Drum tuning bible

Pocket DTBProf.Sound's Drum Tuning Bible v3Pocket Drum Tuning BibleHomePocket DTBWoodsConstructionTuning & SeatingKickSnare DrumSnare TuningSnare UnitBuzzingConceptsEquipmentBuying DrumsBuying CymbalsBIOAcousticsContactWhat follows is intentionally brief for those who do not want to wade through the longer text. However, the longer versiondoes include many more insights that may aid you in your decisions.Fundamentals:●●●●●Batter Head: The batter head controls the feel of the hit, initial pitch, the sound of the stick slap and the initial element of thedrum sound or overtones. When the drum is hit, the ear hears mostly the attack and the fundamental pitch of the drum.Overtones emitted by the batter head are washed out at a distance, but aid in the overall projection.Resonant Head: Often underestimated for its contribution to the tone, it is mostly responsible for the pitch, lingering toneand pitch of that created as a result of striking the batter head and resonance of the shell. The resonant head produces“resonance” and aids in sustain, it has a major effect in the overtones and enhances the timbre of the drum. Generally youdo not use anything other than single ply on the bottom, but there are exceptions.Tuning: As you tune the drum with one of either the batter head or resonant head higher or lower in tension and pitch, yougo through “zones” producing one of clear pitch, phase cancellation (no life) or a “Doppler” sort of effect where the drumdescends in pitch, also referred to as “pitch bend”. This becomes more pronounced when the resonant head is of a higherpitch than the batter.Seating: Things are changing in the manufacturing of heads. When the head is first mounted, the objective is to get thehead to seat itself. Seating the head is where you create that all-important bond between the bearing edge of the drum andthe film and cause the head collar to become tight to the hoop. Seating is often also referred to as putting more that normaltension on the head. This seating process, whereby you put the head under heavy tension to form it to the bearing edge isnot required to get a good tuning. However, the pre-stretch that occurs during the high tension event can aid in minimizingthe need to tune back up to pitch more often. Moreover, if your bearing edges are good and sharp, less tension may berequired. If the head is pulled tight on side it may fail to be centered on the drum and its ability to produce an even harmonictone may be inhibited. Uneven tensioning can limit the ability to tune a head to its lowest potential note.Heads:❍❍❍❍Coated heads will be warmer and minimize high frequency tones. The stick slap has a very bright element to it,much like sandpaper rubbing together, but the main element is darker in tone. Coated is probably required if doingbrushwork.Clear heads are bright with overtones, the stick slap does not have bright sandpaper like characteristics as foundon coated heads, but the overall presence of the slap is very bright in the upper register and carries through themix very well.Ebony is in between the coated and walks that balance of properties between coated and clear and the stick slapdoes not have bright sandpaper like characteristics as found on coated heads. It produces a less of a highfrequency overtone resonance (“darker” tone).2-ply: These aid in durability and can also limit high pitched overtones. Often referred to as “muted” in tone, whenthey do not have a control ring adhered to them do produce lingering resonance and bright overtones the higherthey are tuned. These come in multiple film weights depending upon the manufacturer.●●●●❍Snare Side Heads are specifically designed to be thinner and should be the only style head used on the snareside of the snare drum. Thin heads enhance sensitivity and are brighter whereas thick heads are exactly opposite.The most common weight is a 300 weight.Drum Size: Shell diameter is more responsible for pitch than any other element. Depth is responsible for the duration of thenote and aids in resonance. Shell thickness when thin, adds tone, body and resonance. When thick aids in projection anddetracts from resonance.Timbre vs. Pitch: Timbre and note/pitch are not the same. Timbre refers to the overall character of the drum vs. thefundamental note, which is the point at which the drum is likely to be most "open" or "resonant" in tone quality. Know thatpitch can be raised or lowered in reference to say a note on the piano. The length of shell resonance doesn’t really change,whereas the pitch of the shell resonance will change as a reflection of the overall pitch. So a 12” drum may produce a noteof G up to say a D-sharp (“pitch”), but it may really stand out around an A-flat (“fundamental” note of shell). The fact that onedrum is “brighter” vs. “warm” is the Timbre.Bearing Edges: Sharp 45° bearing edges will produce lingering sustain and bright overtones. Bearing edges of 30° areslightly more controlled in tone, have a bit less problem with high-pitched ring. Rounded edges produce a muted tone.Shells: The rougher the interior, the less resonant the drum. With thick shells, the heads are more responsible for tone.Each shell can have a fundamental frequency. Thinner shells exhibit this more than thick. Detailed tuning or thumping onthe shell and matching the note to a known scale allows you to find that “fundamental” shell pitch and enhance or detract allthe inherent sounds of that particular drum character. However, this concept is forgiving and the pitch of the head does nothttp://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/id15.html (1 of 3)1/22/2005 4:11:05 PM