Tuning Concepts
I would like to share some knowledge on tuning your drums the old fashioned way - by using your ears and a drum key. Yes, there are several tools available to help you tune a drum, but personally, I believe in learning the old school way before costly gadgets and tools were available. Besides, not everyone has the budget for one of these devices ($65-$150) or wishes to pack around another thing.
Over the past 45 years I have developed a system that for me, has worked - and got me a ton of work in recording studios, because my drums sounded so darn good! Good sounding drums make me play better which in turn makes the band I am playing with sound as best as it can. I have always received positive comments on the sound of my drums and engineers rarely had any changes to make. I know the effort it takes to tune my drums well is worth it when onstage a guest vocalist turns around and says, "man those sound great!"
Rather than repeat what another drummer has already done very well, I will now refer you to some great tuning videos from the YouTube channel - Sounds Like a Drum. Host Cody Rahn explains in a very concise way the same concepts I have been using, with some added advice that I learned from as well. * Check out the links to his tuning videos below, but if you get a chance browse his other videos on this channel as they are definitely worth looking at.
Snare tuning:
https://youtu.be/paCUkRiNOWI?si=TiFUboaSLHhrTRhm
Bass drum tuning:
https://youtu.be/pOJ7rHTXs2Y?si=mM2HYpGv_UPtW65u
Tom tuning:
https://youtu.be/utEPAiQcTY8?si=U4mm1J_V9pndMbZu
Remember: using your ears to tune drums is free and you never forget to bring them to a gig! But if you damage your ears (tinnitus) or have to tune in a noisy environment, maybe a tuning tool is the thing for you. I have included a list of the top 5 drum tuning devices currently available for you to check out in case you wish to go this way.
Top 5 drum tuners:
https://drumhelper.com/accessories/best-drum-tuner/
Brummet Media YouTube Channel
Comments
Post a Comment