The Definitive Word on Tuning Drums by Flavio Monopoli

We have all struggled with drum tuning. There are many different techniques and every drummer has their own way of getting the right sound out of their instruments. Here is a little insight into tuning your drums that you might find useful:

When you purchase drums, there are decisions you make that define your "sound". You select the material (maple, birch, mahogany...), you select the sizes, and you select the drum heads you are going to use on these drums. Granted most drums come with heads, but at some point you are going to change heads. It is at that moment that you will have to make some choices based on the style of music you play. If you play jazz, you would probably use lighter weight heads. Funk, R&B, and Pop would require medium weight heads and heavier music would require heavy heads. Also, coated heads tend to be a bit warmer sounding, clear heads - a bit brighter. Let me mention here that there are no rules, and this is just a guideline.

The three elements (material, size, drum heads) play a symbiotic role in creating the sound of the drums. You cannot make an 8" tom sound like a 14" floor tom. So why try? You should have a clear understanding of the sound you are looking for before you purchase your instrument and then buy according to the image in your head. The percussion experts at the store can help you define your sound. After all, drums are their specialty!

The following instructions outline how to tune your drums to allow the three elements to work together without forcing any of them to do something they were not designed to do. We will assume for the sake of this article that you are replacing all your drum's heads:

Take all the drums off the bass drum or stands. Remove all the mounting arms from the toms, the legs from the floor toms and retract the bass drum spurs. Lay all the drums on a carpeted section of the floor with the resonant side (the side you don't hit) facing up. This will eliminate any overtones from the batter side (the side you hit).

Take one of the toms. Remove all the tension rods and the hoop. At this point you should always do the following: a) check to make sure the hoops are not warped. You can do this by laying the hoop upside down on a flat surface. If you notice a gap between the surface and the hoop, chances are it's time for a new hoop. The common causes of this are either over tensioning of the rods, or dropping the drum on the hoop. b) Make sure you have all the tension rods and washers required for the hoop. c) Add lubricant to the tips of all the tension rods without going overboard. Remember that as you thread the tension rod into the lug casing, the little amount of lubricant you have placed at the tip will pass through the threading and eventually up the rod. d) You may want to check all the bolts and screws on the inside of your drum. Drums resonate, therefore these items tend to come loose. Tighten them all before putting the new heads on. e) You should also check the bearing edge to ensure that their will be maximum contact between the head and the edge. If the edge is damaged, it is possible to have it re-cut, but be forewarned that it can be a pricy proposition. 

Once the new head, the hoop and all the tension rods have been placed on the drum, finger tighten all the rods then apply pressure with your fist to the center of the drum head. You will notice that you can only push so far and that the head wrinkles. Using a drum key, and applying continuous pressure with your fist, proceed around the drum turning a quarter turn at a time until all the wrinkles disappear. Be patient, what you are doing will ensure that the head is on straight. Take a stick and tap the drum near each tension rod. You will notice different notes at each point. Pick a note that you feel sounds good. Don't worry it gets easier the more you do it! Chose a higher note for resonant heads, and a lower note for batter heads. All you have left to do is tune the rest of the tension rods to match the one you selected. Pretty simple, right?

Once you are done with that side, flip the drum over and do the same to the other head. The same goes for your bass drum. I prefer to use a bass drum head with a muffle ring attached. I find I can get more bottom end out of the drum that way versus using a pillow inside the drum.

I use the same technique for the snare drum, except I allow for an extra one to two turns at each tension rod before tuning, depending on the snare drum. This brings the tone of the drum up to snare drum range. To tune the snare side I lift the snares off the head and place a stick under them across the hoop to stop them from touching the head. If you are having a hard time with snare buzz, I find I can eliminate some of it by loosening the four tension rods around the snare wires. A half turn or so tends to do the trick. It will not disappear completely, but you can reduce it!

Try it, experiment with It, it does work, I promise! Keep drumming and always remember: Drums Rule! - Cheers!  Flavio Monopoli