How to Tune a Drum Set
Getting Your Drums in Perfect Tune Drums are designed so that they can be tuned to produce a range of tones. It’s a bit different than tuning a piano, in that you aren’t looking for a specific note like middle C, but for the particular sound you want the drum and head to produce. Failing to tune your drums will mean that they will eventually be out of sync with one another, producing a chaotic, muddy sound no matter what genre of music you are playing. Tuning all your drums to the same pitch will produce a consistent, winsome sound that is right for your style.
To give your drums a complete tuning overhaul, begin with an empty shell. Take a slightly damp cloth and wipe out the shell, being sure to remove any wood chips or slivers that might come between the bearing edge and the head, making correct tuning impossible. Next, place a fresh skin over the shell, and add the rim. Line up the lugs to match the holes, and simply hand-tighten everything at first. Now, gently work the heads by pushing in the center of the head with your entire fist. Do this 10-15 times to break in the head. The ideally tuned head will compress about 1/8 of an inch when pressing your thumb down firmly one inch from the rim. If they compress further, loosen the lugs and pull the head tighter.
When you get the fit you want, tighten the lugs in a balance fashion. If there are 8 lugs, for example, view them like a clock with only 8 numbers instead of 12. Finger tighten them 2-3 turns at a time in this pattern: 1, 5, 2, 6, 3, 7, 4, 8. Before you grab the lug key, the real work of tuning takes place. Pick up a set of sticks and try the head with a drum roll or random strikes. If it plays the sound you want, grab the key and finish tightening the lugs. If it is too low, loosen the lugs, stretch the skin, and tighten it up. If too high, loosen the lugs, give the head a little relief, finger tighten and try again. With a bit of trial and error, you’ll achieve the sound you want. Skins my stretch just a bit in their first week or two of play, so additional adjustment may be required.
