Top Tips for Tuning a Drum Kit
If you are a drummer, you should know the importance of tuning a drum kit. Your drums will lose their resonance, tone and projection if you don’t care for them properly. But, how do you go about tuning them? Here are some top tips that can help you in tuning a drum kit:
- Stretch the skin
Be ready to stretch out the bass drum head before tuning. Don’t be afraid to do it.
- Wear flat shoes
Either wear smooth-bottomed shoes or don’t wear any at all.
- Tune little and often
Tension should be increased slightly when you tune the front heat. Use half or quarter of a turn at a time.
- Use the lowest setting for the batter head
Regardless of what sound or style you want to achieve, tuning the batter head lowest will give the best sound in a drum than a resonant head.
- Begin at the bottom
If the overall pitch seems too low, go to the bottom head and increase another pitch level and then go back to tuning the top head. A few turn of the rods will get the head and bottom into tune with each other.
- Retighten the rods
When you are loosening or detuning a rod, use a slight re-tightening for ending the movement.
- Don’t use additional dampening on toms
If your drums are well-tuned with the right head choices, additional dampening is not usually needed, particularly in a live playing situation.
- Select your heads carefully
Consider the drum sizes and the sound you want. Generally, a thinner head produces a more resonant sound and it will give high pitches. Thicker heads are better for lower frequencies and give less ‘ring’.
- Combine different tunings and heads
If you want a crisp and tight sound with sensitivity, use a combination of tuning and heads. Keep the bottom head tight and