@bloopDS21 I constantly change my head set-ups, if for nothing else... it keeps my interest peaked, takes the boredom out of practicing and recording. Also, I rerely use the same style head on all the toms. See attached pic.
You're not alone!! Concentrate, focus exclusively on your "EARS". Pick up a simple inexpensive instrument that produces pitches. I suggest the "Hohner Melodica". It has a piano-like keyboard that you blow into like a trumpet. I use it all the time when I feel the need to indentify pitches. Great learning tool for well under 100 dollars. Every drummer should have a Melodica. Please let me know how you make out.
I'm a guitarist, but recently, (because I love playing drums) I bought some cheap kit, force 507 I think. I also have Tama's Tension Watch. I tried tuning it by ear and with TW. The kit still has stock heads. I experimented with different tensions from lower to higher, and always the same thing was happening: when tuned with TW with equal tension on each lug, the pitches were different on each lug, and otherwise, by ear, close pitches - different tension.
@Lesstra If you followed the tuning techniques on my channel but continue to struggle with tuning, you might have some issues with the drum itself. Best to check the shell for "roundness" (concentricity), also check the counter hoops. Reassemble the drum and try tunin g the head from several different positions... i.e 12:00 > 3:00> 6:oo and 8:00 o clock. Let me know if this helps
@Lesstra It's important to remember that Tension Watches, Drum Dials, etc. are nothing more than gimmicks. Having equal tension at every lug doesn't mean much. Like Bob said, your drum may be slightly out of round, but every drum/head will have slight imperfections that cause this problem. If the lugs SOUND similar, then the drum is in tune. If they have the same tension, then they have the same tension. Nothing more.
@XxStrongDrums1996xX Thanks for the reply. What you said is the only logical explanation that I could think of for this phenomenon. I'll be replacing stock heads soon, I guess, so I'll use the opportunity to check the shells for roundness and bearing edges for flatness. And what I ended up doing in this case is use the TW to bring the head up to some "numerical" tension, and then retune it by ear :) Because I'd been playing guitar for so long, I guess I like to have a frame of reference.
I'm thinking of getting a Drum Dial. What do you think about Drum Dials? Also, the recommended way to tune on the Drum Dial website is to replace the hoop each time you buy a new head. Is that true? I've never done that in my life!
@DXpac20 That is completely wrong. There is no reason to change the hoop each time unless it is bent/out of round or rusted. doing that will do nothing unless you would to go for a different type of hoop for a different sound such as die cast, wood hoops, pearl super hoops. You don't need Bob for this question I know I'm right! :)
hey bob. thanks for all the good tips from drum tunning to using the right shoe! XD. i had a question about jazz licks. i was wondering if you could either make a video or post a comment about a couple jazz fills i could use with rudiments and bass snare combinations. dont know if this is asking too much but it would be cool to get some advice. thanks again for the vids.
I just have a simple question; Should you remove the bottom head when tuning the top head? I have tried to tune my tom with both heads on but the drum just sounds so dead so i can't really hear a pitch, so would it make it easier if i remove the bottom head when tuning the top head and do you have any tips on how to make the drum sound more alive with a clearer tone?
@Civitify Hi C...simple question...simple answer. Remove the drum from the holder and place it on a flat surface (carpet, floor, table, etc) Tune the exposed head than flip the drum over & tune the other.
Hi Bob, what head would most likely get that 70's Pink Floyd/ Eagles/ all around wet, short sounding tom sound. I'm thinking the Hydraulic Glass, but I'm not completely sure
Hey Bob. love your vids. so many great tips. one thing is my toms. i have them tuned to the lowest posisble pitch. the overtones of the ring of the drum i eliminate with the evans "e-rings" . however. i lose almost all the rebound of the skins. and it becomes really hard to move around the kit with speed and efficiency. i tend to have to result in full arm "beating" rather.. any tips? i dont mind tuning tighter. just dont like overtones ringing out. like a dead sound for heavy metal.
@RobotDrums Thanks R. Experiment with 2 ply heads....Evans G-2 claer/coated, EC-2 SST and Black ONYX batters combined with EC, Genera and G1 reso's. Experiment exclusively on your 12" tom before Investing into a complete head ensemble. Don't be afraid to use different head types on Toms.
Hey bob. I got a pretty crappy drum set a while back and i tuned them with your methods. They sounded incredible, but not the exact sound i was looking for. How can i get short sustain sound thats just a tough punch. Like mike portnoys drums. I know you love resonance but i want to experiment.
Hm.. what about the tuning techniques John Bonham used? He'd do tight on top, and low on his ambassador heads on the bottom side. Is this an acceptable expiremental tuning?
Hey bob, when i tune my drum i always get that over tone just like the one at the end of this vid. so i have to place tape to cut the over tones out. Can yhu please tell me how to cut overtones with just tunning.
@Freedome23 try rotating the batter head 25 degrees ( 12:00>3:00) and retune. This will establish the best fit between the bearing edge of the drum to the head. If overtones persist try the Evans Mini-EMAD mufflers. They are descrete and totally adjustable. Another option is to pick some Velco round dots (hardware store) and place them onto the head surface close to the edges. Cna't EXPERIMENT enough.
@Freedome23 try rotating the batter head 25 degrees ( 12:00>3:00) and retune. This will establish the best fit between the bearing edge of the drum to the head. If overtones persist try the Evans Mini-EMAD mufflers. They are descrete and totally adjustable. Another option is to pick some Velco round dots (hardware store) and place them onto the head surface close to the edges. Cna't EXPERIMENT enough.
I'd experiment on your 12" drum before investing into a complete set of heads. The Evans "ONYX" or the EC2-SST are good starting points for the batter head. The reso head of my choice is the Genera-Reso...or the EC-reso for more focus.
Hey Bob, just a quick question, ( Sorry for my bad English).
I've got a custom drum set made of metal. The thing is, the drum head for my 10" won't fit because the drum is probably just half a millimeter (1/50 of an inch) too big. Earlier i used Remo heads, and with those i could kind of crack open the metal ring on the head and stretch it, still sounded the same, but my new evans heads are too solid. (Its G2, if that makes any difference). What can i do to make it fit?
@viXzen Tension the heads to a very high tuning...as high as a "snare" drum tuning. Play on it for a day disregarding the sound. Then simply de-tune it to the proper pitch. This procedure should "seat" the head.
Bob, I have the Evans Magnetic Head Key, and it does'nt fit my Tama Starclassic kit! D: Tama comes standard with Evans Heads, so why don't the key fit the drums?? D:
@bobgatzen the key is to big and slips over the square head of the lug when i try to tune my drums, even on my 16" witch is barely over finger tight! D:
@bobgatzen Is it one key rod that the key does not fit properly? If so replace it with a key rod that works off another drum. If the "switch" works than it's likely the tension rod is the culprit.
@bobgatzen Does the key-rod have a small metallic washer on it? If so, loosen all the keyrods until the head flops out. Starting with the "trouble maker" insert and tension slightly, then begin tensioning all the t-rods. Let me know if it fits.
Im a drummer and i have an extra floor tom that is 16in...any suggestions for tuning it? it is a little more difficult because it is much larger than a regular floor tom. Also postion it with the other floor tom is some what difficult because i can not hit it. One last thing is the place im playing is not very acoustic and i was wondering is there any places i should practice that may seem to keep the sound better/except for recording studios. also my drumset is a Gretsch is that a good set??
Im a drummer and i have an extra floor tom that is 16in...any suggestions for tuning it? it is a little more difficult because it is much larger than a regular floor tom. Also postion it with the other floor tom is some what difficult because i can not hit it. One last thing is the place im playing is not very acoustic and i was wondering is there any places i should practice that may seem to keep the sound better/except for recording studios.
Wow... love your playing and your videos, but I'm a drummer who did lots of ear training and sang in choir, and I've gotta say, I heard VERY different pitches throughout this video. LOL
@sp3ci4lkpo Thanks s. Drum set toms were never designed to produce "absolute" pitch. The issue is rampant overtones that confuse the listener, especially in regards to "proximity"... positioning between the drum and the listener. Nature of the beast...age old problem.
Tom Pitch Laws- There are 2 pitches to pay attention to... individual & overall.
1.Individual - pitch of each head with one head muffled.
2.Overall- striking the batter head on the kit with both heads vibrating.
Thanx for posting these vids!! i've been playing drums since i was about 12yrs old, im 33 now! and im embarrassed to say that i've never learned to properly tune drums. I recently aquired a Ddrum kit, Maple/Ash, evans g2 coated heads on toms, evans coated "dry" on snare, and emad g2 for 24" bass drum just like the one in your vid...and i have ta say that your vids have been the MOST helpful for me and tuning my drums! they sound more awsome than i could've ever imagined!! THANX!!
@bobgatzen hahaha, yea pretty sad huh? i usually got'em tuned close to the "right" sound i wanted b4, but your vids helped me with tuning so much...a million times better! thanx again, and yes keep in touch!
I just ordered a new drum kit (Gretsch Catalina Club Mini) and i came across a major problem.... the 12" rack tom has 5 lugs on each side.... i could really use some advice on how to tune this properly, it seems impossible because of how you're supposed to change the pitch on the opposite side to change each lug...... the problem here is, the lugs arn't opposite of each other! And help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
@RijMemberAlec No problem Alec...here is the 5 lug tuning pattern... 12:00>5:00>10:00>2:00>7:00. The OTT pattern is diagonal rather than 180 degrees from each other. Let me know how it works out
@bobgatzen Wow thank you so much Bob! It literally took 1 minute and its resonating so well now thanks! I decided to watch as many of your tuning videos as i can, and it completely changed my views about tuning! Ive learned more than i can take in right now, i guess ill have to watch them again! Thanks you so much for your help!
Ive watched alot of you videos and learned alot ! But i got a 12" tom that wont tune "properly" and i noticed that the inside of the drum isn't plain. It looks like the wood isn't polished enogh. Also after some drumming it dusts off, and land on the resonant head. Can this effect the drum, and make it harder to tune ?
@dimendler Shiny and dull finishes affect the amount of BRIGHTNESS in tone. For instance Gretsch drums are know for their sliver matt inner shell finish. For sure this is a form of "tone control" but but has minimal AFFECT THE ACTUAL TUNING OF THE DRUM.
There are 3 basic elements that affect proper tuning......1. drum head out of true 2. Shell, Un-even bearing edges and 3. Shell out of round. There are videos on the channel concerning there tuning elements. Hope this helps
got another Q - when evening out the tension across the head I've noticed that adjusting the lug opposite to a high/low spot actually has a big effect on the pitch. would it be wrong to adjust BOTH lugs in order to even out the one high/low spot? hope this makes sense, cheers, loving your videos they're so helpful!
Hey Bob, I'm having trouble with my toms, they are 10", 13" and 16" Mapex Saturns, with clear emperors over ambassadors. I can't find a spot where they have a nice thick "boom". All I can get out of them is a rather plasticy "bwow". Do you think this is caused by tuning, or the wrong head choice? there is a video called "mapex saturn sound test" by user dazcam, that is an example of what I want to achieve. where would you say his toms sit in the tuning range, just above wrinkles, mid, high etc?
@fishingprize Have you spent enough time experimenting with the Lowest Possible Pitch (LPP) concept? You should be able to locate the sweet spot as long as you move upwards in pitch by no more than a 1/2 step at a time. many drummers are simply not paying attention to tiny incremental key turns. Give it another shot, practice on the 12" drum only... small incremental key turns...be gentle with the drum key.
Hey Bob! I am pretty new at drums, but you said tune your tom to an A pitch. I tuned my smallest tom (10 inches) to an A, but now what? What pitches do you recommend for tuning on the drums? When I hit all my other toms, the snare buzzes horribly.
Also, how can you get a dry sound with the toms? Clear, but with less resonance?
@bobgatzen Well the 2 other mounted toms I have are 12 and 13 inches. I also have a 16 and an 18 inch floor tom. I love love love Carter Beauford and his playing.... I love his toms and how they sound like on his Under the Table and Drumming video... Low resonance but a crisp and musical boom! Something like that or even CLOSE would satisfy me immensely.
@NoobTubre Carter uses Remo X Ambassadors. The equivalent from Evans would be the "ONYX head. Another combo from Evans would be the newly released EC-2 SST with a Genera-reso. Good durability, feel and sound for just about any musical genre. Hope this helps
@bobgatzen Thank you so much, I think I'm going to go to my local Guitar Center this weekendand pick up a few heads to see how they sound. Thank you so much
Hi Bob, I'm having soo much trouble with tuning my drum heads. I tune a head so it sounds nice but compared to the rest it sound out of tune so I change it to fit in and then I realize that all of them are out and I think Ive damaged the heads but dont have enough money to buy any new ones, I got told on a website to tune the two heads differently but it doesnt work. It just sounds worse. Any thoughts?
@devildrummerjack Send me the sizes of your toms and I'll send you a set of "pitches" to aim for. The 2 heads do not necessarily sound different... that's bull!
Thanks, Bob. I was finally able to tune my toms for once! My toms always sounded dead when I "tuned" them, and now they sound great! The toms finally finally, and I've managed to reduce some overtones as well. This helped me out so much.
Finkeltone wrote: Wow Bob - I have been studying drum tuning info for weeks and your videos seem too simple to achieve such great results, but they work! I just successfully tuned my floor tom for the first time ever. Not sure if I totally got the OTT, but I think I got the concept. I have never had such a big, round sound that fits in it's place with the rest of the set. It doesn't overpower everything else, it just fills its place better than ever and sounds so huge! Thanks so much
Hey Bob, so I'm having a problem with the ten inch tom on my Mapex Saturn kit. The rest of the drums tune up great and evenly, but the ten inch refuses to tune to a clear note. There are always two lugs that are higher than the rest, and it's impossible for me to even them out. This happens no matter what drum heads I use, and I'm beginning to think there is some problem with the shell itself, like it may be out of round. I can tune well, and this has never happened to me before. Any thoughts?
@matt2128 If you've tried several heads with the same results than it's more than likely the the shell is either out of round or bearing edges not being flat/even. There are 2 basic testing procedures..
1. remove both heads... measure the distance between 2 points along the bearing edge...12:00>6:00 & 9:00>3:00. If the reading vary 1/4" or more the shell is out of round. No fix
2. Place the drum on a flat surface and insert a light inside the shell. If the edges are uneven they can be re-trued
Hi Bob, i have a question for you. I've seen vintage drum kits with no reso heads on the tom toms. how do they work? and thanks for these videos, they are so helpful.
@drummer3620 Single headed toms generate both a short, immediate sound combined with the head feeling somewhat stiff compared to a double headed tom. Early on, toms were simple... one head, shell, easy to tune etc. They evolved just like anything else over time.
@raychepaguntalan123 The best we can do is to "minimize" snare buzz. Snare buzz is largely due to the style of tuning, distorted snare wires, the # of snare wires the contour of the snare bed. Try this simple technique...Tune the snare head to an “A”. Tune the batter head to the same pitch. 1/2 step at time…raise the batter head then strike the rack toms for snare buzz. Continue moving the batter upwards in pitch paying close attention to the amount of snare buzz generated.
I tried to tune my toms and they keep making this dull "thump" sound, I want them to to make a nice, deep, warm "doo" kinda sound. Do u think you can help me
@MyFilmsProduction Here is a technique I use for finding the drum's sweet spot. Best to match the reso & batter head to the same "lowest possible pitch" than move the batter upwards in "smal"l increments while listening to the tone. Once you reached a limit from the batter tunings, do the opposite...raise the reso in the same fashion and listen. Every drum has a sweet spot, our job is to tune the heads in tiny increments until you hit it. Be delicate with the drum key! Hope this helps
@bobgatzen Bob you are an Awesome teacher and musical friend. . . thanks for share-n your knowledge and taking the time to help other's who share the same passion!!! We really trust you. . . God bless ya man kenny S.t L
Hey Bob, what do you think about putting coated heads on the bottom of the tom, like say a coated G1? What effect does this have on the sound, also how would it change the sound if I tuned the bottom head higher? I am looking for a nice vintage rock sound
Thanks!
btw- absolutely love your videos, they've helped me so much!
can u help me i really messed up wid ma drmz i tuned them randomly i dey sound really funny n i want 2 tune it @ five how do i do it i dun knw d basic voice of five
I've got a question. I recently bought my first drumset (A used Ludwig 5 piece, Rocker series) and replaced all the heads that were on there with Evans heads and they all sound great, but the one drum that I'm having some trouble with tuning is the big tom. It's too loud, and is a bit overwhelming, I tried even putting two squares of moongel on it, and it still is overwhelming. Is this what people refer to as "overtone"? Any tips? (Thanks in advance if you do answer!)
@Musefan6732 If you can't afford that, just put a pillow or a blanket in it and make sure it's hitting the drum that your hitting. It will help it out. If you won't a little bit of openness, use the blanket, for the sound dead from the 70's, get the pillow.
Hi Bob, what is your opinion on the Drumdial or Tama Tension Watch and similar products? I mean, obviously, these cannot make the drums sound better all by themselves, but for quick re-tune, might help? What do you think? Thanks for the great videos, I think I am not the only one who has learned how to tune drums after years of pointless effort.
@misan89 The DrumDial is the most accurate tuning device. This is due to it measuring actual head (surface) tension vs t-rod tension. The Torgue key is just fine for rough estimates and very portable, handy to use. Why not both?
Please someone tell Bob Gatzen or if anyone can email me information on - By adding a port hole on the bass drum reso head, how does that affect the sound of the kick drum??? I don't mic my drums, but I want to know what the 4-5 inch hole does to the sound. Do I even need to cut the hole??
@dannysanchez31 The vent hole design grew out of being able to insert a microphone inside the drum shell. Sound-Wise the vent hole will shorten sustain and decreasing low frequencies. Personally I use both methods (in & outside of the drum mic’ing)
Last 2 vids were shot with a NV head. I place a mc about 4-6" off-center on the I use 2RESO head and a Shure PMZ on the floor behind the kit facing the batter head. 2 EQ pads to control sustain. Sounds great...and feels wonderful at the pedal.
Hi Bob, I think there's something wrong with the EC2 SST heads I got today. I put them on, tuned them a little above lowest possible pitches (tops & bottom pitches matched) & then the strangest thing happened... the drums sound huge, feel great (I like some give to the heads), tons of attack, sustain.. most important, I was rockin out 5 minutes after putting the heads on. Where's the tweaking? The back & forth, lug to opposite lug removing overtones? Too easy! I love the SST EC2s!
@bobgatzen Haha, sorry. These are even BETTER than the previous EC2s! As a test, because I love Bonham & Ringo, I put a Remo Emperor coated on my 12" tom. I can't tell you how much tweaking I had to do to find a decent tone. It did not tune well in the low range (Bonham cranked his way up). I love low tunings & the EC2 SST's are PERFECT for that... My 12" tom is just about a "B". The pitch at each lug is a G, G-sharp... sound about right? Lug pitch is lower than the actual drum pitch, correct?
@gbengston14 Ok ben....great message! This one's going to the Evans group today...they need some Inspo as well.
Yes, correct... you're in the ballpark. Good job my friend! Generally, the specific pitch usually is between G-A... the overall pitch is commonly 1/2 to 1 step higher.
Here are "Overall" tom pitches that will get you in the ballpark. Pitches can vary depending on head type and shell construction.
Remember! “Specific” pitch is muting one head while tuning the other. Overall pitch is striking the tom while mounted on the kit. 16"> B-C, 14"> D-Eb, 12"> F-Ab, 10" > C-D and the 13” is generally happy around an "E".
Also, you can tune in octaves between the 14"&10@ D and the 16”-12”@ C
@darrel1551 1 tom at a time, start with the 12" tom. Tune both heads as low as possible and match the pitches. Than move the batter up 1/2 step (listen) than another 1/2 step (listen) and again 1 more time.
Next move the reso up in 1/2 step pitches in the same fashion while listening closely in the way each tuning affects the sound. This is a great way to explore the drum's "useful" tuning range. keep in mind that the smallest diameter drum 8" and largest 16' the least amount of tuning range.
@TheHUsKiEz The largest (14"&16") and smallest (8"&10") diameter toms have the least amount of tuning range. Begin by tuning both the reso & batter to the LOWEST POSSIBLE PITCH. Make very small deliberate drum key turns and do your best to match the pitches between the batter and resonant heads. The next step is to tune both heads upwards in pitch by 1/2-step increments, listening to each stage. Continue with this process until your achieve a sweet spot. Tune in very small increments & listen!
should i start tuning the top or bottom head first, i just recently got a new set and i havent played in 2 years and i was never good at tuning so i dont know what im doing anymore :/
@EZCreepin Tuning and matching both heads to the lowest possible pitch (LPP) is the starting point. Next step is to raise the pitches of both heads until you discovery a range that strike you fancy. For instance, let's say an "A" pitch is LLP. Next raise the pitch in 1/2 step increments (Bb, B, C etc). Once you find the perfect range than you can raise the pitch of each head separately for different affects. (Pitch bend up or down).
i just feel like im doing it wrong because the head never sounds like the note i want to go for, i want to get a led zeppelin feel for my toms and bass, its just real nice and sounds good, but thanks alot bob!
ahh, they are remo, i cant think of the series right now, i bought the set off my friend and he didnt tell me the heads, im planning on getting either remo emperor coated and ambassador or evans coated
i knew remo for the zep sound, i just had a terrible time tuning, they said something about tuning the resonant side higher than the badder side and i was always scared cuz i didnt want to ruin my heads when i first get them
@scott111193 I'm constantly cahnging around. Currently I'm using the EC-2SST batter w/the EC-reso on the black flamed kit. The blur flamed kit I'm using different head combinations on each drum.
10" tom Powercenter batter/G-1 clear reso, 12" tom ONYX batter/ Genera reso, 14" floor tom-G-2 Coated batter/ Genera coated, 16" tom- EC2SST clear / EC-reso. EXPERIMENT is the only way to discover your sound
I've been using Remo Coated Emperors on my toms for quite some time now. Recently, after watching some videos and trying them on my friend's drums, I can just say that I am absolutely IN LOVE with Evans heads!
Therefore, could you please tell me what heads are used in this video? :)
@KonstantinUb That's great to hear K. The tom head is the EC2 batter with a G-1 clear reso. This was shot some time ago. Since then we have imporved performance on the 2nd generation EC's which are not titled "EC2-SST". The controll rings are not black with a more flexible material.
@KonstantinUb No problem...These days the Hydraulics are pretty esoteric (shrt sustain, thuddy, fat attack).If your playing a music genre that's appropriate (60's-70's sound) they may the the best choice.
Hi bob, any advice on a lower punchy tuned tom sound. as opposed to the highly resonant sound in this vid. also does each head have a "natural" pitch? great vids. =D
Bob, i have always heard about this, but i never understood it. how would it sound if both heads were tuned at the exact same tension, if the batter head was tuned higher than the reso head, and if the reso head was tuned higher than the batter. how would each sound? Can you please clarify it for me? thanks :)
Equal tuning of the the reso and batter will generate more "pitch" clarity. Detuning the batter relative to the reso will create eigther an up or down "Pitch Bend" affect...Bah-OOO or BOO-ah. Experiment with these 3 settings and you'll be that much closer to discovering your personas, signature sound.
@alexthedrummer666 Equal pitch versus bitch bend sound has alot to do with Musical genres...making true guide lines impossible. For instance an R&B drummer might find a loose tension setiing approriate versus a metal drummer relying on higher tension tuning. Experiment and you'll discover your sound & feel.
@alexthedrummer666 Sure...Tune both heads to the "lowest possible pitch" eliminate wrinkles and "boinginess" in sound. Raise the pitch of the batter 1/2 step-listen, than the reso 1/2 step-listen. Continue this procedure until you sense a pitch combination that suits your taste. Once the "pitch-range" is established, you can fool with raising or lowering the batter head to create pitch-bend.
@35delight When your feeling confused its best to embrace a simple law that helps to keep you "grounded".
So... repeat this phrase over & over....
SOUNG is FEELfeel is EMOTIONemotion is EXPRESSION.
SOUND > FEEL > EMOTION >EXPRESSION
Ultimately, at the end of the day creativity, ideas & concepts all boil down to... SELF-EXPRESSION. This is what every artist is after! Express Yourself!
Thanks for all the help Bob, you are an expert on all things drum, and the best part, you are also a master at teaching all the techniques and scientific reasoning behind the great drum sounds. You make all those fools at "expert" village look like complete ass-clowns.
@sticksbass Absolutley...that's old school philosophy that surfaced at a time when drum head quality was questionable. Today we manufacture high quality, accurate drum heads... no need to use your BD batter head as a trampoline!!
Great vids Bob, Hey what drumheads do you use ? And Why ?
bloopDS21 1 month ago
@bloopDS21 I constantly change my head set-ups, if for nothing else... it keeps my interest peaked, takes the boredom out of practicing and recording. Also, I rerely use the same style head on all the toms. See attached pic.
bobgatzen 1 month ago
You're not alone!! Concentrate, focus exclusively on your "EARS". Pick up a simple inexpensive instrument that produces pitches. I suggest the "Hohner Melodica". It has a piano-like keyboard that you blow into like a trumpet. I use it all the time when I feel the need to indentify pitches. Great learning tool for well under 100 dollars. Every drummer should have a Melodica. Please let me know how you make out.
bobgatzen 1 month ago
even with this video I'm still absolutely shit at tuning. I honestly regret ever picking up this damned instrument.
dominiccss 1 month ago
Hi Bob,
I'm a guitarist, but recently, (because I love playing drums) I bought some cheap kit, force 507 I think. I also have Tama's Tension Watch. I tried tuning it by ear and with TW. The kit still has stock heads. I experimented with different tensions from lower to higher, and always the same thing was happening: when tuned with TW with equal tension on each lug, the pitches were different on each lug, and otherwise, by ear, close pitches - different tension.
Any experiences in this area?
Lesstra 3 months ago
@Lesstra If you followed the tuning techniques on my channel but continue to struggle with tuning, you might have some issues with the drum itself. Best to check the shell for "roundness" (concentricity), also check the counter hoops. Reassemble the drum and try tunin g the head from several different positions... i.e 12:00 > 3:00> 6:oo and 8:00 o clock. Let me know if this helps
Bob
bobgatzen 3 months ago
@Lesstra It's important to remember that Tension Watches, Drum Dials, etc. are nothing more than gimmicks. Having equal tension at every lug doesn't mean much. Like Bob said, your drum may be slightly out of round, but every drum/head will have slight imperfections that cause this problem. If the lugs SOUND similar, then the drum is in tune. If they have the same tension, then they have the same tension. Nothing more.
XxStrongDrums1996xX 2 months ago
@XxStrongDrums1996xX Thanks for the reply. What you said is the only logical explanation that I could think of for this phenomenon. I'll be replacing stock heads soon, I guess, so I'll use the opportunity to check the shells for roundness and bearing edges for flatness. And what I ended up doing in this case is use the TW to bring the head up to some "numerical" tension, and then retune it by ear :) Because I'd been playing guitar for so long, I guess I like to have a frame of reference.
Lesstra 2 months ago
Bob, you're a great tutor! It's good to get some clues from the pros :D
NotableJInx2 4 months ago
Hey Bob!
I'm thinking of getting a Drum Dial. What do you think about Drum Dials? Also, the recommended way to tune on the Drum Dial website is to replace the hoop each time you buy a new head. Is that true? I've never done that in my life!
DXpac20 5 months ago
@DXpac20 That is completely wrong. There is no reason to change the hoop each time unless it is bent/out of round or rusted. doing that will do nothing unless you would to go for a different type of hoop for a different sound such as die cast, wood hoops, pearl super hoops. You don't need Bob for this question I know I'm right! :)
DjHouse6 4 months ago
@DjHouse6 I knew it sounded really weird. I've been playing for 9 years now, and I've never done that.
Thanks so much!
DXpac20 4 months ago
@DXpac20 yea that would really suck I would be broke every time I re-head my set lol
DjHouse6 4 months ago
hey bob. thanks for all the good tips from drum tunning to using the right shoe! XD. i had a question about jazz licks. i was wondering if you could either make a video or post a comment about a couple jazz fills i could use with rudiments and bass snare combinations. dont know if this is asking too much but it would be cool to get some advice. thanks again for the vids.
a1rf0rce1992 5 months ago
Hey Bob!
I just have a simple question; Should you remove the bottom head when tuning the top head? I have tried to tune my tom with both heads on but the drum just sounds so dead so i can't really hear a pitch, so would it make it easier if i remove the bottom head when tuning the top head and do you have any tips on how to make the drum sound more alive with a clearer tone?
Civitify 6 months ago
@Civitify Hi C...simple question...simple answer. Remove the drum from the holder and place it on a flat surface (carpet, floor, table, etc) Tune the exposed head than flip the drum over & tune the other.
bobgatzen 6 months ago
Hi Bob, what head would most likely get that 70's Pink Floyd/ Eagles/ all around wet, short sounding tom sound. I'm thinking the Hydraulic Glass, but I'm not completely sure
bumjmm 6 months ago
Hey Bob. love your vids. so many great tips. one thing is my toms. i have them tuned to the lowest posisble pitch. the overtones of the ring of the drum i eliminate with the evans "e-rings" . however. i lose almost all the rebound of the skins. and it becomes really hard to move around the kit with speed and efficiency. i tend to have to result in full arm "beating" rather.. any tips? i dont mind tuning tighter. just dont like overtones ringing out. like a dead sound for heavy metal.
RobotDrums 6 months ago
@RobotDrums Thanks R. Experiment with 2 ply heads....Evans G-2 claer/coated, EC-2 SST and Black ONYX batters combined with EC, Genera and G1 reso's. Experiment exclusively on your 12" tom before Investing into a complete head ensemble. Don't be afraid to use different head types on Toms.
bobgatzen 6 months ago
Hey bob. I got a pretty crappy drum set a while back and i tuned them with your methods. They sounded incredible, but not the exact sound i was looking for. How can i get short sustain sound thats just a tough punch. Like mike portnoys drums. I know you love resonance but i want to experiment.
Thanks!
Eric
yenrac48 6 months ago
@yenrac48 if you want a metal sound, you should try and get a gibraltar click pad or other similar device. it gives the drum more attack and punch
skatrdude13 5 months ago
I love your videos! Could you do one about tunning a floor tom?? I can't get a nice sound from mine...
elmanoloj 6 months ago
Hm.. what about the tuning techniques John Bonham used? He'd do tight on top, and low on his ambassador heads on the bottom side. Is this an acceptable expiremental tuning?
azombiestool 7 months ago
@azombiestool Absolutely! The hi tension batter is intuitive... a natural choice of heads & tuning to the
POWER- HOUSE style drummer. Sure, it makes total sense if your hitting the batter with with everything ya got!!
bobgatzen 7 months ago
@bobgatzen Nice! Thanks Bob!
azombiestool 7 months ago
Love the voice tuning. Nothing better than an old school technique. Thanks.
nicksaregone 8 months ago
Hey bob, when i tune my drum i always get that over tone just like the one at the end of this vid. so i have to place tape to cut the over tones out. Can yhu please tell me how to cut overtones with just tunning.
Thanks !
Freedome23 8 months ago
@Freedome23 try rotating the batter head 25 degrees ( 12:00>3:00) and retune. This will establish the best fit between the bearing edge of the drum to the head. If overtones persist try the Evans Mini-EMAD mufflers. They are descrete and totally adjustable. Another option is to pick some Velco round dots (hardware store) and place them onto the head surface close to the edges. Cna't EXPERIMENT enough.
Good luck, let me how it works out
bobgatzen 8 months ago
Comment removed
ghettobootybadboy 6 months ago
@Freedome23 try rotating the batter head 25 degrees ( 12:00>3:00) and retune. This will establish the best fit between the bearing edge of the drum to the head. If overtones persist try the Evans Mini-EMAD mufflers. They are descrete and totally adjustable. Another option is to pick some Velco round dots (hardware store) and place them onto the head surface close to the edges. Cna't EXPERIMENT enough.
Good luck, let me how it works out
bobgatzen 2 months ago
Bob...you mean 45 degrees.
ghettobootybadboy 6 months ago
I'd experiment on your 12" drum before investing into a complete set of heads. The Evans "ONYX" or the EC2-SST are good starting points for the batter head. The reso head of my choice is the Genera-Reso...or the EC-reso for more focus.
Hope this helps out
bobgatzen 9 months ago
Bob, I'm trying to find drum heads for the "metal" genre. Specifically from Evans. Any ideas on heads?
-Thanks
ServesYaRight 9 months ago
Hey Bob, just a quick question, ( Sorry for my bad English).
I've got a custom drum set made of metal. The thing is, the drum head for my 10" won't fit because the drum is probably just half a millimeter (1/50 of an inch) too big. Earlier i used Remo heads, and with those i could kind of crack open the metal ring on the head and stretch it, still sounded the same, but my new evans heads are too solid. (Its G2, if that makes any difference). What can i do to make it fit?
Ulf.
viXzen 9 months ago
@viXzen Tension the heads to a very high tuning...as high as a "snare" drum tuning. Play on it for a day disregarding the sound. Then simply de-tune it to the proper pitch. This procedure should "seat" the head.
bobgatzen 9 months ago
@bobgatzen I will give that a try, but I'm not sure if it will work, does that make the metal ring any bigger? anyways, thanks a lot!
viXzen 9 months ago
thank you good sir!
great tips and really helps!
DougWCBH 9 months ago
@DougWCBH My pleasure Doug
bobgatzen 9 months ago
Bob, I have the Evans Magnetic Head Key, and it does'nt fit my Tama Starclassic kit! D: Tama comes standard with Evans Heads, so why don't the key fit the drums?? D:
SimenNaess 9 months ago
@SimenNaess Wow...I've never had a problem with Evans key, However, I'm not playing Tama drums (Noble * Cooley & DW... no problems with key fit.
I'd write to Evans on-line asking them if they have experienced any problems with Tama drums. I'm sure they will help you out
Please let me know what shakes Simen.
bobgatzen 9 months ago
@bobgatzen the key is to big and slips over the square head of the lug when i try to tune my drums, even on my 16" witch is barely over finger tight! D:
SimenNaess 9 months ago
@bobgatzen Is it one key rod that the key does not fit properly? If so replace it with a key rod that works off another drum. If the "switch" works than it's likely the tension rod is the culprit.
bobgatzen 9 months ago
@bobgatzen Does the key-rod have a small metallic washer on it? If so, loosen all the keyrods until the head flops out. Starting with the "trouble maker" insert and tension slightly, then begin tensioning all the t-rods. Let me know if it fits.
bobgatzen 9 months ago
hahah 3:17
twig123 9 months ago
@twig123 Glad your laughiing... can't take this stuff too seriously!
bobgatzen 9 months ago
@bobgatzen it's all good!!!
twig123 9 months ago
@twig123 Cool...let's stay in touch
bobgatzen 9 months ago
Hello Bob! Ive got problems with getting the pitches right between the lugs. Is there any thing you can suggest?
Thanks!:)
DrumminGaming 9 months ago
Hey bob i was wondering when you exactly know when the tom resonates, and how you can tell it does. What does resonate really mean? thanks
triztit 9 months ago
@triztit Generally when both heads are pitch the same. Resonance is how long the sound sustains.
bobgatzen 9 months ago
Im a drummer and i have an extra floor tom that is 16in...any suggestions for tuning it? it is a little more difficult because it is much larger than a regular floor tom. Also postion it with the other floor tom is some what difficult because i can not hit it. One last thing is the place im playing is not very acoustic and i was wondering is there any places i should practice that may seem to keep the sound better/except for recording studios. also my drumset is a Gretsch is that a good set??
zombieman5667 9 months ago
Im a drummer and i have an extra floor tom that is 16in...any suggestions for tuning it? it is a little more difficult because it is much larger than a regular floor tom. Also postion it with the other floor tom is some what difficult because i can not hit it. One last thing is the place im playing is not very acoustic and i was wondering is there any places i should practice that may seem to keep the sound better/except for recording studios.
zombieman5667 9 months ago
Wow... love your playing and your videos, but I'm a drummer who did lots of ear training and sang in choir, and I've gotta say, I heard VERY different pitches throughout this video. LOL
sp3ci4lkpo 10 months ago
@sp3ci4lkpo Thanks s. Drum set toms were never designed to produce "absolute" pitch. The issue is rampant overtones that confuse the listener, especially in regards to "proximity"... positioning between the drum and the listener. Nature of the beast...age old problem.
Tom Pitch Laws- There are 2 pitches to pay attention to... individual & overall.
1.Individual - pitch of each head with one head muffled.
2.Overall- striking the batter head on the kit with both heads vibrating.
bobgatzen 10 months ago
@bobgatzen thank to that comment to! very helpful!
steveorama1978 10 months ago
Thanx for posting these vids!! i've been playing drums since i was about 12yrs old, im 33 now! and im embarrassed to say that i've never learned to properly tune drums. I recently aquired a Ddrum kit, Maple/Ash, evans g2 coated heads on toms, evans coated "dry" on snare, and emad g2 for 24" bass drum just like the one in your vid...and i have ta say that your vids have been the MOST helpful for me and tuning my drums! they sound more awsome than i could've ever imagined!! THANX!!
steveorama1978 10 months ago
@steveorama1978 What a great story...12 to 33...coola! Thanks for the nice comment...I really appreciate it. Let's stay in touch steve
bobgatzen 10 months ago
@bobgatzen hahaha, yea pretty sad huh? i usually got'em tuned close to the "right" sound i wanted b4, but your vids helped me with tuning so much...a million times better! thanx again, and yes keep in touch!
steveorama1978 10 months ago
@steveorama1978 You're very welocme...my pleasure...absolutley...gotcha!
bobgatzen 10 months ago
Hey Bob!
I just ordered a new drum kit (Gretsch Catalina Club Mini) and i came across a major problem.... the 12" rack tom has 5 lugs on each side.... i could really use some advice on how to tune this properly, it seems impossible because of how you're supposed to change the pitch on the opposite side to change each lug...... the problem here is, the lugs arn't opposite of each other! And help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
-Alec
RijMemberAlec 10 months ago
@RijMemberAlec No problem Alec...here is the 5 lug tuning pattern... 12:00>5:00>10:00>2:00>7:00. The OTT pattern is diagonal rather than 180 degrees from each other. Let me know how it works out
Bob
bobgatzen 10 months ago
@bobgatzen Wow thank you so much Bob! It literally took 1 minute and its resonating so well now thanks! I decided to watch as many of your tuning videos as i can, and it completely changed my views about tuning! Ive learned more than i can take in right now, i guess ill have to watch them again! Thanks you so much for your help!
-Alec
RijMemberAlec 10 months ago
@RijMemberAlec Goooood news! I can't get enough of it! Thanks so much for taking the time to write Alec..
bobgatzen 10 months ago
5:42 to 5:56 just schooled young drummers everywhere
vipfal 11 months ago
Hi Bob!
Ive watched alot of you videos and learned alot ! But i got a 12" tom that wont tune "properly" and i noticed that the inside of the drum isn't plain. It looks like the wood isn't polished enogh. Also after some drumming it dusts off, and land on the resonant head. Can this effect the drum, and make it harder to tune ?
my 10" and 16" tune perfectly.
dimendler 11 months ago
@dimendler Shiny and dull finishes affect the amount of BRIGHTNESS in tone. For instance Gretsch drums are know for their sliver matt inner shell finish. For sure this is a form of "tone control" but but has minimal AFFECT THE ACTUAL TUNING OF THE DRUM.
There are 3 basic elements that affect proper tuning......1. drum head out of true 2. Shell, Un-even bearing edges and 3. Shell out of round. There are videos on the channel concerning there tuning elements. Hope this helps
Bob
bobgatzen 11 months ago
got another Q - when evening out the tension across the head I've noticed that adjusting the lug opposite to a high/low spot actually has a big effect on the pitch. would it be wrong to adjust BOTH lugs in order to even out the one high/low spot? hope this makes sense, cheers, loving your videos they're so helpful!
fishingprize 1 year ago
Hey Bob, I'm having trouble with my toms, they are 10", 13" and 16" Mapex Saturns, with clear emperors over ambassadors. I can't find a spot where they have a nice thick "boom". All I can get out of them is a rather plasticy "bwow". Do you think this is caused by tuning, or the wrong head choice? there is a video called "mapex saturn sound test" by user dazcam, that is an example of what I want to achieve. where would you say his toms sit in the tuning range, just above wrinkles, mid, high etc?
fishingprize 1 year ago
@fishingprize Have you spent enough time experimenting with the Lowest Possible Pitch (LPP) concept? You should be able to locate the sweet spot as long as you move upwards in pitch by no more than a 1/2 step at a time. many drummers are simply not paying attention to tiny incremental key turns. Give it another shot, practice on the 12" drum only... small incremental key turns...be gentle with the drum key.
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Hey Bob! I am pretty new at drums, but you said tune your tom to an A pitch. I tuned my smallest tom (10 inches) to an A, but now what? What pitches do you recommend for tuning on the drums? When I hit all my other toms, the snare buzzes horribly.
Also, how can you get a dry sound with the toms? Clear, but with less resonance?
NoobTubre 1 year ago
@NoobTubre What are your tom sizes and what style of music do you like playing?
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen Well the 2 other mounted toms I have are 12 and 13 inches. I also have a 16 and an 18 inch floor tom. I love love love Carter Beauford and his playing.... I love his toms and how they sound like on his Under the Table and Drumming video... Low resonance but a crisp and musical boom! Something like that or even CLOSE would satisfy me immensely.
NoobTubre 1 year ago
@NoobTubre Carter uses Remo X Ambassadors. The equivalent from Evans would be the "ONYX head. Another combo from Evans would be the newly released EC-2 SST with a Genera-reso. Good durability, feel and sound for just about any musical genre. Hope this helps
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen Thank you so much, I think I'm going to go to my local Guitar Center this weekendand pick up a few heads to see how they sound. Thank you so much
NoobTubre 1 year ago
@NoobTubre Cool... please let me know how they work out... don't forget to put on your "lab" jacket!!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Hi Bob, I'm having soo much trouble with tuning my drum heads. I tune a head so it sounds nice but compared to the rest it sound out of tune so I change it to fit in and then I realize that all of them are out and I think Ive damaged the heads but dont have enough money to buy any new ones, I got told on a website to tune the two heads differently but it doesnt work. It just sounds worse. Any thoughts?
devildrummerjack 1 year ago
@devildrummerjack Send me the sizes of your toms and I'll send you a set of "pitches" to aim for. The 2 heads do not necessarily sound different... that's bull!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Can't ask for more than that on this second day of the year. Always happy to help out...my pleasure...big THANK YOU R!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Thanks, Bob. I was finally able to tune my toms for once! My toms always sounded dead when I "tuned" them, and now they sound great! The toms finally finally, and I've managed to reduce some overtones as well. This helped me out so much.
randomgmrtag 1 year ago
Finkeltone wrote: Wow Bob - I have been studying drum tuning info for weeks and your videos seem too simple to achieve such great results, but they work! I just successfully tuned my floor tom for the first time ever. Not sure if I totally got the OTT, but I think I got the concept. I have never had such a big, round sound that fits in it's place with the rest of the set. It doesn't overpower everything else, it just fills its place better than ever and sounds so huge! Thanks so much
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen I love success stories... can't tell you how much I appreciate your writing! Happy Holidays!!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Hey Bob, so I'm having a problem with the ten inch tom on my Mapex Saturn kit. The rest of the drums tune up great and evenly, but the ten inch refuses to tune to a clear note. There are always two lugs that are higher than the rest, and it's impossible for me to even them out. This happens no matter what drum heads I use, and I'm beginning to think there is some problem with the shell itself, like it may be out of round. I can tune well, and this has never happened to me before. Any thoughts?
matt2128 1 year ago
@matt2128 If you've tried several heads with the same results than it's more than likely the the shell is either out of round or bearing edges not being flat/even. There are 2 basic testing procedures..
1. remove both heads... measure the distance between 2 points along the bearing edge...12:00>6:00 & 9:00>3:00. If the reading vary 1/4" or more the shell is out of round. No fix
2. Place the drum on a flat surface and insert a light inside the shell. If the edges are uneven they can be re-trued
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Hi Bob, i have a question for you. I've seen vintage drum kits with no reso heads on the tom toms. how do they work? and thanks for these videos, they are so helpful.
drummer3620 1 year ago
@drummer3620 Single headed toms generate both a short, immediate sound combined with the head feeling somewhat stiff compared to a double headed tom. Early on, toms were simple... one head, shell, easy to tune etc. They evolved just like anything else over time.
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen Thanks for taking a little bit of your time to answer my question.
drummer3620 1 year ago
@drummer3620 No problem...my pleasure...if it helps out
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@raychepaguntalan123 The best we can do is to "minimize" snare buzz. Snare buzz is largely due to the style of tuning, distorted snare wires, the # of snare wires the contour of the snare bed. Try this simple technique...Tune the snare head to an “A”. Tune the batter head to the same pitch. 1/2 step at time…raise the batter head then strike the rack toms for snare buzz. Continue moving the batter upwards in pitch paying close attention to the amount of snare buzz generated.
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Hey Bob, do you know how I can get rid of those 'growl' sounds on my toms?
HolyDeth 1 year ago
@HolyDeth Fine tuning is the way to eliminate buzz & growl. Very small incremental drum key turn WHILE TAPPING THE CENETR OF THE HEAD.
If this doesn't work, loosen all t-rods and shift the head left or right 90 degrees ( 12:00<3:00 o clock). and try tuning again.
Let us know if this proves successful
Bob
bobgatzen 1 year ago
I tried to tune my toms and they keep making this dull "thump" sound, I want them to to make a nice, deep, warm "doo" kinda sound. Do u think you can help me
MyFilmsProduction 1 year ago
@MyFilmsProduction Here is a technique I use for finding the drum's sweet spot. Best to match the reso & batter head to the same "lowest possible pitch" than move the batter upwards in "smal"l increments while listening to the tone. Once you reached a limit from the batter tunings, do the opposite...raise the reso in the same fashion and listen. Every drum has a sweet spot, our job is to tune the heads in tiny increments until you hit it. Be delicate with the drum key! Hope this helps
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen Bob you are an Awesome teacher and musical friend. . . thanks for share-n your knowledge and taking the time to help other's who share the same passion!!! We really trust you. . . God bless ya man kenny S.t L
kennyz6979 1 year ago
@kennyz6979 BIG thanks for the kind words Kenny! It keeps me motivated knowing that I'm keeping drummers drumming. This is my mission!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
is it a good idea to put on new heads in winter? :)
Great videos btw , helped me alot !
Psychostick1 1 year ago
@Psychostick1 Wonderful Ps! My pleasure...Thanks for writing
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Hey Bob, what do you think about putting coated heads on the bottom of the tom, like say a coated G1? What effect does this have on the sound, also how would it change the sound if I tuned the bottom head higher? I am looking for a nice vintage rock sound
Thanks!
btw- absolutely love your videos, they've helped me so much!
bumjmm 1 year ago
@bumjmm idf you want to generate a "warmer", softer tone...less edgy... than the you're right on track on the coated reso-head idea.
bobgatzen 1 year ago
hey bob plzzz,
can u help me i really messed up wid ma drmz i tuned them randomly i dey sound really funny n i want 2 tune it @ five how do i do it i dun knw d basic voice of five
hamxa1990 1 year ago
Only 50 thousand people heard your secret its okay!
SmileyJet 1 year ago
@SmileyJet That SOUNDS good to me!! Thanks for writing Smiley!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen no problem man! nice video btw really helped me! Thanks
SmileyJet 1 year ago
@SmileyJet That's great to hear... feel free to contact me
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Hey Bob,
I've got a question. I recently bought my first drumset (A used Ludwig 5 piece, Rocker series) and replaced all the heads that were on there with Evans heads and they all sound great, but the one drum that I'm having some trouble with tuning is the big tom. It's too loud, and is a bit overwhelming, I tried even putting two squares of moongel on it, and it still is overwhelming. Is this what people refer to as "overtone"? Any tips? (Thanks in advance if you do answer!)
Musefan6732 1 year ago
@Musefan6732 First of all, large diameter drums have a very small tuning "window" be certain to use very small, precise key turns.
Muffling- pick up a packge of Evans Min-Emads Tuning strips. They work great... totally adjustable, easy to throw on and off.
Hope this helps
Bob
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen Thanks alot Bob! =]
Musefan6732 1 year ago
@Musefan6732 You're welcome...my pleasure Muse!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@Musefan6732 If you can't afford that, just put a pillow or a blanket in it and make sure it's hitting the drum that your hitting. It will help it out. If you won't a little bit of openness, use the blanket, for the sound dead from the 70's, get the pillow.
TheDirectorofFoo 1 year ago
thanks bob! this helps alot(: your videos are always so great!
cashmerestaten 1 year ago
@cashmerestaten great message... goes both ways. Knowing the information is helping drummers fulfills my desire. Thanks for taking the time to write.
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Hi Bob, what is your opinion on the Drumdial or Tama Tension Watch and similar products? I mean, obviously, these cannot make the drums sound better all by themselves, but for quick re-tune, might help? What do you think? Thanks for the great videos, I think I am not the only one who has learned how to tune drums after years of pointless effort.
misan89 1 year ago
@misan89 The DrumDial is the most accurate tuning device. This is due to it measuring actual head (surface) tension vs t-rod tension. The Torgue key is just fine for rough estimates and very portable, handy to use. Why not both?
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Thanx Bob! Keep up the great job!!
dannysanchez31 1 year ago
@dannysanchez31 Always do my best...now go back to sleep!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Please someone tell Bob Gatzen or if anyone can email me information on - By adding a port hole on the bass drum reso head, how does that affect the sound of the kick drum??? I don't mic my drums, but I want to know what the 4-5 inch hole does to the sound. Do I even need to cut the hole??
dannysanchez31 1 year ago
@dannysanchez31 The vent hole design grew out of being able to insert a microphone inside the drum shell. Sound-Wise the vent hole will shorten sustain and decreasing low frequencies. Personally I use both methods (in & outside of the drum mic’ing)
Last 2 vids were shot with a NV head. I place a mc about 4-6" off-center on the I use 2RESO head and a Shure PMZ on the floor behind the kit facing the batter head. 2 EQ pads to control sustain. Sounds great...and feels wonderful at the pedal.
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Thank you!!
i will get to that right away!
musicandlife11 1 year ago
is that a 12in tom that you are tunning
bladecorren 1 year ago
Hi Bob, I think there's something wrong with the EC2 SST heads I got today. I put them on, tuned them a little above lowest possible pitches (tops & bottom pitches matched) & then the strangest thing happened... the drums sound huge, feel great (I like some give to the heads), tons of attack, sustain.. most important, I was rockin out 5 minutes after putting the heads on. Where's the tweaking? The back & forth, lug to opposite lug removing overtones? Too easy! I love the SST EC2s!
gbengston14 1 year ago
@gbengston14 Hey cut it out! Ya scared me for a moment... thanks for the good news!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen Haha, sorry. These are even BETTER than the previous EC2s! As a test, because I love Bonham & Ringo, I put a Remo Emperor coated on my 12" tom. I can't tell you how much tweaking I had to do to find a decent tone. It did not tune well in the low range (Bonham cranked his way up). I love low tunings & the EC2 SST's are PERFECT for that... My 12" tom is just about a "B". The pitch at each lug is a G, G-sharp... sound about right? Lug pitch is lower than the actual drum pitch, correct?
gbengston14 1 year ago
@gbengston14 Ok ben....great message! This one's going to the Evans group today...they need some Inspo as well.
Yes, correct... you're in the ballpark. Good job my friend! Generally, the specific pitch usually is between G-A... the overall pitch is commonly 1/2 to 1 step higher.
Bob
bobgatzen 1 year ago
is there any certain pitches for each tom?
or just as soon as you hear residance?
thank you very much for the helpful information!!!
I got a drum set like 2 months ago and all I knew how to tune was the snare because thats what I play....so i got really confused
musicandlife11 1 year ago
@musicandlife11
Here are "Overall" tom pitches that will get you in the ballpark. Pitches can vary depending on head type and shell construction.
Remember! “Specific” pitch is muting one head while tuning the other. Overall pitch is striking the tom while mounted on the kit. 16"> B-C, 14"> D-Eb, 12"> F-Ab, 10" > C-D and the 13” is generally happy around an "E".
Also, you can tune in octaves between the 14"&10@ D and the 16”-12”@ C
Octaves are powerful…I use them whenever I can.
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Hello Bob do i have to finger tight every Lug Before i Tune it?
Rain245 1 year ago
@Rain245 Hi rain, It's a good idea...more sensitive to the touch
bobgatzen 1 year ago
hi bob ive been having problems with my tuning i followed all the instructions and my toms kinda sound very high any tips bob?
Thanks!
darrel1551 1 year ago
@darrel1551 1 tom at a time, start with the 12" tom. Tune both heads as low as possible and match the pitches. Than move the batter up 1/2 step (listen) than another 1/2 step (listen) and again 1 more time.
Next move the reso up in 1/2 step pitches in the same fashion while listening closely in the way each tuning affects the sound. This is a great way to explore the drum's "useful" tuning range. keep in mind that the smallest diameter drum 8" and largest 16' the least amount of tuning range.
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen thanks bob! :D
darrel1551 1 year ago
hey i wanna get a metallica sound for the black album... and i wanna no how i can tune my two rack toms and my floor tom.
TheHUsKiEz 1 year ago
@TheHUsKiEz The largest (14"&16") and smallest (8"&10") diameter toms have the least amount of tuning range. Begin by tuning both the reso & batter to the LOWEST POSSIBLE PITCH. Make very small deliberate drum key turns and do your best to match the pitches between the batter and resonant heads. The next step is to tune both heads upwards in pitch by 1/2-step increments, listening to each stage. Continue with this process until your achieve a sweet spot. Tune in very small increments & listen!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Thanks to your videos and tips, my drums have never sounded better. Thanks a million, Bob!
TheDirectorofFoo 1 year ago
I've actually tried the OTT method and it actually works! Thanks Bob for all the great info.
MYNAMETAYLA 1 year ago
@MYNAMETAYLA Nothing like good news...happy to help out Tayla
bobgatzen 1 year ago
should i start tuning the top or bottom head first, i just recently got a new set and i havent played in 2 years and i was never good at tuning so i dont know what im doing anymore :/
EZCreepin 1 year ago
@EZCreepin Tuning and matching both heads to the lowest possible pitch (LPP) is the starting point. Next step is to raise the pitches of both heads until you discovery a range that strike you fancy. For instance, let's say an "A" pitch is LLP. Next raise the pitch in 1/2 step increments (Bb, B, C etc). Once you find the perfect range than you can raise the pitch of each head separately for different affects. (Pitch bend up or down).
bobgatzen 1 year ago
i just feel like im doing it wrong because the head never sounds like the note i want to go for, i want to get a led zeppelin feel for my toms and bass, its just real nice and sounds good, but thanks alot bob!
EZCreepin 1 year ago
@EZCreepin Don't give up EZ...practice makes perfect!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@EZCreepin What heads do you have? That can really affect it.
TheDirectorofFoo 1 year ago
ahh, they are remo, i cant think of the series right now, i bought the set off my friend and he didnt tell me the heads, im planning on getting either remo emperor coated and ambassador or evans coated
EZCreepin 1 year ago
@EZCreepin If you want a Zeppelin sound, Remo Emperor, or Coated G2 would work. Tune them up a little higher than usual.
TheDirectorofFoo 1 year ago
i knew remo for the zep sound, i just had a terrible time tuning, they said something about tuning the resonant side higher than the badder side and i was always scared cuz i didnt want to ruin my heads when i first get them
EZCreepin 1 year ago
@TheDirectorofFoo Thanks back for the kind words...it's messages like yours that keep me motivated
Bob
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Do you use ec1's or ec2's? I want to use the same heads you have on your drums. Would you mind telling me what you have on all your drums?
Thanks
Scott
scott111193 1 year ago
@scott111193 I'm constantly cahnging around. Currently I'm using the EC-2SST batter w/the EC-reso on the black flamed kit. The blur flamed kit I'm using different head combinations on each drum.
10" tom Powercenter batter/G-1 clear reso, 12" tom ONYX batter/ Genera reso, 14" floor tom-G-2 Coated batter/ Genera coated, 16" tom- EC2SST clear / EC-reso. EXPERIMENT is the only way to discover your sound
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Hi, Bob!
I've been using Remo Coated Emperors on my toms for quite some time now. Recently, after watching some videos and trying them on my friend's drums, I can just say that I am absolutely IN LOVE with Evans heads!
Therefore, could you please tell me what heads are used in this video? :)
Best regards,
-KonstantinUb
KonstantinUb 1 year ago
@KonstantinUb That's great to hear K. The tom head is the EC2 batter with a G-1 clear reso. This was shot some time ago. Since then we have imporved performance on the 2nd generation EC's which are not titled "EC2-SST". The controll rings are not black with a more flexible material.
Welcome to the E-Club my friend!
Bob
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen Thank you very much, Bob! Guess all I have to do now is go to the Evans site and find an Evans dealer in Serbia. :)
Best regards, -KonstantinUb
KonstantinUb 1 year ago
@KonstantinUb Good luck!! you nevr know. Please let me know if there is a dealer in Serbia!
Bob
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen Yay! There's one in Belgrade. I'll make sure to give 'em a call. :)
KonstantinUb 1 year ago
@bobgatzen One more question, Bob. I hope I'm not being a pain in the butt. :)
What are your thoughts on the Hydraulics heads?
Thanks in advance,
-KonstantinUb
KonstantinUb 1 year ago
@KonstantinUb No problem...These days the Hydraulics are pretty esoteric (shrt sustain, thuddy, fat attack).If your playing a music genre that's appropriate (60's-70's sound) they may the the best choice.
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen Thanks, Bob! You've helped me greatly, both with your tuning lessons and your drumhead tips. Keep up the good work!
Best regards!
KonstantinUb 1 year ago
@KonstantinUb Always a pleasure to help out. Thanks!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Hi bob, any advice on a lower punchy tuned tom sound. as opposed to the highly resonant sound in this vid. also does each head have a "natural" pitch? great vids. =D
monkeygames18 1 year ago
Bob, i have always heard about this, but i never understood it. how would it sound if both heads were tuned at the exact same tension, if the batter head was tuned higher than the reso head, and if the reso head was tuned higher than the batter. how would each sound? Can you please clarify it for me? thanks :)
alexthedrummer666 1 year ago
@alexthedrummer666
Equal tuning of the the reso and batter will generate more "pitch" clarity. Detuning the batter relative to the reso will create eigther an up or down "Pitch Bend" affect...Bah-OOO or BOO-ah. Experiment with these 3 settings and you'll be that much closer to discovering your personas, signature sound.
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen Thank you Bob! do you know which drummers use each of the three settings?
alexthedrummer666 1 year ago
@alexthedrummer666 Equal pitch versus bitch bend sound has alot to do with Musical genres...making true guide lines impossible. For instance an R&B drummer might find a loose tension setiing approriate versus a metal drummer relying on higher tension tuning. Experiment and you'll discover your sound & feel.
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen thank you bob! it helped and i really appreciate it :)
alexthedrummer666 1 year ago
@alexthedrummer666 My pleasure alex!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@alexthedrummer666 Sure...Tune both heads to the "lowest possible pitch" eliminate wrinkles and "boinginess" in sound. Raise the pitch of the batter 1/2 step-listen, than the reso 1/2 step-listen. Continue this procedure until you sense a pitch combination that suits your taste. Once the "pitch-range" is established, you can fool with raising or lowering the batter head to create pitch-bend.
Bob
bobgatzen 1 year ago
@bobgatzen Thanks bob!
alexthedrummer666 1 year ago
@alexthedrummer666 My pleasure Alex
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Do you HAVE to have heads on the bottom of the tom?
bamabassist1234 1 year ago
what are you supposed to do with the resonant head
MRantoineV1 1 year ago
im so confused
35delight 1 year ago
@35delight When your feeling confused its best to embrace a simple law that helps to keep you "grounded".
So... repeat this phrase over & over....
SOUNG is FEELfeel is EMOTIONemotion is EXPRESSION.
SOUND > FEEL > EMOTION >EXPRESSION
Ultimately, at the end of the day creativity, ideas & concepts all boil down to... SELF-EXPRESSION. This is what every artist is after! Express Yourself!
Hope this helps
bobgatzen 1 year ago
Thanks for all the help Bob, you are an expert on all things drum, and the best part, you are also a master at teaching all the techniques and scientific reasoning behind the great drum sounds. You make all those fools at "expert" village look like complete ass-clowns.
comchef35 1 year ago
@comchef35 You're very welcome comche! Tha ks for the kudos abd especially the laugh!!
bobgatzen 1 year ago
does it matter what kind of drum head is on the bottom?
drummperson124 1 year ago
@drummperson124 Oh yes, the reso head controls sustain and pitch clarity. best to start with a simple single ply, un-treated head like the Evans G-1
bobgatzen 1 year ago
so you dont take your fist or knee and 'break a head in'; hear the glue crack, as alot recomend?
sticksbass 1 year ago
@sticksbass Absolutley...that's old school philosophy that surfaced at a time when drum head quality was questionable. Today we manufacture high quality, accurate drum heads... no need to use your BD batter head as a trampoline!!
bobgatzen 1 year ago