DrumTuning Intervals / Notes etc

[crillemannen]

Hi,

So i've just ordered a Tune-bot, and im pretty excited watching the videos showing what it is capable of. Finally gonna get consistent tuning throughout an entire album. You know i hate when you get the feeling of like "damn why isn't the snare as snappy as the other song" when you mix, despite using the same samples etc and that can often be tracked down to different tuning between songs.

I was wondering what intervals you usually tune your toms in. I know in classical music you usually tune in quarter notes but what about rock toms?

Share your experience!!!

 

[colonel_claypoo]

tune bot manual mentions different intervals for specific number of toms. I have only tried perfect fourths which the manual recommends for a set of 4 toms. it worked great!
you have to practise using the tune-bot, though. sometimes it's still tricky to get the lug pitches right.

 

[mva801]

Love that thing, but it does require some work and know how. I always tune the lowest tom first to the lowest note I can get with nice resonance, and then go up from there. Usually in minor or major thirds depending, but not always to a specific note. Drums don't really have to be tuned to the song, just so that they sound good with the song. So I wouldn't worry too much about always tuning to specific intervals.

Experimentation is key, as always.

 

[botus99]

I'm a fan of tuning in 4ths. It's the same interval in standard doorbells (dinnnng-donnnnng). I use 4 toms at the most though. When you're working with 5 or more toms then the major/minor 3rds really come in handy!

mva801 hit it on the head (bu-dum-tiss) though as far as tuning not necessarily HAVING to be in tune with the song and to just experiment until it sounds good. Be aware that the tuning of the resonant heads make a big difference as well! I do the same method involving the floor tom first and working my way up from there.

EDIT: 666th post :Shedevil: :Smokedev:

 

[mva801]

Be aware that the tuning of the resonant heads make a big difference as well!

^^ Truth. This also needs to be experimented with. I usually start with them tuned the same. Then try it a third above the batter head, then try it a third below. Different drums and head combinations will all work differently. You need to find what works with your drums, music, heads, and microphones.

 

[crillemannen]

Ok Cool guys. Well my brother is an awesome drummer and very good at tuning drums so i guess i'll be testing it with him and for once learn how to tune the drums properly

 

[botus99]

try it a third above the batter head, then try it a third below

OOOO!!! Something as obvious as this slipped my mind all these years, and now I'm admitting it online. Seriously though, I know what I'm doing tonight

 

[mva801]

Mess around with it for sure. I'd always tuned the resonant heads a bit higher, but I read an interview with the "drum doctor" (the tech for black album, nevermind etc) and he was saying he starts with the heads about the same pitch, then brings the bottom head DOWN if needed. I figured hey, that guy's drums sound spectacular, let the experimentation begin.

 

[Uros]

Well, as with most of the things in AE world all depends on what you want. If you want bigger sustain (more appropriate for slower/mid tempo stuff, so no wonder he tuned them that way on Black album), then it's a good idea to tune reso heads lower; on the other hand, if you are recording some faster stuff, where you want more definition/attack and tightness, less sustain from your toms will suit you better, so tune'em the same as batter heads or higher. Not a commandment of course.

 

[hurdy]

Well, as with most of the things in AE world all depends on what you want. If you want bigger sustain (more appropriate for slower/mid tempo stuff, so no wonder he tuned them that way on Black album), then it's a good idea to tune reso heads lower; on the other hand, if you are recording some faster stuff, where you want more definition/attack and tightness, less sustain from your toms will suit you better, so tune'em the same as batter heads or higher. Not a commandment of course.

^This +1

 

[tempe]

It really depends on the shell sizes, for a standard 12-14-16 inch set up I usually go a fourth between the drums, however I'm getting a lot of drummers using 12-16-18 inch toms in which case I'll use a fourth between the 12 and 16 and a 3rd between the 16 and 18.

 

[ChrisTanakaCanwell]

tritones and minor 2nds :Shedevil:

 

[tempe]

Brutal.