Drum Tuning

[timrocker]

Hi all,

I often tune my guitars and bass to the "baroque" tuning, i.e. a half step low. Does anyone think that the drums on a session with that condition need also be tuned differently? Or do you all think that since drums are essentially staccato, it makes no diff? I've heard different takes on this one, but when I listen to bands that tune down, it seems to me that the drums are also given some kind of adjustment to get them on page. What do you think?

[Prof.Sound]

You know, I've written lots of stuff on drums. When it comes to the "tune to notes" question, I think you are the only one who can answer the question on whether or not tuning to any "note" makes a difference in your composition.

 

I think these are nice ideas to play around with. Sometimes it works, many times it doesn't make any difference, other times it can make problems worse.

 

I think you need to just always go back to the basics. Every instrument has to have its own space in the mix. So I'd doubt you would really want a drum to be at the same pitch as a bass note, or keyboard pad, or texture for fear of it becoming muddy. And style has a lot to do with it, as does the way one hits the drum.

 

But in the end, most tune so the kit just sounds correct for the song, emphasis being on the kick and snare.

[archtop]

I was going to post a link to

the drum tuning bible

 

and the author is right above me

 

good stuff in there

[HiRoller]

A HUGE thanks to P. Sound for 'The Drum Tuning Bible'!!!

 

It has helped me immensely and is one of the coolest and most usefull sites on the internet, ever.

[GreggTL]

Yeah. What he said. The drum tuning bible will go down in history. Amen.