totemspock Posted February 2, 2003 Share Posted February 2, 2003 I have begun to learn the basics of drum tuning, to get the same pitch all around the head etc. But one thing I have not understood how to use is the "seating process". I think I understand why you do it, but how and when in the tuning process am I supposed to do it? How important is it to seat the head. Do I do after I have tensed (right word?) the head a little bit, or do I do it before I even start to tens the head at all? I have bought a tama rythm watch, and I think it work´s fine in means of getting the same pith all over the head. I think it´s so hard to listen and hear it so i´m thankful for the rhytm watch. What do you think about the rhytm watch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted February 2, 2003 Share Posted February 2, 2003 Have no idea what that is. ****** Seating should be done right at the start. I usually try to push down on the rim in the area between lugs, always both hands on the drum, opposite sides of each other. If I don't feel the installation is going too well, I'll do the seating process a couple more times during inital tensing. Often, I'll put the drum at eye level and rotate the head around (when I first put it on), just to see how it sits naturally and if there are any points where it sits a little more comfortably than others; if so, I'll park it there, put on the rim, and start the process. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totemspock Posted February 3, 2003 Author Share Posted February 3, 2003 Offramp! thanks for the info! The tama TENSION (and not "rhytm") watch is a little thingy that´s able to sense the tension on the head. http://www.tama.com/accessories/specs/tw100.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jode Posted February 4, 2003 Share Posted February 4, 2003 I seat the head in a similar way, but I also press my fist down in the middle of the head and give it a stretch or two before putting the rim on. I picked this up changing guitar strings; if you should stretch guitar strings before trying to get them correctly in tune, why not a drumhead? "I had to have something, and it wasn't there. I couldn't go down the street and buy it, so I built it." Les Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted February 4, 2003 Share Posted February 4, 2003 Yeah, I used to do that, too...somewhere along the way, it just dropped from my routine, somehow. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sign Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 The "Tension watch" is probably the biggest piece of crap I've ever seen in the studio. A band came in a while ago and although the studio drumset (Premier Genista) did sound very good, almost perfect in tune, this guy had brought his Tension watch and began to "retune" the drums until according to this device it was perfect. The only problem was that this wonderful set of drums now sounded like a pile of dogshit What's wrong with the ears? The alchemy of the masters moving molecules of air, we capture by moving particles of iron, so that the poetry of the ancients will echo into the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totemspock Posted February 9, 2003 Author Share Posted February 9, 2003 Originally posted by sign: The "Tension watch" is probably the biggest piece of crap I've ever seen in the studio. A band came in a while ago and although the studio drumset (Premier Genista) did sound very good, almost perfect in tune, this guy had brought his Tension watch and began to "retune" the drums until according to this device it was perfect. The only problem was that this wonderful set of drums now sounded like a pile of dogshit What's wrong with the ears? The reason why the drumkit sounded like shit is not the rhytm watch´s fault, it´s the drummer´s fault. The tension watch is designed to re-create a tuning time after time. But first you HAVE TO USE YOUR EARS when tuning the drumkit the first time. There are presets in the manual that comes with rhytm watch, wich I don´t use. I think it work´s really great. It senses the tension perfect all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scraggs Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 the tension watch rocks. i know when drums are in tune, i'm just unable to get them there myself. i know. i suck:)the tension watch has made my life so much easier when recording and the drums come out sounding a lot better than they used to. yay. of course it's not foolproof, you still need to use your ears and know a thing or two about drums, but it's easily the best 80 bucks i've spent in ages. as far as seating the heads, i generally put some tension on the heads first, stretch them out, loosen them up all the way and then tune them for real. cheers, -scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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