Drum set tuning

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Contents

[edit] Drum Set Tuning

The act of tuning a drumset is a mechanical process directed toward an audible outcome determined by a drummer's personal and musical requirement.

Drumset 'tuning' differs from tuning a guitar or other 'pitched' instrument. This is primarily because a struck drum head will deliver a fundamental tone plus a wide range of overtones. The strength and number of these overtones means that a drumset drum can not normally be pitched to a chromatic note using an electronic tuner.

The human ear however, can usually detect a fundamental frequency - the lowest note audible. Using this fundamental tone, a drummer can proceed to tune drums' pitches relative to each other to generate combinations that the ear will perceive as a chord.

[edit] Tom Toms

Tuning toms is the act of ensuring that:

  • the tensions on the individual batter and resonant heads on each drum are consistent and deliver a clear tone;
  • the tensions on the heads deliver the desired fundamental pitch when struck;
  • the relationships between the batter head and resonant head provide a sound character suitable for your intended use; and
  • that the relationships between individual drums and the overall drumset provide a logical and pleasant sounding combination.

[edit] Snare drum and bass drum

Snare drum

  • The extra-sensitive bottom (resonant) head is tuned much tighter than batter head;
  • the resonant head tensions are adjusted to allow the snares to sit into the snare beds; and
  • treatment or muffling may be applied to the drum skin to control overtones.

Bass or Kick drum

  • The batter head is tensioned to deliver the desired pedal rebound, although it will also have some effect on the tone of the drum;
  • The resonant (front) head is usually looser than the batter head and is mainly responsible for the tone of the drum;
  • The resonant head can have a small (approx 6") offset port hole to allow for air pressure escape and for the insertion of a microphone;
  • The vast majority of drummers will use some kind of treatment inside the drum or one of the many head variations and appliqués to control overtones, this could be that a drummer fills up his kick drum with materials to absorb the sound, or that the batter head has a ring of foam on it or perhaps a slam pad.

[edit] The Process

  • Checking that the physical condition of the drum, drum skin and hardware that is to be used are in appropriate condition;
  • seating the head - this shapes the generic factory-shaped head to match the specific drum that you will be using;
  • tuning the batter head to pitch;
  • tuning the Resonant head to pitch relative to the batter head; and finally
  • relating each drum's pitch and sustain to the other drums in the drumset to make the drumset a pleasant-sounding unit in accordance with the drummer's requirements

[edit] External links

  • Tunadrum.com - Detailed factual step-by-step information on drum tuning


[edit] Printed Reference Matter

  • Fundamental Modes Of A Circular Membrane With Radial Constraints On The Boundary

Wang C.Y. Journal of Sound and Vibration, February 1999, vol. 220, no. 3, pp. 559-563, Ingenta.

  • Comments On “Fundamental Frequency Of A Wavy Non-Homogeneous Circular Membrane”

Laura P.A.A.; Rossit C.A.; Bambill D.V. Journal of Sound and Vibration, December 2000, vol. 238, no. 4, pp. 720-722, Ingenta.