Tuning the Tama S.L.P. snare drum with Dirk Verbeuren

[JonEastling23]

Hey Dirk! I always have to tighten up the tention bolt that is located below where I hit, do you know if there is anything I can do to stop that?

Rock on

Jonatan Östling

[DirkVerbeurenDrummer]

@JonEastling23 Hey Jonatan! You can purchase little plastic "square bolts" that stop the tension bolt from unscrewing itself... Works pretty well!

[viktor7m]

Very nice video! I favorize this kind of low and fat tuning.What is the setup of resonant head (how tight it is)? Also, what heads and methods would you suggest for that kind of tuning. Thanks.

[DirkVerbeurenDrummer]

@viktor7m Thanks! The resonant head is fairly tight on this video, with still some room though. Choice of heads really depends on your taste and on your snare... Just experiment at your local drum store until you find the right fit. I love the Evans Hybrid batter, sounds great and virtually unbreakable!

[johnthompson88]

man how the fuck i can get same tuning to my double bass! it sucks ass.... and i hate when they are in totally different tunes.....

[DirkVerbeurenDrummer]

@johnthompson88 That's a tough one man. I haven't played on two kickdrums since the early 90s, but I reckon endless fine-tuning is key. You could also try to use the different sounds to your benefit musically, or use triggers.

[ShittyMcPoopyBalls]

@johnthompson88 Get the tama tension watch, it'll be your savior when tuning two of the same drums.

[speckon]

@ShittyMcPoopyBalls I also have it since 2004. It´s always useful when it comes to tune your kit! =)

[HugoRibeiroDotCom]

Dirk, I pretty disappointed that I didn't see you at NAMM 2012. :( I was looking forward to it.

[DirkVerbeurenDrummer]

@HugoRibeiroDotCom I'll be there next year for sure Hugo!

[BrandenburgStudios]

Great tutorial, but...

According to the "CC" Audio Transcripting, at about 03:15, it said

"So that's why I did Mr." ..... Okay Dirk, maybe you should turn off the Audio Transcripting, or leave it on, because it said some hilarious things! Haha, keep the good work up! Having those numbers written on the head is a great idea for starters!

[kevinplaysdrums1]

What is the relation between the batter and resonant side? Which one is tighter. About how much tighter?

[DirkVerbeurenDrummer]

@kevinplaysdrums1 A tight resonant head usually works indeed. Again, the key is to experiment. Try different settings and don't hesitate to remove the batter in order to focus on precisely tuning the resonant. Each snare drum has its own sound and may respond better with certain types of heads. Besides the Power Center, I recommend the Evans Hybrid which I find extremely durable and versatile. As for the resonant, the Evans Hazy 300 usually works very well.

[nerryblackberry]

How do you decide on what pitch to tune the snare to initially? That was always a big problem for me.

[DirkVerbeurenDrummer]

@nerryblackberry It really depends on what kind of sound you're looking for, and on the snare and heads you're using. I experiment until it sounds the way I want it to. Also, new heads need a little while to set in, so it's a good idea to regularly check and re-adjust your tuning during the first few hours of playing.