Tuning drums can be a real pain. You tighten a lug, hit the drum, and instead of a clean note you get this weird ringing… or that wobbly, out-of-control overtone that just won’t go away. You move to the next lug, and now the problem shifts somewhere else. Super annoying.
Most of the time, it’s not your drum kit and it’s not your playing. It’s just drums that aren’t tuned evenly or the right way. When tuning is off, drums sound thin, choked, or like they’re fighting themselves. When tuning is right, they open up, feel better under your hands, and suddenly sound like music.
In this article, I’ll show you how to tune drums for a great sound using the same simple approach I use on my own kits. I’ll break down 5 practical tuning tips: how to deal with ringing overtones, get even tension, choose the right heads, use dampening the right way, and place mics so your drums actually sound good on recordings.
Check out my Pearl Midtown compact drum kit’s tuning below.
Tip 1: Drum Tuning for Beginners – Drum Heads and Tension
The first secret to tuning drums and getting the perfect drum sound, includes selecting the right drumheads and getting the right tension across each drum head.
Different drumheads have different sounds and characteristics. For example, a clear drumhead will have a brighter sound more projected sound than a coated head.
My favorite drumheads are Remo Fiberskyns which are modeled after old calf skin drum heads. Fiberskyns are the warmest and most melodic sounding drum head of any I have used. They’re also great for playing drum brushes.
Learn everything you need to know about tuning your snare drum and playing and using drum brushes in your music at my Brushes Mastery Course at Jazz Drum School.
The tension of drumheads also plays a big role in sound. The tighter the drumhead, the more attack it will have and brighter it will be. To achieve the perfect drumhead tension for your drums, check out my drum lesson video below on how I tune my drum set.
Drum Care And Storage and Drum Tuning For Beginners
It almost goes without saying but it’s also important to clean your drums and replace drumheads when necessary. I recommend that you replace all of your stock drum heads that come with your new drum set.
These are usually substandard, cheap drum heads that don’t sound great and will break easily. It’s also a great idea to store your drums in gig bags in a cool, dry place when you’re not using them.
Tip 2: Experiment with Different Tuning Techniques
When tuning drums, you’ll find that different tuning techniques can produce different sounds. Experiment with different tuning techniques such as relative tuning where you tune to specific intervals between your your drums. There’s also absolute tuning where you tune your drums to specific pitches.
Some drummers like to use specific tuning patterns from one tension rod to the next. A popular example of this is the Star Pattern Tuning Technique.
Other drummers like using a Drum Dial Drum Tuner. A drum tuner can help you achieve accurate tuning and make the process of tuning your drums much easier.
Again, be sure to check out my video above about how I tune my drums. I think you’ll find it’s the easiest and quickest way to get a great drum sound.
Ear Training For Drummers
One of the hardest parts about tuning drums is hearing the subtle differences in pitch from one tension rod to the next. To train your ears better to pitch, I recommend a little good old fashioned ear training.
Sit down at a piano and practice playing notes chromatically on the keyboard. Sing with each note that you play. By doing this, you’ll be reinforcing you’re ability to hear differences in pitch.
Tip 3: Tuning Specific Drums
Tuning drums such as the snare, bass drum, and toms usually require different drum head tensions. The snare drum, for example, is often tuned to a higher pitch for a sharper and brighter sound. That’s because we want the snare drum to cut through the music and be heard easily.
I usually tune my tom toms in between the snare drum and bass drum pitches. They’re the drums that connect the top end of my drum frequencies to the bottom end.
The bass drum, on the other hand, is usually tuned low for a deeper and more powerful sound. We tune the bass drum this way because it’s a drum that is felt more than it is heard. Kind of like the upright or electric bass.
Tip 4: Drum Tuning for Beginners and Dampening Techniques
Another thing to think about in tuning drums is dampening. Dampening is the process of reducing the amount of unwanted overtones and resonances in your drums. This can be done using dampening materials such as Moon Gels, Evans EQ Pods, foam, or even a towel.
For my Jazz drum kit, I don’t use any dampening for my snare or toms unless I’m in the recording studio or sometimes when I produce my drum lesson videos.
For my bass drum, I use mostly external muffling by taping paper towels to the outside of the drum head. I don’t often put anything inside my bass drum to dampen the sound.
Another great tool for dampening the bass drum is Evans EQ Pad Bass Drum Damper. I’ve used it at different times in my drumming career and it seems to take out just the right amount of overtones while leaving your bass drum with a deep and full sound. The great Jeff Hamilton calls it my Bed Bath and Beyond Pillow. LOL!
Experiment with different dampening techniques to find the right amount for your desired sound.
New to Jazz drumming? My Drum Lessons Starter Pack is a great way to get a solid Jazz drumming foundation!
Tip 5: Microphone Placement
If you’re recording, proper microphone placement is crucial for capturing the best sound from your drums. The microphone should be placed close to the drum, but not too close. I usually measure it 2 finger widths from the surface of the drum head.
This distance will prevent the microphone from picking up too many of the unwanted overtones and resonances that drum heads produce. Experiment with different microphone placements to find the perfect spot for your drums.
Looking for some solid budget drum mics? Check out my article for the 5 mics I use and recommend.
Final Thoughts on Drum Tuning for Beginners
So the 5 tips for tuning drums again are:
- Drum Head Selection and Tension
- Experimenting with Different Tuning Techniques
- Tuning Specific Drums
- Dampening Techniques
- Microphone Placement
Use these 5 tips and you’ll start getting a drum sound you actually enjoy playing. Don’t overthink it. Tuning is about experimenting and listening, not following rules.
Try different drum heads. Change the tension. Test a few tuning approaches until one clicks. Bigger drums, smaller drums, snare, toms, bass. Each drum needs something a little different. If ringing overtones bug you, experiment with dampening. If you’re recording, move the mic and listen. Small changes make a big difference.
Tuning does take a bit of ear training at first, but it comes quicker than you think. The real goal isn’t “perfect tuning,” it’s finding your sound. Keep swinging my friend!
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