This is without a doubt the most helpful drum channel on the internet. You cover EVERY little what-if's and not only is it highly informative, it's entertaining as shit.
Thank you so much! That means the world to us. We’ve got so much in the works that we can’t wait to share- some here on TH-cam and some over on our Patreon. Cheers! -Ben
You are an awesome teacher, man. I've been playing for almost 20 years. You taught me things in 12 minutes that I've been struggling to learn for ages. Keep up the great work.
You nailed again guys.!!! I have friends who try to make that 10" tom sound like a 12".They spend big bucks on quality kits and they just don't sound right.They listen to my 10" tom and say it's tuned to high.There the same people who's snare rattle and they end up sacrificing a great snare sound because of that 10" tom.I will definitely be sharing this video,thanks guys.Keep up the great work.As I've said in the past,your helping a Lot of people in the drumming community.!!!
great content as always! as a teacher myself, I'd love to see this channel's experiments and insights grow into the marching and also the concert community. maybe with guest hosts or interviews? could be pretty interesting... can't wait to see what you guys have in store for the future!
Great video. Definitely have been experimenting for the past two years with tuning. I know what heads I like and I dont like super highly tuned Tom's. I've come to a happy medium and it is partly thanks to you guys.
I love this video, especially that “A” to “B” comparison with the mics at the end. I would be very interested to hear that same comparison with the toms in their ideal range. Love the channel!
Great video! I think the common issue I run into is just not having the patience or enough time to actually mess with toms, diagnose sounds issues, or even just tuning them with a more mindful and precise touch. Eventually I get to a point where I’m tired of tweaking and just kinda roll with what I’ve got even though I know they can sound so much better
You’re dead on about how mics pic up toms (and sometimes the whole kit). Fine tuning is great for studio work, but I can’t say I’d do this for live. Guitars and other loud things shut the sustain down pretty quick. Great work here of course. You really give us a new way of thinking.🤘🏻🤘🏻
The more I play the more I see that "bad" or "off" sound itself doesn't exist. I mean: the most important thing is musical context. If it fits to certain musical style, purpose or application - it works! Personally my favourite style of tuning is bebop like: tight & focused but still open.
Wise words. You continue to educate our ears in order to be able to tune to our own preferences. Knowing how to do this is key. Many thanks and long may you continue. You could set something up like 21 Drums ( Dublin, Ireland ) and it would be a great success and, no doubt, over subscribed. Ty.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Sid! We’re so glad to hear that the methods and approach are resonating with you. We’ll keep developing what we’re doing for as long as we can. If you’re able to join us in supporting the channel through Patreon. We’ve got lots of exclusives and some big stuff coming up soon over there. Cheers!
This is great and I’ve dealt with all of these issues at one point or another. One thing I’d like to see is possibly addressing technical issues with snares. For instance, tension rods backing out of lugs when playing for extended amounts to if time, and other things line that. I think it could go along well with a video line this. Just trouble shooting issues in general. Thanks guys.
Thanks! We’ve got another episode we did on a similar topic for snare drum tuning just a few weeks back but we’ll actually be filming an episode on rimshots and lug locks very soon (potentially even this week!). Cheers!
Im not surprised this channel is growing so much. Great info, to the point, great drummer, great clarity and your manner is gentle not like Baker or Buddy. We love your shows keep it up and don't change the formula.
Nice video. The first messed up tom lesson is what I actually had to do with my snare. I had the reso just too tight and I keep the batter kinda mid, so I wasn’t really getting any sonic pressure to the reso to make the snare wires go, so I just loosened the reso a bit and now it’s got good response and good tones without too much overtone. Also, kinda going back to that Stanley Randolph left kit, I personally have purposely left my reso tom heads a bit loose for two reasons. 1. With the heads further apart in tuning you get more of that like twang sound and 2. it’s a lot more of an airy sound that often sounds more old school, so I especially do that when I play some funky stuff. I’ll even tighten the reso back up when I go back into rock/pop/hip hop drumming to get a more complete sound. The only thing that’s weird that I get, is sometimes my 12” creates this like weird airy sound when I hit it, but like it’s making something vibrate that isn’t supposed to. It doesn’t do it as much once I tighten the reso back up, so it seems like it has to do with the frequency and maybe even just some extra air coming out somewhere. But the way I see it is basically what you said at the end. If the sound works for whatever you’re going for at the time, then go for it. Don’t worry about being proper or correct based upon what the majority does. Just do you.
You guys should do a video talking about tuning for different shell constructions, like a maple drum versus a birch drum versus an oak drum, etc. I have a Ludwig keystone kit and I've got it tuned pretty well I think, I feel like you guys would have better know-how as to how to get the best possible sound out of an oak shell. Love the channel guys, keep rockin'!
We’ve got an entire comparison series in the works but need the support of viewers like yourself to help make it possible. Please consider supporting the channel via our Patreon (linked in the description of all of our episodes).
Great video as always, and really like the way you approach to the tuning issues on drums. You also touched a very good point of how the drums sound towards the drummer and how the drum sounds towards the audience, yeah that is a very important issue to consider on live show indeed. Thanks for the insights!
Hence why I have my guitarist sit at my kit and do a fill so I can hear what it sounds like. I also record the room just to hear how the sound carries.
One of the frustrating things for me, especially with some of the backline kits I encounter, is that they don' t always have suspension tom mounts but rather a stock tom mounting bracket affixed directly to the toms. Sometimes the tom holder stays on the outside of the drum (like Gretsch, Ludwig or Tama) or goes invasively into the drum (like Rogers, Yamaha or Pearl). What happens in these instances is that I will pull the tom off the tom holder and get it totally in tune and sounding great, only to have all that beautiful resonance and tone disappear after re-mounting the tom. I can get some of it back depending on how far in or far out the mounting rod is going into the drum's tom bracket, but then I run into positioning issues. We all know that those type of tom mounting systems are obviously putting some stress on the shell to the point where it can't possibly resonate freely, regardless of how well you tune the drum. And I'm old enough to remember when R.I.M.S. mounts first came on the market to address this problem (successfully I might add). But do you guys have any tips on how to achieve a better tom sound when a suspension type tom mount isn't in the cards? Thanks. Love your channel.
I’m glad you released a video about troubleshooting toms! Your troubleshooting snare video helped me figure out how to better tune my snare. So my unique problem is I have an 18” floor Tom that is so incredibly difficult to tune properly. I’m tuning using the resonance of the drum rather than the attack of the drum. My question is, what tips or workarounds do you have for drums that are particularly finicky or difficult to properly tune?
I had the same problem with my Pearl Masters 16 floor tom. Very chocked and cold sound. I replaced the legs with Pearl's LG 200/3 which are extend at the angle. Now it resonates freely.
18" floors are a specie of their own... mine is always sounding a bit off compared to the 13 and 16. Like it chokes itself out, the note is way too short. I made homemade "booty shakers" and that helps out A TON
Cody. I particularly liked the near/far comparison to show the throw of the tone. I've played kits that drummers think sound ringy but when they step away to let me play they think they sound great. It's nothing to do with my drumming that's for sure.
Cody, nice video episode. Most helpful in so many ways. I Love Toms too. I'm only a recreational / Hobbyist drummer , at 70 yo, retired. I play for personal pleasure and "fun". But I keep fooling with my Toms (5 of them !!), 8", 10" 12"[rack Toms & , 14" and a 16" Floor Toms. PDP concept Maple Kit with G2 Coated Batters , G1 Clear Reso heads. I find it so difficult to get that noce Doooo, Doooo sound (As explained by Jared on DRUMEO). Either I get too much Overtone, especially on the Floor Toms, or not enough tone if I tune them too low (batter heads). I then need to add Mufflers : Moon Gel or Gatt Tape to the batter heads. Do most Drummers, use Muffling to some extend? I don't see on any of your Drums... THX for the info and any responses. Happy New Year for 2022.
Amateur drum tech here. On my personal kit I tend to keep them at a medium low tuning cause thays where my drums sound best to my ear in relation to the snare with my 2 tom set up(kinda a muffled true medium to a barely muffled medium low. I love my internal muffler, and it can really affect the pitch if i go for it). I put a single drum dot on my 13 inch tom and have 2 currebtly on my 16 inch floor tom (for fun really. It doesnt need 2 but hey the extra attack is fun sometimes) However, when i tune other peoples kits for them,especially the toms, I always go through a formula. First I Check the heads to make sure i know if im working with heada that are warped or worn out (juat in case). Then i tune the heads, top and bottom until they are making the lowest clean tone I can get, then adjuat as needed to make the heads work together for a clean sound. Then, depending on how the drummer/band/sound tech wants it I can set it roughly to intervals, muffle, and tune them up in that order. My church's kit is odd, in that the leader (who plays drums on occasion) wants the drums to be low, have moderate tone, resonate a touch, and have moderate attack. Since im dealing with remo pinstripes, I tuned them to a nice low resonant tone, tuned them up a half turn, added rings and a strip of tape accross the bottom quarter of the mounted tom batter head (sucker really had to much attack). Ended up adding an eigth-of-a-turn to the mounted tom for interval reason (said he wanted thirds, but then changed his mind). Ended up with a nice sound through the mics, kinda a tuned up bluesy feel. I should mention the venue is small with horrible acoustics so loud and proud drums is not feasible even behind a cage, so I was tuning with bundle-sticks in mind. Anyways, if you know you're gona be muffling, highly recommend muffling the drums before you tune them up in tone, saves many a headache.
*I've a specific problem to solve at OMS Japanese Christian,* where the YAMAHA® RY2T4 kit and MSD14AF center drum, and accompanying PAISTE® cymbals, have a history of overprojection with the REMO® Ebony Pinstripe batters and Diplomat Clear resonants on toms. The low pitches I need to eliminate the overprojection really call for EVANS®/D'Addario® Heavyweight Coated Reverse Dot batters and G14 Clear resonants to hold sufficient tension on the lugs for stability. The MSD14AF's EC1 Reverse Dot batter has my target center-drum characteristic, but I'll probably have to go to a Resonant Glass tom-weight head for a snare-side along with a GROVER® Club Dark cable snare.
Thanks for the analysis guys. I noticed through 10+ years of drumming that tom suspensions systems that hold only the batter side, like RIMS, TAMA Mount, DW's, permit more sustain out of the drum than mounts like Pearl's optimount or Sonor' SQ2 mount.... This is mostly due to having a tension free reso head which increases the tuning range. Also floor tom legs that are bent 90 degrees instead of 45 let the floor tom resonate more. However, en extended version of the 45 degree leg like the Pearl LG200/3 will actually let the vibration carry through more, which makes the floor tom a bit more warm and full, especially for the 16"plus sizes.
A godsend as always! Do you guys have any solutions for getting a lower pitched, big fat snare sound temporarily (a song, section of song), when the normal sound on that snare either needs a handkerchief or moon gels? Small venue RnB stuff thanks!!!
Hey there, huge fan of yours. I have a 1983 sonor signature beech kit. If you know these drums you know how different and, in my opinion, cool sounding they are. That being said, They weigh a TON, and it would be nice to have a kit with thinner shells to do some different stuff on. I generally tune my reso heads just barely maybe half a turn higher than “contact” level, and the batter heads slightly higher but still very low. I use a tama (my second favorite brand possibly) starphonic walnut snare, with aquarian studio x batter side and aquarian classic clear reso side. The kick is 20x16 and I have super kick I batter and the stock sonor head reso. I can’t seem to get the volume of the bass drum up to where I would like. This may be simply because I tend to hit hard and play a lot of rim shots even on the toms. Any ideas for BD heads? I would like to go back to using all remo heads but don’t want to spend the money at this point, and everything sounds good with the aquarian heads so i’m just focusing on the bd now. I don’t like to use muffling on my BD unless i’m recording or the type of stuff i’m playing absolutely demands it. I was thinking of just using power stroke 3 batter and reso on the bass drum but wanted to hear what you had to say on this topic.
Thanks so much! We’ll be getting into all things cymbals in an exclusive series for our Patreon supporters soon. Please consider joining the Patreon via the link in any of our video descriptions to support our efforts and gain access to all sorts of extra content. Cheers!
Seconded, it would be nice to hear the tuning of each head with the other muted to hear the relative difference. Saying a head is tuned wildly inaccurate is a subjective term without the context of the intervals between the heads.
Well another issue I think that should be addressed is mounted Toms . After tuning the Tom off the mount and striking it while just holding it by the rim, the Tom sings nicely. Then when attaching it to the mount, all of a sudden the tone gets choked, the resonance is gone. I’ve run into this many times. Especially with mounts that are attached directly to the shell, as soon as the mount gets tightened the shell gets effected and the open tone is severely diminished. Even some drums that have a suspension system experience this. It’s kind of a drag when you tune the drum to a desired sound, the sweet spot if you will , then attach the drum to the mount and it doesn’t sound at all as it did before mounting it. Any experience you’ve had with this?
That's one of the reasons why we used these particular drums, which don't have any suspension system. I always recommend tuning the drum off the mount at first and then fine tuning on the mount (even better if you can easily rotate the drum while still mounted in order to access the reso side). The mounting system is another variable that needs to be accounted for so it's best to involve it in the process. Cheers! -Ben
love your channel and content but gotta tell you that in a musical situation any sound can work even the "wrong" sounding toms in your video are great for disco 70's sounding record dry without any sustain ... yes you can tune them the right way and throw some towel on it to damp the sustain ... but good video ... just remember that in art everything can work if you do it right :D
Hey Avi! We couldn’t agree more. This is something that we’re constantly reminding people of (in fact, it was the key element of yesterday’s Wednesday Wisdom post on our Instagram). We actually made reference to this at the end of this episode as well- context is key. Cheers! -Ben
I took one Tom off my kit because I can’t make it sound good, they all look like they’ve had some major heat damage from sitting in someone’s shed or garage for years before I had them. The plastic on outside is very wavy lol my set sounds way better as a 3 piece now, wish I could tune that 14” though lol
MikeXibalba Farms The outside color wrap is not important for sound but if the timber shell is no longer fully round but warped by heat then the drum is destroyed, garbage apart from the hardware, hoops , rods and tuners .
I actually kind of liked the first three bad examples more than the opening good example. Am I crazy? EDIT: The a/b at the end helped explain a very objective problem
Exactly! One of the key reasons why we don’t get into specific pitches or tune bot settings or drum dial measurements. If sound is what matters then let’s focus on how it sounds!
I always have this problem when tuning toms: there're two lugs (opposite lugs) that always sound so weird and so hi pitch, but without tone or something like that, even if all the lugs have the same amount of turns, it seems that those two lugs will never sound the same as the others. This is happening to me with an Absolute Hybrid Maple and a Stage Custom. Does anybody know why?
My drums sound great until I mount them on the hardware. They choke out when mounted but reso for days when I hold by the rim. I know this was the basis for the RIMS mounting system. I am gigging out with a Yamaha kit that uses the YESS system. It was just the 12 at first then I got away from them for a spell. Came back to them tuned them up sounded great and then the 10 started choking out! Definitely not expected. Super frustrating! Any suggestions?
Great video , just bought a pearl midtown and when I played a 10 inch Tom , I note a poor resonance , I changed the batter and reso drumhead because the factory drumheads are bad quality (very thinner) .I put a remo ambassador smooth white on batter and put a evans reso 10 mil ply on reso. How would do you recommend me tunning the tom for a better resonance ? Its a poplar wood.. Greetings from Mexico...
I was wondering how I can make my toms sound similar to timpani? I know they are two very different instruments and they will not sound exactly the same way, but I was wondering what tuning and drumheads I should use to make them sound similar to the timbre of timpani. I am not necessarily looking to tune them to definite notes, though. I have a Tama Superstar Classic maple kit.
My 10'' tom is making my snares buzz and sing in a way that should not be happening.. Puresound wires, evans heads.. Struggling a bit with the hd dry.. Bit papery... (?)
I have a PDP concept maple classic kit with 13 and 16" toms and i'm trying to find a good drumhead combination that will allow me to tune my drums pretty low but still resonate. Any suggestions?
I too have a regular concept maple. I love the Aquarian super 2 coated. They’re a double ply head, but 12 mil; one 5 mil, one 7 mil. With these heads you get the feel and sound of a 1 ply head with the durability of a 2 ply. I have tuned them super high to super low, and they work well. Extremely versatile head.
I think "problem 3" sounds amazing except for the lack of resonance and, I assume, less projection. Great punch and attack and seemingly zero wild overtones.
I saw a band playing live in Columbus Ohio once and the drummer clearly had no idea how to get good sound out of his drum set. He had shoved a bunch of laundry into his Toms until they all sounded completely dead. He actually did not sound like a bad drummer, but his drum set sounded like s***. This will always stick out in my mind as the biggest drum tuning fail I ever witnessed.
Sounds Like A Drum word of mouth is a powerful thing. So I agree. I just got done playing on my kit myself. Even touched up the toms. Just to see where I’m at on how I’m hearing them. They sound great. I use a Tune-Bot for fun.
@@SoundsLikeADrum So am I! Small world. You guys have great video production. I work locally for a TV network as an editor and a videographer. If you guys ever are looking for some free production help I'd be down. Be well. Great job on the videos. I'm also obsessed with drums and drum collecting. Be well, Happy New Year!
Tune higher. Bonham used big drums tuned very high. It sound wierd behind the drums but great a few meters away. The drums still has to be in tune just higher and not so high it chokes.
Good stuff guys...only one annoyance for me, when you're hitting toms or any drum for the sound or for a comparison between tunings, you hit sooooo slow between things i forget what i hear by the time you get to a comparison. but cool channel!
This is without a doubt the most helpful drum channel on the internet. You cover EVERY little what-if's and not only is it highly informative, it's entertaining as shit.
Thank you so much! That means the world to us. We’ve got so much in the works that we can’t wait to share- some here on TH-cam and some over on our Patreon. Cheers! -Ben
i starter playing drums about a year ago, and honestly a dont even want to imagine what my drums would sound like without this channel
Diego Venegas same here lol
I wish they had had channels like this when I started drumming.
You are an awesome teacher, man. I've been playing for almost 20 years. You taught me things in 12 minutes that I've been struggling to learn for ages. Keep up the great work.
as a player im not as fussy, but getting into engineering for the past 7 years it can give you a headache. great video, love the channel!
Without a doubt the best drum channel by far! Thanks a million Cody & the boys at Cadence Productions 👍
I freaking LOVE your content! Very helpful and informative, and just plain cool af.
Thank you so much! We’re so glad to hear that.
You nailed again guys.!!! I have friends who try to make that 10" tom sound like a 12".They spend big bucks on quality kits and they just don't sound right.They listen to my 10" tom and say it's tuned to high.There the same people who's snare rattle and they end up sacrificing a great snare sound because of that 10" tom.I will definitely be sharing this video,thanks guys.Keep up the great work.As I've said in the past,your helping a Lot of people in the drumming community.!!!
great content as always! as a teacher myself, I'd love to see this channel's experiments and insights grow into the marching and also the concert community. maybe with guest hosts or interviews? could be pretty interesting... can't wait to see what you guys have in store for the future!
that acro sounds so hot i forgot to focus on the toms. oh well, ill happily watch it all again
Bro I want to thank you actual useful information that almost any drummer can use.
Great video. Definitely have been experimenting for the past two years with tuning. I know what heads I like and I dont like super highly tuned Tom's. I've come to a happy medium and it is partly thanks to you guys.
I tried to tune toms in my studio literally for HOURS and you just explain my problem in the first couple of minutes :D
I love this video, especially that “A” to “B” comparison with the mics at the end. I would be very interested to hear that same comparison with the toms in their ideal range. Love the channel!
Great, This is an amazing demo. I hope you get lots of listeners as you are spot on. Thanks for the wonderful advice.
Donnie
I think the drum community is yet to discover this channel, you guys are getting the content dead on! thanks for this
I once knew a shady Tom. Turns out he was dealing drugs.
They’re an unruly bunch...
Great video! I think the common issue I run into is just not having the patience or enough time to actually mess with toms, diagnose sounds issues, or even just tuning them with a more mindful and precise touch. Eventually I get to a point where I’m tired of tweaking and just kinda roll with what I’ve got even though I know they can sound so much better
You’re dead on about how mics pic up toms (and sometimes the whole kit). Fine tuning is great for studio work, but I can’t say I’d do this for live. Guitars and other loud things shut the sustain down pretty quick.
Great work here of course. You really give us a new way of thinking.🤘🏻🤘🏻
Man this helped me out a lot, I’m a beginner and I just couldn’t get my tuning right but this man here just opened up my mind. Thanks
great video! really enlightening about what you can do with your kit. thanks a lot
The more I play the more I see that "bad" or "off" sound itself doesn't exist. I mean: the most important thing is musical context. If it fits to certain musical style, purpose or application - it works!
Personally my favourite style of tuning is bebop like: tight & focused but still open.
Exactly! Context (musical and spacial) is key for all drum sounds. Cheers! -Ben
Ok, 10:12 was really an eye opener for me. Wish I could hear this comparison for more of the erroneous tunings!
This is a great lesson Cody, thank you!
Wise words. You continue to educate our ears in order to be able to tune to our own preferences. Knowing how to do this is key. Many thanks and long may you continue. You could set something up like 21 Drums ( Dublin, Ireland ) and it would be a great success and, no doubt, over subscribed. Ty.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Sid! We’re so glad to hear that the methods and approach are resonating with you. We’ll keep developing what we’re doing for as long as we can. If you’re able to join us in supporting the channel through Patreon. We’ve got lots of exclusives and some big stuff coming up soon over there. Cheers!
This is great and I’ve dealt with all of these issues at one point or another. One thing I’d like to see is possibly addressing technical issues with snares. For instance, tension rods backing out of lugs when playing for extended amounts to if time, and other things line that. I think it could go along well with a video line this. Just trouble shooting issues in general. Thanks guys.
Thanks! We’ve got another episode we did on a similar topic for snare drum tuning just a few weeks back but we’ll actually be filming an episode on rimshots and lug locks very soon (potentially even this week!). Cheers!
Great information! Tuning is not easy. The first two examples sounded good to my ears.
Im not surprised this channel is growing so much. Great info, to the point, great drummer, great clarity and your manner is gentle not like Baker or Buddy. We love your shows keep it up and don't change the formula.
"Not super on top of the job" - I love it!!! :)
Loads of great info here - thanks a lot!
This is amazing! You're so thorough and knowledgeable in every video.
Your content is outstanding. Keep it coming.
Nice video. The first messed up tom lesson is what I actually had to do with my snare. I had the reso just too tight and I keep the batter kinda mid, so I wasn’t really getting any sonic pressure to the reso to make the snare wires go, so I just loosened the reso a bit and now it’s got good response and good tones without too much overtone.
Also, kinda going back to that Stanley Randolph left kit, I personally have purposely left my reso tom heads a bit loose for two reasons. 1. With the heads further apart in tuning you get more of that like twang sound and 2. it’s a lot more of an airy sound that often sounds more old school, so I especially do that when I play some funky stuff.
I’ll even tighten the reso back up when I go back into rock/pop/hip hop drumming to get a more complete sound.
The only thing that’s weird that I get, is sometimes my 12” creates this like weird airy sound when I hit it, but like it’s making something vibrate that isn’t supposed to. It doesn’t do it as much once I tighten the reso back up, so it seems like it has to do with the frequency and maybe even just some extra air coming out somewhere.
But the way I see it is basically what you said at the end. If the sound works for whatever you’re going for at the time, then go for it. Don’t worry about being proper or correct based upon what the majority does.
Just do you.
The best channel for drum tech ever.
You guys should do a video talking about tuning for different shell constructions, like a maple drum versus a birch drum versus an oak drum, etc. I have a Ludwig keystone kit and I've got it tuned pretty well I think, I feel like you guys would have better know-how as to how to get the best possible sound out of an oak shell. Love the channel guys, keep rockin'!
We’ve got an entire comparison series in the works but need the support of viewers like yourself to help make it possible. Please consider supporting the channel via our Patreon (linked in the description of all of our episodes).
Really helpful and informative
nicely demonstrated as usual. see you in a week !!
Great video as always, and really like the way you approach to the tuning issues on drums. You also touched a very good point of how the drums sound towards the drummer and how the drum sounds towards the audience, yeah that is a very important issue to consider on live show indeed. Thanks for the insights!
Hence why I have my guitarist sit at my kit and do a fill so I can hear what it sounds like. I also record the room just to hear how the sound carries.
Boy,he,s spot on ,on back line kits
One of the frustrating things for me, especially with some of the backline kits I encounter, is that they don' t always have suspension tom mounts but rather a stock tom mounting bracket affixed directly to the toms. Sometimes the tom holder stays on the outside of the drum (like Gretsch, Ludwig or Tama) or goes invasively into the drum (like Rogers, Yamaha or Pearl). What happens in these instances is that I will pull the tom off the tom holder and get it totally in tune and sounding great, only to have all that beautiful resonance and tone disappear after re-mounting the tom. I can get some of it back depending on how far in or far out the mounting rod is going into the drum's tom bracket, but then I run into positioning issues.
We all know that those type of tom mounting systems are obviously putting some stress on the shell to the point where it can't possibly resonate freely, regardless of how well you tune the drum. And I'm old enough to remember when R.I.M.S. mounts first came on the market to address this problem (successfully I might add). But do you guys have any tips on how to achieve a better tom sound when a suspension type tom mount isn't in the cards?
Thanks. Love your channel.
Really good video. Thanks so much.
Thanks for watching!
I’m glad you released a video about troubleshooting toms! Your troubleshooting snare video helped me figure out how to better tune my snare.
So my unique problem is I have an 18” floor Tom that is so incredibly difficult to tune properly. I’m tuning using the resonance of the drum rather than the attack of the drum.
My question is, what tips or workarounds do you have for drums that are particularly finicky or difficult to properly tune?
I had the same problem with my Pearl Masters 16 floor tom. Very chocked and cold sound. I replaced the legs with Pearl's LG 200/3 which are extend at the angle. Now it resonates freely.
18" floors are a specie of their own... mine is always sounding a bit off compared to the 13 and 16. Like it chokes itself out, the note is way too short. I made homemade "booty shakers" and that helps out A TON
I kind of liked the "too low" toms. They sound dirty in a good way. You get more head smack too
Cody. I particularly liked the near/far comparison to show the throw of the tone. I've played kits that drummers think sound ringy but when they step away to let me play they think they sound great. It's nothing to do with my drumming that's for sure.
Haven't watched it yet but I know it's going to be good. I already liked it
Thanks for your faith in our work!
I really like these trouble shooting bad tuning videos thank you
Cody, nice video episode. Most helpful in so many ways. I Love Toms too. I'm only a recreational / Hobbyist drummer , at 70 yo, retired. I play for personal pleasure and "fun". But I keep fooling with my Toms (5 of them !!), 8", 10" 12"[rack Toms & , 14" and a 16" Floor Toms. PDP concept Maple Kit with G2 Coated Batters , G1 Clear Reso heads. I find it so difficult to get that noce Doooo, Doooo sound (As explained by Jared on DRUMEO). Either I get too much Overtone, especially on the Floor Toms, or not enough tone if I tune them too low (batter heads). I then need to add Mufflers : Moon Gel or Gatt Tape to the batter heads. Do most Drummers, use Muffling to some extend? I don't see on any of your Drums... THX for the info and any responses. Happy New Year for 2022.
Amateur drum tech here.
On my personal kit I tend to keep them at a medium low tuning cause thays where my drums sound best to my ear in relation to the snare with my 2 tom set up(kinda a muffled true medium to a barely muffled medium low. I love my internal muffler, and it can really affect the pitch if i go for it). I put a single drum dot on my 13 inch tom and have 2 currebtly on my 16 inch floor tom (for fun really. It doesnt need 2 but hey the extra attack is fun sometimes)
However, when i tune other peoples kits for them,especially the toms, I always go through a formula. First I Check the heads to make sure i know if im working with heada that are warped or worn out (juat in case). Then i tune the heads, top and bottom until they are making the lowest clean tone I can get, then adjuat as needed to make the heads work together for a clean sound. Then, depending on how the drummer/band/sound tech wants it I can set it roughly to intervals, muffle, and tune them up in that order.
My church's kit is odd, in that the leader (who plays drums on occasion) wants the drums to be low, have moderate tone, resonate a touch, and have moderate attack. Since im dealing with remo pinstripes, I tuned them to a nice low resonant tone, tuned them up a half turn, added rings and a strip of tape accross the bottom quarter of the mounted tom batter head (sucker really had to much attack). Ended up adding an eigth-of-a-turn to the mounted tom for interval reason (said he wanted thirds, but then changed his mind). Ended up with a nice sound through the mics, kinda a tuned up bluesy feel. I should mention the venue is small with horrible acoustics so loud and proud drums is not feasible even behind a cage, so I was tuning with bundle-sticks in mind.
Anyways, if you know you're gona be muffling, highly recommend muffling the drums before you tune them up in tone, saves many a headache.
*I've a specific problem to solve at OMS Japanese Christian,* where the YAMAHA® RY2T4 kit and MSD14AF center drum, and accompanying PAISTE® cymbals, have a history of overprojection with the REMO® Ebony Pinstripe batters and Diplomat Clear resonants on toms. The low pitches I need to eliminate the overprojection really call for EVANS®/D'Addario® Heavyweight Coated Reverse Dot batters and G14 Clear resonants to hold sufficient tension on the lugs for stability. The MSD14AF's EC1 Reverse Dot batter has my target center-drum characteristic, but I'll probably have to go to a Resonant Glass tom-weight head for a snare-side along with a GROVER® Club Dark cable snare.
Thanks for the analysis guys. I noticed through 10+ years of drumming that tom suspensions systems that hold only the batter side, like RIMS, TAMA Mount, DW's, permit more sustain out of the drum than mounts like Pearl's optimount or Sonor' SQ2 mount.... This is mostly due to having a tension free reso head which increases the tuning range.
Also floor tom legs that are bent 90 degrees instead of 45 let the floor tom resonate more. However, en extended version of the 45 degree leg like the Pearl LG200/3 will actually let the vibration carry through more, which makes the floor tom a bit more warm and full, especially for the 16"plus sizes.
Could you do an episode on how to survive with a practice room/gig kit everyone uses with beaten up shells and heads ? ^^
Problem #3 is like “oh no, my Tom sounds too good!”
Rakish snare angle there, slick.
Thanks Very helpfull
A godsend as always!
Do you guys have any solutions for getting a lower pitched, big fat snare sound temporarily (a song, section of song), when the normal sound on that snare either needs a handkerchief or moon gels? Small venue RnB stuff thanks!!!
Hey there, huge fan of yours. I have a 1983 sonor signature beech kit. If you know these drums you know how different and, in my opinion, cool sounding they are. That being said, They weigh a TON, and it would be nice to have a kit with thinner shells to do some different stuff on. I generally tune my reso heads just barely maybe half a turn higher than “contact” level, and the batter heads slightly higher but still very low. I use a tama (my second favorite brand possibly) starphonic walnut snare, with aquarian studio x batter side and aquarian classic clear reso side. The kick is 20x16 and I have super kick I batter and the stock sonor head reso. I can’t seem to get the volume of the bass drum up to where I would like. This may be simply because I tend to hit hard and play a lot of rim shots even on the toms. Any ideas for BD heads? I would like to go back to using all remo heads but don’t want to spend the money at this point, and everything sounds good with the aquarian heads so i’m just focusing on the bd now. I don’t like to use muffling on my BD unless i’m recording or the type of stuff i’m playing absolutely demands it. I was thinking of just using power stroke 3 batter and reso on the bass drum but wanted to hear what you had to say on this topic.
You guys have a lovely channel. Thank you for all your hard work. On which video do we get to hear that cymbal we keep seeing up by the wall?
Thanks so much! We’ll be getting into all things cymbals in an exclusive series for our Patreon supporters soon. Please consider joining the Patreon via the link in any of our video descriptions to support our efforts and gain access to all sorts of extra content. Cheers!
This was great, as always, however I wish you'd hit the batter and reso heads in each instance, so we'd hear the issues.
Thanks! The key is to hear the issues in the sound of the drum rather than the independent sounds of batter or reso heads.
Seconded, it would be nice to hear the tuning of each head with the other muted to hear the relative difference. Saying a head is tuned wildly inaccurate is a subjective term without the context of the intervals between the heads.
So, do you tune the bottom head with the top head off? I can never hear the difference pitches when both heads are on!
Pounding away and enjoying yourself. Slow down Cody, you're gonna get thrown out of places. 10:36
A possible idea for an episode - How to tune the bass drum for a double pedal, to get it sounding even but still punchy.
Well another issue I think that should be addressed is mounted Toms . After tuning the Tom off the mount and striking it while just holding it by the rim, the Tom sings nicely. Then when attaching it to the mount, all of a sudden the tone gets choked, the resonance is gone. I’ve run into this many times. Especially with mounts that are attached directly to the shell, as soon as the mount gets tightened the shell gets effected and the open tone is severely diminished. Even some drums that have a suspension system experience this.
It’s kind of a drag when you tune the drum to a desired sound, the sweet spot if you will , then attach the drum to the mount and it doesn’t sound at all as it did before mounting it. Any experience you’ve had with this?
That's one of the reasons why we used these particular drums, which don't have any suspension system. I always recommend tuning the drum off the mount at first and then fine tuning on the mount (even better if you can easily rotate the drum while still mounted in order to access the reso side). The mounting system is another variable that needs to be accounted for so it's best to involve it in the process. Cheers! -Ben
love your channel and content but gotta tell you that in a musical situation any sound can work even the "wrong" sounding toms in your video are great for disco 70's sounding record dry without any sustain ... yes you can tune them the right way and throw some towel on it to damp the sustain ... but good video ... just remember that in art everything can work if you do it right :D
Hey Avi! We couldn’t agree more. This is something that we’re constantly reminding people of (in fact, it was the key element of yesterday’s Wednesday Wisdom post on our Instagram). We actually made reference to this at the end of this episode as well- context is key. Cheers! -Ben
I took one Tom off my kit because I can’t make it sound good, they all look like they’ve had some major heat damage from sitting in someone’s shed or garage for years before I had them. The plastic on outside is very wavy lol my set sounds way better as a 3 piece now, wish I could tune that 14” though lol
MikeXibalba Farms The outside color wrap is not important for sound but if the timber shell is no longer fully round but warped by heat then the drum is destroyed, garbage apart from the hardware, hoops , rods and tuners .
John Collins thanks I think it’s ok then, minus the one Tom. I’ll just use that one for parts 🙏gratitude
I actually kind of liked the first three bad examples more than the opening good example. Am I crazy?
EDIT: The a/b at the end helped explain a very objective problem
Uh oh......I now see why I’m a bass player. Lol. They still sounded good to me even when they were “ messed up”. 😂
Just a friendly reminder that the room/venue your playing in dramatically changes your tunning
Exactly! One of the key reasons why we don’t get into specific pitches or tune bot settings or drum dial measurements. If sound is what matters then let’s focus on how it sounds!
I always have this problem when tuning toms: there're two lugs (opposite lugs) that always sound so weird and so hi pitch, but without tone or something like that, even if all the lugs have the same amount of turns, it seems that those two lugs will never sound the same as the others. This is happening to me with an Absolute Hybrid Maple and a Stage Custom. Does anybody know why?
My drums sound great until I mount them on the hardware. They choke out when mounted but reso for days when I hold by the rim. I know this was the basis for the RIMS mounting system. I am gigging out with a Yamaha kit that uses the YESS system. It was just the 12 at first then I got away from them for a spell. Came back to them tuned them up sounded great and then the 10 started choking out! Definitely not expected. Super frustrating! Any suggestions?
7:36 kinda has that abbey road ringo starr sound 😲
Love you channel. I often have problems with 14" toms resonating too long. It sound great but have too much sustain for close micking. Any idea?
Cottonballs?
#2. laser toms. KILL IT WITH FIRE.
"let's hear that rack tom"
BREEEE-EWWWRRRRT
gunshot
😂
What kit yall use its really nice
Great video , just bought a pearl midtown and when I played a 10 inch Tom , I note a poor resonance , I changed the batter and reso drumhead because the factory drumheads are bad quality (very thinner) .I put a remo ambassador smooth white on batter and put a evans reso 10 mil ply on reso. How would do you recommend me tunning the tom for a better resonance ? Its a poplar wood.. Greetings from Mexico...
Thinner reso for sure
Dude my midtown 10" is difficult as well
I was wondering how I can make my toms sound similar to timpani? I know they are two very different instruments and they will not sound exactly the same way, but I was wondering what tuning and drumheads I should use to make them sound similar to the timbre of timpani. I am not necessarily looking to tune them to definite notes, though.
I have a Tama Superstar Classic maple kit.
My toms are pretty ringy.How would I fix that.
My 10'' tom is making my snares buzz and sing in a way that should not be happening.. Puresound wires, evans heads.. Struggling a bit with the hd dry.. Bit papery... (?)
I have a PDP concept maple classic kit with 13 and 16" toms and i'm trying to find a good drumhead combination that will allow me to tune my drums pretty low but still resonate. Any suggestions?
I too have a regular concept maple. I love the Aquarian super 2 coated. They’re a double ply head, but 12 mil; one 5 mil, one 7 mil. With these heads you get the feel and sound of a 1 ply head with the durability of a 2 ply. I have tuned them super high to super low, and they work well. Extremely versatile head.
I think "problem 3" sounds amazing except for the lack of resonance and, I assume, less projection. Great punch and attack and seemingly zero wild overtones.
I would really love to know what cymbals you're playing. I'm in the market for a thin ride, and that one sounds fantastic.
Thanks!! My cymbals were made by Jesse Simpson, a friend here in Brooklyn. He’s a genius, check him out! -Cody
thanks for making me realise that i dont know anything about tuning drums after more than 10 years 🤦🏻 can you come in canada to tune my drum 😂
I saw a band playing live in Columbus Ohio once and the drummer clearly had no idea how to get good sound out of his drum set. He had shoved a bunch of laundry into his Toms until they all sounded completely dead. He actually did not sound like a bad drummer, but his drum set sounded like s***. This will always stick out in my mind as the biggest drum tuning fail I ever witnessed.
I’ve had my pinstripes clear for years and trying on some coated ambassadors one ply I’ve collected different drum heads in my box all different sizes
I actually liked the sound of problem 2 lol
And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. In the right context, most all of these could be made to work and be convincing. Cheers!
Was the bell sound from a dry ride with a small bell?
Haha! 20 K Con medium thin high.
@@SoundsLikeADrum Have you ever noticed the difference of a ride ping sound compared to a Zil-bell's?
Grow channel Grow. If you build it, it will grow.
Every share counts! Every conversation with a, “hey, have you heard about Sounds Like a Drum?” makes a world of difference. Thanks for your support!
Sounds Like A Drum word of mouth is a powerful thing. So I agree. I just got done playing on my kit myself. Even touched up the toms. Just to see where I’m at on how I’m hearing them. They sound great. I use a Tune-Bot for fun.
This diagnos can apply on snare ??
We've got a video dedicated to common issues found with snare drums here: th-cam.com/video/_EIfNMnXA_U/w-d-xo.html
@@SoundsLikeADrum thanks !
What city are you guys based out of?
We’re in Brooklyn, NY
@@SoundsLikeADrum So am I! Small world. You guys have great video production. I work locally for a TV network as an editor and a videographer. If you guys ever are looking for some free production help I'd be down. Be well. Great job on the videos. I'm also obsessed with drums and drum collecting. Be well, Happy New Year!
Awesome👏👏👏👏🥁🥁🥁🇨🇦🇨🇦
Get your headphones!
I always screw my Tom #2... for some reason mine always sound like a bucket even with new heads 🥴
Ah crap. Is there an optimal tuning for projection? Like a just a general technique?
Tune higher. Bonham used big drums tuned very high. It sound wierd behind the drums but great a few meters away. The drums still has to be in tune just higher and not so high it chokes.
thats a really expensive lamp stand
So true but man, you should hear it when we hit it 😉
Good stuff guys...only one annoyance for me, when you're hitting toms or any drum for the sound or for a comparison between tunings, you hit sooooo slow between things i forget what i hear by the time you get to a comparison. but cool channel!
I use 5 toms
Excellent
Rack Tom = D
Floor Tom = G#
or Ab
My Rack Tom = C
Ok, I'm going to admit this: I miss the little drum strike graphics in these videos. I have no idea why, necessarily. Just do.
We’ve traded some of the time spent on motion graphics for time responding to comments.
@@SoundsLikeADrum Like I said: I have no reason to miss them. Thanks for the great video!
i like my toms dead
no resonance