Non-drummer w/basic drum set up question

[Fieryjack]

Hello:

 

I am wondering if someone has posted, or if anyone can direct me to, basic point by point advice on how to tune/set up a kit for recording (not mics, etc., just tape, tuning, pillows and so forth). Also alleviating rattles and squeaks...

 

Thanks in advance.

[adam b_dup1]

brand new to these forums eh?

[Fieryjack]

Yes, ThatDrumnGroove, brand new to these forums. Thanks for noticing.

[Blue Strat]

Welcome to the forum!

 

Basic tuning:

 

1) take the old head off

2) install new head (I like my Aquarian Studio X heads)

3) put the rim over the head

4) lightly oil the threads on the tension screws

5) tighten the screws until there's no more wrinkles in the head, then tighten the screws opposite each other until it's tuned like you want it. (i.e., isn't dead sounding, nor too much ring. It takes a bit of practice) Imagine the screws numbered 1 through 8 in a clockwise rotation. You'd tighten pairs 1 & 5 one turn, and then go on to 2 & 6 for a full turn, and so on. You'll probably want to cut back to a 1/4 turn as you near the tone you want.

 

Play with the tension of the batter head (side you hit with the sticks) Vs. the tension of the resonant head until you get the sound you want. You may like the resonant head a little tighter than the batter head, or vise-versa. How tight you tune them is up to you.

 

What kind of sound do you want out of your set?

[Terry Arnett]

Tuning is a personal preference - many drummers have different ways of tuning.

 

I apologise if I repeat what Bluestrat has said - but it's good advice nonetheless!

 

For snares... a wood shelled drum will sound "warmer" than a metal snare, and also, there are tonal differences in the type of wood as well.

 

Maple is an all-round nice, mellow wood (though I prefer birch or birch/mahogany).

 

When tuning, I tend to remove the heads completely at first. I'd also get new heads - just in case the original heads have had it. Now, I know this is difficult on the snare side, so I would at least remove/re-apply the tuning rods.

 

Place the head on the shell, ensuring it is correctly "seated" over the bearing edge. Re-apply the rods, finger tightening them to an even torque with one hand (you'll feel it) - at the same time, place your other hand in the centre of the head, and keep pressing down to ensure a correct seating.

 

Now, when tightening the rods, I tend to tighten up one, then select the rod on the opposite side. This will also help make sure the head gets seated, and helps towards an even tension.

 

Then, using a drum key, tighten with a drum key, I tend to use 1 full turn, go opposite, do the same - all around the drum, then 1/2 turn, then 1/4 turn etc.

 

To check an even tension of the drum, tap the drum head about 1 inch away from the drum rod, check all the way round, and try to get an even pitch to all the areas near the rods. I use either a stick, or my drum tuning key for this. When the pitch is equal all round, the head is in tune.

 

I would apply the same technique to the top head.

 

It's not the end though, because you can then fine tune both heads.

 

What I tend to do is have a very tight (without choking) bottom head, and a tight top head.

 

I find that you can get strange overtones now and again, but it maybe to do with sympathetic frequencies picked up when a head is played, and the frequency induces a response (sympathetic vibration) on the resonant head. Like when you hit a tom, and the snare drum buzzes, or someone (normally the bass player) hits a note, that causes one of your toms to ring without touching it.

 

I'd try either a higher or lower tuning, to see if this cures the problem.

 

Otherwise, a small piece of masking tape, or gaffa tape placed to the edge of the head (or in some cases I have found, a piece of tape attached to the hoop of the snare and the head - Evans do a version of this, at a price!) often does the trick in killing those overtones.

 

However, I would try to keep some overtones, as I like it that way!

 

Playing the drum will always cause it to detune, so every so often, just tighten up the rods again.

 

Toms are done in exactly the same way, though you don't have the snare issues.

 

Bass drums - you can use pillows and the like. It depends on what you require. Also, the type of beater you use will count as well (Felt, wood, composite etc). I tend to use just one pillow, just touching the batter head, and have the medium holed Yamaha resonant head. The tuning I do for these heads are, relatively tight for the resonant head, slack for the batter, using a wood beater.

 

Dave Mattacks has a good tuning guide...

 

http://www.dmattacks.co.uk/tech1.htm

 

Worthwhile checking this out.

 

As for squeaks and things, I've found that a Teflon based lubricant that you can get from good bike shops is very good (about £5 a bottle). So apply this on any mechanical parts of the kit, as well as the tuning rods.

 

But, as I said at the beginning - it's all down to personal taste.

 

Hope this helps mate... happy drumming!

[Fieryjack]

Terry/Bluestrat:

 

Thank you so much for the effort in your replies. While this probably seems basic and rudimentary for you, It's not advice I have seen in the mags I read (mostly recording, etc.) and I've never had anyone personally walk me thru it.

 

Paradoxically, drums are the most difficult thing to record, period. The thing that caused me to post this is that my drum heads (which I must change) don't have any resonance or distinct "tone"....they sound muddy.

 

Let me try your suggestions & I'll report back. Thanks again.

[Dennyf]

The Drum Tuning Bible