Drum tuners
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Posted on Jan 08, 2005 09:36 pm
FunkDadyP
No Commercial Appeal.
Member Since: Jan 09, 2003
I asked a while ago about drum tuning and recording. Obviously, tuning drums is just as important as tuning guitars when recording. Well I found two different drum tuners that are "reasonably" priced:
service.bfast.com/bfast/c...mp;bfmtype=gear
service.bfast.com/bfast/c...mp;bfmtype=gear
One is called a "drum tuner" and the other a "tension watch". What exactly is the difference and will these work for any drum size and type? Thanks guys.
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ZX6R1033PerdidoMember
Since: Dec 15, 2004
Jan 08, 2005 09:49 pm there is no difference other than the company that makes them. they both operate exactly the same way. they will work for any drum type and size. Personal opinion, I would go with the Tama piece, as I am quite partial to tama equipment.
Jan 08, 2005 09:51 pm I knew a drummer once who used the 2nd one you listed before every show he played and his drums always sounded AMAZING.
ZX6R1033PerdidoMember
Since: Dec 15, 2004
Jan 08, 2005 09:55 pm drum tuners add an amazing amount of speed and accuracy to tuning. you just set the tuner next to each lug as you tighten. tighten to the same number all the way around, and boom no drop off in the note... pwweeeaaawwwhhhh I HATE that noise, haha.
Jan 08, 2005 10:47 pm Hey FunkDadyP...thanks for that...I didn't know they existed..I'm going to track one down. Muso's Friend doesn't sell here.
You just saved major time not to mention arguments. hehehe!
Cheers and thanks again,
BM:-)
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Jan 09, 2005 12:51 am This is VERRRRRRRy insteresting to me. My number one pet pieve has become the drummer who can't tune the things, can't dampening the things, but can sure @#$% like hell about the recording! I am wondering if one of those units alone could assist me a bass player in tuning drums or if I need something else along with it to determine pitch, maybe something else I am not thinking of?
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Jan 09, 2005 07:01 am I have the tama one... really fradgile but superglues easilly :)
Makes a huge difference...though I still like to tune the old fashioned way.
ZX6R1033PerdidoMember
Since: Dec 15, 2004
Jan 09, 2005 10:26 am Walt... its like one of the older guitar tuners. you have to know what tone the drum needs to be making, but once you get close, the tuner will do the rest. remember the old guitar tuners were like that? once you got somewhere near the right note, the needle would move?
FunkDadyPNo Commercial Appeal.Member
Since: Jan 09, 2003
Jan 09, 2005 11:38 am Thanks guys for the help. But...
"you just set the tuner next to each lug as you tighten. tighten to the same number all the way around"
How do you know what number to set it at? is it just a universal tension number or something like that or is it just when it sounds good?
Also Zek, I saw that some reviewers said they were very fragile. Just how fragile are we talking? One reviewer said you can't even drop the thing a foot off the floor or it will break!
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Jan 09, 2005 12:02 pm Shure do ZX6r,
Still have one in fact. I think I will need to see one and play with it to really understand, but that helps for sure. It would really be nice to have around.
Jan 09, 2005 12:15 pm Quote:
you just set the tuner next to each lug as you tighten. tighten to the same number all the way around
Sounds like a simple torgque wrench to me...pretty basic concept. As far as what to set them to, well, that's kind of up to you, depending on the sound you want from your drums. The important job of this tool is to set the tension, whatever you may want it, to be the same around the entire head so the head doesn't have did spots and tight spots giving it odd feel and weird sound.
ZX6R1033PerdidoMember
Since: Dec 15, 2004
Jan 09, 2005 08:03 pm simple torque wrench... not quite. but the idea is about the same.
you set it depending on the tone of the drum you want. once you get the tone set somewhat close... then you dig the tuner out and fine tune the kit.
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
Jan 09, 2005 09:33 pm It measures the pressure of the head... so it takes a while to get it perfect but you can get very accurate...I'll still take me 4 hours to do the entire set but each lug will be within a few psi. Because as you tighten the next lug it tightens all the others... like tuneing a guitar where tuning one string pulls all the rest out of tune. After a bit you figure out a systems to only go a couple times around.
I dropped mine fome waist level onto a concret floor. I superglued it back together and it works fine with only a little fuss.
