Allrighty

Since our rehearsal room isn't really isolated and my snare rattles like a bitch, I need my toms to sound really tight and short.

Anyway, now and then, one starts to sound even more like shit, with this annoying, "ringing-after-beat" echo.
I use decent tape (strips of about 10-15 cm, or 4-6 inches) on both sides (about 3 or 4 strips per side) of my toms, which improves the 'tight' sound a lot.

But still, what's the standard tuning ritual for toms, and any more ideas for a good or better sound?

Thanks a lot.

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goddamn just tune your fucking toms by turning those shitty tunerthings dickweed. How long have you been playing drums?

Just turn the fucking screws crosswise (or something like that) and make them sound ok.

Or take the snares off the stupid snare

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lol, don't get all fuck-shit-stupdid over me man

I know that I have to turn those things (duh) crosswise but I was actually asking for a *good* technique (start with skin tight or loose, up and downside, equally tight or ... , anything that helps) because if you just turn them you can be on that for a long time.

And I play drum for 5 months now but I don't take classes or any of that crap.

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just think logically man.

i think its best when you start tuning with the skin loose, then youre sure theyre completly equal when you begin.

and DUH, tune em equally tight, else its not tuned

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hi, umm, i cant tune my toms for the life of me. im fourteen and i have been playing for a year. my drum teacher says to tune them by ear but i cant do it, it always sounds crappy. can any of you guys help? thanx cobalt

Maybe you should buy some new skins. Did you replaced the skins since you bought your drums? Buy some Remo pinstripe skins and then start tuning em by turning those screws equally crosswise.

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The only way to really learn to tune drums is by doing it until it starts sounding good. Spend a few hours just trying to get it right.

The best way is to take both heads off and then start with the bottom one. Get each peg (I don't know the real term cause I'm a fucking moron) hand tightened so that it's just touching the metal, then give each one of them a full turn with the drum key. Then, going across, tune them equally. After you adjust it, tap the head with your drum stick or the tip of your finger near the rim so that it rings and then do the same thing to the opposite side. The idea is that you shouldn't hear any kind of ringing noise... the two tones should be the same. Of course, the tone will be influenced by the pressure of everything else, so just work with it until you get it right. Also, always make sure that the head that isn't being tuned is flat on the floor or has something on it to keep it from ringing.

I've been told that Dave Weckl has a great video about tuning. There are also a few really good FAQs on the internet, so look for them.

I broke down and bought the Tama Pressure Watch a week or two ago, simply because it's helping me recognize what correctly tuned drums sound like so that I'll eventually be able to do it by ear. I've already got alot better at it.

As a final note, if you have a guitar available and are completely clueless, learning to tune that will at least give you an idea of how to recognize tones that are close but not exactly in tune.

Thanks EternalXos

That's what I call help.

Is there any way to... 'mute' the sound, like the way you put a blanket in a bassdrum?

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wow, thanx very much guys, i will try to nite, lol, at skool atm.

There are some sort of rings which you put on your skins to make the sound better, but I don't know how you call them. In dutch they're called "Dempringen".

You can tune your toms however you want them to sound, there is not a perfect tuning.

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yeh the rings are called e-rings, i have one made by evans for my snare and it makes the sound short and snappy without the tinging noise, its realy good, id recomend one, but hey! wot do i know!

Do what he said and make sure you have good skins before you even waste your time trying to get a good sound. Some clear remo's will do the trick. Tap the skin with your stick beside each tuning peg and make sure it rings out the same note all the way around the drum.

When you put a blanket in the bass drum you should usually keep it against the batter head as much as possible or it'll still sound stupid like a huge tom.

Duct tape with kleenex under it taped to each drum will also stop ringing but it doesnt look great.

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ohh soory, umm yeh i tuned my all my drums last nite, and they are betta now, i already have remo skins, but what the hell are pinstipe skins, are they ones with the little black rings and oil or something in them? i did the tuning thingy with the stik near each bolt and its ok now, thanks alot guys, my band actully like my kit no lol, and i know this is about toms, but, what do u guys think of pastie 502's cos i brought myself a set, 16'' crash, 20'' ride, 14'' high hats and a 10'' splash?

cobalt