot gig does not store your settings, but if you have a smart phone you can download the app and it will allow up to 5 kit settings to be saved.

Exactly my point! Plus, the Gig model is just dead simple to use. :)

Or, you could just use a spreadsheet / text file like I do and store them on your phone. Heck, I've heard of some folks just writing their settings on their heads with a sharpie, LOL!
 
Tune Bot - Worthwhile or Not? Absolutely!

Like others, I've been tuning my drums for decades by ear and I'm very competent at it. The TB has been great at giving and receiving reference points in tunings. If I like a specific snare tuning and ask about what the tuning is, I get the response which is something like...mediumish to slightly high batter head and very tight reso.

WTH kind of reference is that??? Lol.

Now, next scenario with a TB....

I tune my batter to 300hz and 390hz reso. Boom! Now that I can use as a reference.

I also love the way I can record or just at least remember what tunings I prefer regarding what the room or venue is. I get to the gig and because I know what tuning I like in that specific room is I can just quickly tune to those settings and be done with it. Also, if I have to use a back line kit or someone else's kit and I don't want the tuning that it's in. I simply record what the settings are and then when I'm finished playing I can quickly reset the tunings back exactly where they were. IMO, the TB is definitely worth the $60 or $100.
 
I've got an opportunity of buying a brand new Tune Bot going £20 cheaper than the normal retail price at most online shops. There's also a make offer option, so I might be able to get it for £25 to £30 cheaper.

It's new and unused, it just doesn't have the box.

Shall I go for it?

Edit: I've made an offer, so will wait to see.
 
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Go for it. Have a go with it. Worst case senario sell it on at the price you bought it


Yep. Well he's come back saying he won't go lower than the buy it now price (which is still £20 cheaper) so I don't know why he has a make offer option. I've still counter offered £5 lower saying there's no box and probably no black protective bag, so waiting to see. Will probably buy it at his price in the end.

Edit: He countered with £2 lower so I bought it in the end for £63 +£3 postage. So that's ok considering normal retail is £85. Should receive it by Wednesday or Thursday.
 
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two things here, you might have figured it out so I'm putting it out for everyone... you need the opposite head muted while tuning. I throw a pillow on the ground and sit my tom on top of it so I'm only hearing one head.

This may be the tip that changes my life. Suddenly I feel the need to go and use the tune bot that has been gathering dust on the shelf.
 
That is correct. I will put the tom/snare on a pillow, or even a blanket on the floor so the reso doesn't vibrate when tuning the batter and vice versa.
 
This may be the tip that changes my life. Suddenly I feel the need to go and use the tune bot that has been gathering dust on the shelf.

Yes ma'am. I never use the TB unless I mute the opposite head. Instead of a pillow on the floor, I often use my drum throne. It has a soft padded seat and is obviously higher than using a pillow on the floor. So I can stand up comfortably while tuning with the TB. A bonus with the drum throne is that I'm able to tune my floor tom without having to lower the legs. I set my floor tom on my drum throne, reso side down, and the tom legs easily stay clear of my drum throne seat.

Btw, as others have stated, don't forget to use the Filter setting. It's a game changer. :)
 
Yes ma'am. I never use the TB unless I mute the opposite head. Instead of a pillow on the floor, I often use my drum throne. It has a soft padded seat and is obviously higher than using a pillow on the floor. So I can stand up comfortably while tuning with the TB. A bonus with the drum throne is that I'm able to tune my floor tom without having to lower the legs. I set my floor tom on my drum throne, reso side down, and the tom legs easily stay clear of my drum throne seat.

Btw, as others have stated, don't forget to use the Filter setting. It's a game changer. :)

I always used the filter - when I say "always", I mean both times, lol - and thank you for the tip about using the throne, which I shall definitely do :)
 
I always used the filter - when I say "always", I mean both times, lol - and thank you for the tip about using the throne, which I shall definitely do :)

It's absolutely my pleasure Mrs. Madge :)
 
Yep. Well he's come back saying he won't go lower than the buy it now price (which is still £20 cheaper) so I don't know why he has a make offer option. I've still counter offered £5 lower saying there's no box and probably no black protective bag, so waiting to see. Will probably buy it at his price in the end.

Edit: He countered with £2 lower so I bought it in the end for £63 +£3 postage. So that's ok considering normal retail is £85. Should receive it by Wednesday or Thursday.

Good stuff mate if you dont like it you should be able to sell on for at least what you paid :)
 
This may be the tip that changes my life. Suddenly I feel the need to go and use the tune bot that has been gathering dust on the shelf.

Im not sure if you are being sarcastic? It telĺs you in the instructions to mute the head you arent tuning?
 
Im not sure if you are being sarcastic? It telĺs you in the instructions to mute the head you arent tuning?

Not being sarcastic at all. It's been a long time since I attempted to use my Tune Bot so I can't really remember, but either I missed that bit or I did it wrong. Either way - I know now!
 
Not being sarcastic at all. It's been a long time since I attempted to use my Tune Bot so I can't really remember, but either I missed that bit or I did it wrong. Either way - I know now!

No worries sorry didnt mean to come across as having a go (if i did) just wasnt sure :)
 
No worries sorry didnt mean to come across as having a go (if i did) just wasnt sure :)

No, of course you didn't, it was a legitimate question - I surprise myself sometimes by just how dim I can be!
 
Good stuff mate if you dont like it you should be able to sell on for at least what you paid :)

I was waiting for it to arrive as ETA was by today. Nothing came until a few minutes ago, just before 3pm. Talk about arriving at the eleventh hour! :D I knew there would be no box but there is the black bag which is good.


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