I'm shocked every time you guys release a new video that I'm actually getting this for free?? Such great information that's being delivered in an easy to understand way
Thanks for the kind words, Nathan. We want to keep producing a weekly series that's available for free. Of course, it costs a significant amount of money, time, and energy, not to mention that value of knowledge, to produce this series. We're grateful for the support of the roughly 200 members of our Patreon for helping support our work, though we'd love to see a few more of the ~58,000 subscribers step up.
@@SoundsLikeADrum Cody I asked just to hear some Zildgians, but you said go to patrion to listen so I just gave up cause I don't know how to send any thing like that I have a low iq about this I pad there's a lot I have tofigger out that's over my head
@@danpollard4210 Hi Dan! I'm not sure what you're referring to specifically but our cymbal series is exclusively on our Patreon. While we use some Zildjian cymbals we have a variety of other brands and custom cymbals in use throughout.
9:50: my strategy recently is to remove the batter head and hoop entirely, tune the reso so it’s maximizing the resonance of the drum itself, and only after that’s been executed correctly add the batter. It really helps with the coated batter heads that work best with brushes.
44 years of drumming and I've never heard such an awesome explanation of reso head science. Just re- tuned my micro kit and I can't believe the depth I got out of them. Thank you !!
I love how he kinda looks pissed when hitting the drums with two high of reso tuning, like he’s thinking back to playing those backlined kits and how they ruined his gigs lmao
Lessons I wish someone would have communicated to me when I first started getting into drums and really caring about my sound, communicated clearly, with no BS, and actually backed up with real playing and demonstrations (without any phony production tricks). This channel is such a great service to the drumming community and I'm so thankful for what you guys are doing. I became a patron yesterday :). Keep it up!
@@johnminarik3442 I agree, I bet in the room it was more also. But it's still a great tuning, nothing a little muffling can't fix. You could probably get rid of it with EQ but I prefer to get rid of stuff like that at the source and leave the EQ for shaping rather than surgery.
@@djjazzyjeff1232 Agreed. I utilize the internal snare muffler to get where I want. I am so old school I used to "rag" my tom's, but with the heads currently available, not much need for that anymore.
His sound 1:55 low reso 4:08 high reso 7:12 just in case you want to switch between the sounds quickly. My takeaway is that too low is not so bad but too high just kills the sound of the shells. As always... great video, great info.
I used to believe that tightening the reso up could be useful but not now like any drum too tight will choke the fundamental. House kits - bet you found one where the resos & batters ain’t even finger tight 😂
Absolutely the best video on the importance of the reso head tuned properly. Minor third above the batter captures the essence of the whole video which you had mentioned it within a few minutes. Well done as the precise pitch min 3rd statement made me realize you knew the physics of wave functions. You deserve the respect of any musicians you engage with on this point alone. To quote “A good drummer can make an average band sound much better, a bad drummer can destroy a band overall sound. It all starts with the drummer listening closely not only to his drum kit but as well as each other player in the band continuously interweaving the bands overall sound.
As a 69 YO, Rookie, Cody is one of the best Instructors on the Web. Holy SH^T , Never realized the the ART of tuning and fine tuning drums. When I played 0ver 50 years (15-18 ) ago, I never knew there was such technical advice about tuning. Anyway, I have a cheap Gammon kit and I have been experimenting with new Heads (tried 3 different ones) so I am simply trying to obtain the "best" sound I can achieve... Happy Drumming All, Be Safe
Definitely one of the most informative and well-executed music channels I've found. Everything is delivered in an easy to understand way, quite free of elitism and opinion. Such a multitude of different topics covered too, this entire channel should be required viewing for anybody who's serious about drums.
I've been playing for 40 years and over that time have fallen into the same routine of tuning my drums. This has been very informative, and it's changed my thoughts on tuning. I appreciate all the time and effort put into these videos!
1st time here from random search just got some g2 evans coated heads coming this week for a thrift store kit I found. Liked and subscribed. Needed this video
Your comment about the drums “talking” to each other makes so much sense. It’s like the conversation gets blown out the back end if it’s tuned too low, and shoots back up at you if it’s too high.
Great to have my suspicions confirmed. I always tune reso heads slightly higher than batter side, except on snares where I tune the reso head even more and then adjust the snare wires and top head to suit whatever I’m playing. But I’ve always had some trouble tuning rack toms especially 8-12 inch toms. They either ring out far too much or don’t ring out nearly enough. There’s a very distinct sweet spot somewhere in between, but with the reso head still being tighter than batter. Great video, great production, great playing and engineering, and all around very helpful and well made. Cheers from Texas!
Cool man. Thank you! Haven't even finished the video yet and when I do, I'm on my way to my kit. This is "Just What I Needed". Thanks again. My first time on your channel. Definitly will subscribe and search more.
High school marching band drummer from back in the day. I could always get my snare sound preferences but my toms mostly fell flat and lifeless. I applied your advice to my kit. It made a world of difference. Thanks for the lesson. Some of us old dogs can indeed still learn.
This just blew my mind, I’m an audio engineer and by far drums have been the hardest thing for me to learn, not just recording but TUNING. Your video here comes down to a crystal clear wire as to why we need the drum to work in conjunction, what I mean is that we need the toms heads to work together and thinking in that way makes you more apt to touch the reso head. Thanks for this awesome piece of information.
Everyone else seems to do videos on quickly getting a good sound. I appreciate SO MUCH your detail and analytical approach to really understanding all the aspects of tuning. It allows me to be confident enough to experiment more and find my own sound. Thanks so much!
Thanks to this channel my drums no longer sound like buckets with hefty bags duct taped over the top... excellent source of valuable information here 🤘💀🤘
the reso heads as low as possible was my tuning throughout the complete 1980's and still up to the middle of the 1990's..... ;-) LOVE that sound......!!
You just made my day man!! I'm pretty new to all this, I had my tom reso heads tuned almost slack giving a very dead sound, which I thought was good, as no need for tape or gel, etc. But not very exciting. Would tune up slightly and get nasty ringing. But using your tips...WOW.....like I got a brand new drum kit. Way more tone and power to boot. Thank you so much.
Great stuff. I had lots of problems back in the day with engineers wanting default muffling but I think the tech & attitudes have changed. Still on house kit , we will almost have to retune . Thanks again- love the “ heads talking to each other “ approach.
Awesome job you included just the right amount of topics didn't get too deep into either one. I restore drum kits and other musical antiquities, knowing the correct tuning, the correct head, and the correct differential between heads cannot be overstated. iT. I tune Tom's top to bottom with either the native shell tone or more often call to the Post. I like mine the same if I want a shorter tone I use studio rings, this gives me both options without having to re tune. I played around with reso heads on snares only to return to standard Remo res. You articulated extremely intelligent and spot on correct information. Cheers
Great video. I spent years ignoring the reso head. It’s still a pain in my rear but you guys make everything better with each new video. Very much appreciated
FINALLY!! A helpful guide to tuning drums that’s more than just “experiment and find what you like” i’m mostly a sound guy and bass player, i just want to be able to get my church’s kit sounding ok
I use this concept to my advantage. I tune the top and bottom rack Tom heads the same for tone and resonance. But the floor Tom’s and kick, I keep the reso heads a little tighter and the batter real loose. This naturally muffles them. Not completely, but it definitely calms them down
What about on the floor Tom,seems to have boing sound and always have to moonjell the crap out of it,doesn't matter what kindve heads I use,please help.
@@chriscobbdrummer6876 If you are talking about that "bouncing basketball" kind of sound: You can put a paper towel or some kind of fabric inside of your floortom to absorb high frequency standing waves insinde of the drum. I think there was one episode tackling that topic...
That's the thing. It really depends what you play and what you like. And not sure what exactly is the deal with the floor tom in this video but none of the tunings sounded good on it... The mounted was fine... just preferred the tighter sound in it with this specific demo. 🤷♂️
Going to be exploring your channel for a bit and finsing my tuning based on your suggestions and ideas. Thanks for producing good quality and instructive content.
Main thing I hate about the resos is that sound they made. 2:08 was basically what I was getting except WAY bad, his actually sound good where as mine were bad, I baisically wanted the sound to be there, and then end. So I took the Resos off and I’ve loved the concert tom. Looking back now, I think my Resos were too old (looked like the moon really), and were too low. So I guess it’s time to give it another try.
Amazing drum sounds... I've always tuned like this even as a teen...it always made me feel good as a musician when I'd take my kit into a studio or just kinda a hired hand live gig, and have the engineers or the other players or whatever, would really appreciate my drum sound and ease of recording them or getting them in the live mix.. I also was lucky enough to purchase a Sabian prototype flatbell ride in the late 80's that is arguably, for the music i play, the best sounding ride ever.... I've never even seen another one.... great video
Love this video, thanks! I played quite the gig two weeks ago on my PDP Concept Maple. A few days before I put Remo Powerstroke 4 clear on the tom/floortom reso and Remo Pinstripe clear on the tom/floortom batter. Tuned them pretty low and fat.. damn, best thing I've heard in years. Also the Remo SMT Emperor clear on the kick batter gives it a looot of attack and fatness.
Just installed new Evans G2 Reso heads a few days ago (including batters) and YES! That WAS the problem. Can't stress that enough! Your channel is extremely helpful! Puts a smile on my face every time you guys upload a new episode!
@@SoundsLikeADrum Yes, the two-ply version! Fiddled around with a mix today and was shocked how little plugins I've manage to use to get an awesome sounding mix. It's true when they say your source has to be proper in tune, hehe. And I've completely dissembled the whole kit, cleaned and polished every screw and nut, got new tension rods (Zebra Drums Thread Locks), applied white lithium grease and installed new skins. All thanks from what I've learned here on your channel! Thanks a bunch Ben and Cody! Rock on!
My drums are 1961 Oaklawn Camco Ambassadors in the rare Burgundy sparkle colour, I’ve owned them since 1990. 12”, 14”, 20”. My method is simple: coated Remo Emperors on top and bottom, tuned to the natural note of the shell. Done. I’ve had countless drummers say to me “if you ever want to sell these, call me first!” They just sound that good. I attribute the sound to the old school 30 degree bearing edges, and the fact that the wood is 60 years old. I love my old kit.
Really well done! I decided to watch the video because over the past few years I've gone from the extra tape and muffling to playing (pretty much) wide open. It is an absolute joy to play "clean" drums with no tape...and better rebound. I have a moon gel on a few toms, but that's it. I was also frustrated that my O-ring dampeners would get kinked during packing and travel (if not lost altogether), so now I don't have to deal with that either. Your video confirms a lot of things for me. Again, well done. I think a lot of other players will benefit from your wisdom!
Cody, Listening to your Pearl Drumkit makes me realize that as a Beginner / Low Intermediate 69 YO drummer , that I need to Upgrade my kit. I was gifted a Cheapo Gammon drum kit in 2018 by my wife - of all people - for Xmas in 2018. I have returned to "playing" drums again after a 51 year Hiatus from my Garage Band playing days. God Bless her - I play now for pleasure in retirement which was forced by spinal disabilities. The kit has a 12, 13 and 16 inch Toms. I replaced the Heads after 6 months of playing on the crappy stock heads. Evans G1 on the batter heads, coated Remo Ambassadors on the Reso sides. I have been able to tune the 12 and 13 inch Toms to a decent level using These Tips. But I can't get the Floor 16 inch Tom there. No matter what I do. Note that I do use Gatt tape and Moongels for all the Toms. I'm not going to Play "Gigs", but look to obtain a nice sound when nI play along to My Music. Any other Tips for the Floor Tom? By the way, I saw your Video on Attack Heads. Tried the 2 ply coated on the batters and 1 ply coated on the Reso...... NG. Better sound witht he G1s on the Batter heads. THX for info and advice.
Thanks for the clear and no-BS informative tutorial… will subscribe for sure and look forward to more. One comment - please balance the volume of narrative and drumming - had to adjust volume every time you switched from talking to drums and back again. Thanks again.
Thanks for watching! We're glad you enjoyed the episode. Just a side note, lots has changed in our production in the last 6 years (3 years since this episode) but one thing that hasn't is that our audio demos aren't compressed/limited. As a result, they're much lower in perceived volume. We opted to put the volume control in your hands to make the decision, particularly because the volume of ad spots is significantly louder. We've worked to strike a balance while recognizing that it's impossible to please everyone, particularly without affecting the drum demo audio.
Have to say I really appreciate these videos. Just picked up a super inexpensive 1982 Tama Imperialstar kit with a 24" kick an 18" floor and 13-14-15-16 concert toms. They aren't pristine and since I got them for $50, I don't have much into them. I am debating on converting the 14 and 16 to dual heads and having a semi Bonham kit, so I have been watching the single head video and the tuning large kick drum videos again. Thank you so much for being an incredible resource.
@@daniel_alan_music6583 I was gitty like a schoolgirl all day. I needed a couple of parts for my Superstars so I thought I would grab them off of this kit and resell, but when I got there I was surprised to see it was all the big sizes. Luckily my wife is pretty understanding. :)
Cut the bearing edges and installed lugs for the reso head. I’m not real big so it is a bit of a challenge to play that 14” mounted on the 24”. Having fun with it
Another excellent video. This might make me boring, but I always tune the batters and resonant heads to the same note. I like hearing that single note, with a rich fundamental, rather than any kind of harmony from each drum. I’ve experimented, but over the last 30 years or so of playing double-headed toms (I used Rotos when I was young), I just always come back to the same thing. To me, that’s also the maximum resonance you can get-which is generally what I’m after.
The biggest difference between my second and third kit was the tom sound. Went from a Prestige Session Select kit to a maple Gretsch kit. The tom sounds were SO different. I was blown away at the tones the Gretsch toms could provide.
attended a Arnoff drum clinic back in the 80s he shared his head set up remo thin diplomats on bottom and ambassadors on top his drums sounded great but too the man playing them is a awesome drummer.
I use this simple tuning method as a rule for reso heads. Snare drum - 2 full turns from finger tight Rack toms - 1 full turn from finger tight ( then reseat with downward pressure and pinch each lug a teenth of a turn) Floor toms - 1/2 turn to 1 full turn on floor toms (reseat and pinch up) And make sure each lug is PERFECTLY in tune. Works every time.
Pretty much how I’ve always done it too but usually set the kit up toms upside down so I’m happy with intervals between drums - then 💯 make sure each drum is in tune with itself at EACH lug. The tops kinda tune themselves but I always tweak each lug so they are in tune with each other too 🤘🏼
With floor Tom's depends on the size and number of tuning rods. When the rods are further apart you have less control over the tuning and the tuning won't hold for long. Top class sonor floor Tom's can have 10 on the 16 head allowing real even low tuned sound that would be crap on say a pearl export 16 ft with 6 tuning rods. Phil Rudd has known this for decades.
Wow, I have been tuning my '76 Ludwig thermogloss reso heads to the same pitch as the batter head for years. I tried raising the reso head a minor third and the sound is night and day. especially on my 18" FT. I always had a little rattle in that bottom head. Thanks so much for this video.
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent video! Demonstrating the sound differences really taught me a lot. I also like how you gave scenarios in which the different tunings would help achieve the effect you are looking for......nice job!
Great video! Very helpful information. I've been playing for about 13 years, and I've found that I prefer tuning the batter heads based on what kind of attack they give me. I love a "slappy" sort of attack on a low-tuned (but not too low) single-ply coated head. Then I tune the resos a perfect fourth above the batters. I used to tune each drum to specific notes, but these days I go completely based on feel and natural tone of each drum.
Thx for all the experiments you do in your videos. I find that you answer many questions I've always wondered about. You are very well-spoken, clear and articulate. Much appreciated!
I've always struggled with tuning the heads just right, never even thinking about at what pitch range they have a clear line of communication. When I do get the right sound, I go so long without tuning them again that I forget what I did to achieve that sound the first time, lol. This was super helpful, thank you! I only recently learned about how different the drums sound when you're sitting at them vs across the room. So you touching on that subject really helped paste it into my conscious when i try to tune. I use a Tascam to record about 5' away, so that would explain why my toms sometimes can't reach it.
Besides all the great content and competent advice, you are succinct and articulate with the English language that quickly and comprehensively explain your thoughts. Thank you for this. WELL thought out and delivered.
I downloaded a piano tuner to tune my piano and now tune my drums with it. I use specific notes in intervals. Two Roto toms 6, 8 then 10,12,14,16 toms. Tama Starclassic. Never use damping but heads have a damping ring. I found the notes of the drums online, recommended ranges for diameters of drums. I take the written cheat sheet on gigs and always have great sounding drums.
Hi Cody! I have been following you almost since you began your channel and have learned very much. Thank you 😊. One aspect of this particular video is that you didn’t turn the drum over to the reso head and tune it...to whatever suits your taste. Music is a universal language and every drummer has that “sound” they’re searching for. Any chance of sharing why you didn’t tune the reso head for us. Keep up the good educational format. We all appreciate it.
Cody,when you first started playing example one.Thats my sound.Thats what I go for.I call it punch.!This is my drum sound.I don't use a tune bot,or tension meter to achieve that sound just 2 drum keys and my ears.I always found it so much easier by using the same heads top and bottom,clear ambassadors. For years what ever I did to the tops I did to the bottom heads.Never had to put anything to dampen my heads.Recently I started pitching my reso heads up about 25% higher or lower depending on the kit.Just that little 1/4 turn with the drum key makes a big difference .Hearing your drum sound in the beginning is just the best for me.It works great live and in the studio.Ive always took a lot of pride in my drum sound and have had people tell me they sound like a million bucks. It's sad when you see someone playing on a very good set of drums and they sound terrible in the audience. It makes you want to tell them,but how do you tell someone there sound is terrible? Hopefully they will catch this video and a light will go on.Thanks guys,love your channel. Your the best.!
Once again, amazing video as always! Only in the last maybe few years have I really given any real honest and intentional thought to my reso heads (with plenty of great information from you guys!). It has made a world of difference! I love the way my drums sound (and look for that matter) without a whole bunch of muffling on them. Thank you all again for doing this. Much appreciated!!!
Well done! I play live and very seldom are my drums mic'd. Appreciate the comment about listening to your own drums from several feet away. What sounds good from behind the kit can sound like wet cardboard out front! I find using a Tun-bot and tuning both heads to the same pitch gives me max resonance, which means the sound makes it out into the audience. Good topic and video. Thank you!
Fascinated with the interval pitching, not being someone who ever learned to read pitched music or theory. I stick with "Top for feel, bottom for tone" which usually ends up with the batter somewhat tighter than the reso.
I appreciate what is being demonstrated here. I am always looking for that best ear sound, and frequently I'm tuning my toms to get a John Bonham sound using recommended frequency differences between the batter and reso heads. It definitely is frustrating trying to find that sound. You did a great job explaining why I may not be able to get the sound from my particular drums versus another one's drums.
You guys always seem to answer a question that I’ve had with every video. Keep it up! I’d love to see you do a video talking about Alex Van Halen’s snare tone. It’d be awesome to get your take on that.
@@Mmoody2112 I’ve seen that one and agree, he did a fantastic job! I would just be curious to see a take from these guys as well to see if they discover anything different.
Sure are. I just discovered how the res head makes the snare drum!!! Of course you get your tone and attack shaped from the top head but its body and soul comes directly from the bottom
I need to try this out, I use a drum dial and I usually set the reso and the batter to the same tension but I need a tighten up the Reso just a bit to see if I can get more projection, I like the sound that I get but if I can get a better sound I'm all for it 👍
I'm shocked every time you guys release a new video that I'm actually getting this for free?? Such great information that's being delivered in an easy to understand way
Thanks for the kind words, Nathan. We want to keep producing a weekly series that's available for free. Of course, it costs a significant amount of money, time, and energy, not to mention that value of knowledge, to produce this series. We're grateful for the support of the roughly 200 members of our Patreon for helping support our work, though we'd love to see a few more of the ~58,000 subscribers step up.
@@SoundsLikeADrum Cody I asked just to hear some Zildgians, but you said go to patrion to listen so I just gave up cause I don't know how to send any thing like that I have a low iq about this I pad there's a lot I have tofigger out that's over my head
@@danpollard4210 Hi Dan! I'm not sure what you're referring to specifically but our cymbal series is exclusively on our Patreon. While we use some Zildjian cymbals we have a variety of other brands and custom cymbals in use throughout.
exactly my feeling as well, super useful content
Same here. I'm subscribed on this account and on my drum channel account
This video quality is prime.
Didn’t expect to see you here 😂 love your videos btw, best part of every day for me!
Factuals
9:50: my strategy recently is to remove the batter head and hoop entirely, tune the reso so it’s maximizing the resonance of the drum itself, and only after that’s been executed correctly add the batter. It really helps with the coated batter heads that work best with brushes.
44 years of drumming and I've never heard such an awesome explanation of reso head science. Just re- tuned my micro kit and I can't believe the depth I got out of them. Thank you !!
Same here. Got my thumbs up. How did we not know james? LOL! I'm also seasoned at it for 55 yrs. Well, I thought so till I saw this vid. Ha!
I love how he kinda looks pissed when hitting the drums with two high of reso tuning, like he’s thinking back to playing those backlined kits and how they ruined his gigs lmao
Even when he's explaining why it's bad it's like he's talking to someone specifically lmao
Lmfao I thought he was grimacing because he doesn’t have hearing protection but I like your interpretation better 😂
Cody: Muffling is not the first place to go.
Me: PREACH!!
Lessons I wish someone would have communicated to me when I first started getting into drums and really caring about my sound, communicated clearly, with no BS, and actually backed up with real playing and demonstrations (without any phony production tricks). This channel is such a great service to the drumming community and I'm so thankful for what you guys are doing. I became a patron yesterday :). Keep it up!
That snare sounds incredible!!
I just listened to this with headphones and that snare just got my attention. It’s sweet
Would this work if had a coated g1 on top.
Too much ring.
@@johnminarik3442 I agree, I bet in the room it was more also. But it's still a great tuning, nothing a little muffling can't fix. You could probably get rid of it with EQ but I prefer to get rid of stuff like that at the source and leave the EQ for shaping rather than surgery.
@@djjazzyjeff1232
Agreed. I utilize the internal snare muffler to get where I want. I am so old school I used to "rag" my tom's, but with the heads currently available, not much need for that anymore.
His sound 1:55 low reso 4:08 high reso 7:12 just in case you want to switch between the sounds quickly. My takeaway is that too low is not so bad but too high just kills the sound of the shells. As always... great video, great info.
I used to believe that tightening the reso up could be useful but not now like any drum too tight will choke the fundamental. House kits - bet you found one where the resos & batters ain’t even finger tight 😂
@@jeffreywegener8841 Almost ALL of the tone comes from the Reso heads. Choked, Flat or FAT. The Sound is up to You!
Agreed!! 63 years old here. Another I have always shot for is to limit ringing overtones.
Absolutely the best video on the importance of the reso head tuned properly. Minor third above the batter captures the essence of the whole video which you had mentioned it within a few minutes. Well done as the precise pitch min 3rd statement made me realize you knew the physics of wave functions. You deserve the respect of any musicians you engage with on this point alone. To quote “A good drummer can make an average band sound much better, a bad drummer can destroy a band overall sound. It all starts with the drummer listening closely not only to his drum kit but as well as each other player in the band continuously interweaving the bands overall sound.
As a 69 YO, Rookie, Cody is one of the best Instructors on the Web. Holy SH^T , Never realized the the ART of tuning and fine tuning drums. When I played 0ver 50 years (15-18 ) ago, I never knew there was such technical advice about tuning. Anyway, I have a cheap Gammon kit and I have been experimenting with new Heads (tried 3 different ones) so I am simply trying to obtain the "best" sound I can achieve... Happy Drumming All, Be Safe
Definitely one of the most informative and well-executed music channels I've found. Everything is delivered in an easy to understand way, quite free of elitism and opinion. Such a multitude of different topics covered too, this entire channel should be required viewing for anybody who's serious about drums.
Thanks so much, Brycen! We really appreciate it. We’re quite grateful for the support of our Patreon members for helping make this possible.
This is about the clearest explanation I ever heard about the relationship between batter and reso heads.Great video.
You guy honest have THE BEST timing on RUclips
Whatever issues I would have been experiencing you post a vid on!😂
Lol I thought you were talking about rhythm
I've been playing for 40 years and over that time have fallen into the same routine of tuning my drums. This has been very informative, and it's changed my thoughts on tuning. I appreciate all the time and effort put into these videos!
1st time here from random search just got some g2 evans coated heads coming this week for a thrift store kit I found.
Liked and subscribed.
Needed this video
Your comment about the drums “talking” to each other makes so much sense. It’s like the conversation gets blown out the back end if it’s tuned too low, and shoots back up at you if it’s too high.
Blown away with the quality of this content. Great explanation.
These videos are so to the point and detailed at the same time. No fluff or nonsense. Love it
Great to have my suspicions confirmed. I always tune reso heads slightly higher than batter side, except on snares where I tune the reso head even more and then adjust the snare wires and top head to suit whatever I’m playing.
But I’ve always had some trouble tuning rack toms especially 8-12 inch toms. They either ring out far too much or don’t ring out nearly enough. There’s a very distinct sweet spot somewhere in between, but with the reso head still being tighter than batter.
Great video, great production, great playing and engineering, and all around very helpful and well made. Cheers from Texas!
That's amazing that the tones of the drums change so much just due to the reso heads! Great idea, thank you for sharing.
after watching dozens of videos on drum tuning, this video actually makes sense to me. I can't wait to try these tips on my kit later today.
One of the most useful videos on YT.
Cool man. Thank you! Haven't even finished the video yet and when I do, I'm on my way to my kit. This is "Just What I Needed".
Thanks again. My first time on your channel. Definitly will subscribe and search more.
High school marching band drummer from back in the day. I could always get my snare sound preferences but my toms mostly fell flat and lifeless. I applied your advice to my kit. It made a world of difference. Thanks for the lesson. Some of us old dogs can indeed still learn.
This just blew my mind, I’m an audio engineer and by far drums have been the hardest thing for me to learn, not just recording but TUNING.
Your video here comes down to a crystal clear wire as to why we need the drum to work in conjunction, what I mean is that we need the toms heads to work together and thinking in that way makes you more apt to touch the reso head.
Thanks for this awesome piece of information.
Expend many years to understand this relationship, and even now I have learned a lot. So useful this channel. Drumeo have not all the answers 🙂
Everyone else seems to do videos on quickly getting a good sound. I appreciate SO MUCH your detail and analytical approach to really understanding all the aspects of tuning. It allows me to be confident enough to experiment more and find my own sound. Thanks so much!
Thanks to this channel my drums no longer sound like buckets with hefty bags duct taped over the top... excellent source of valuable information here 🤘💀🤘
the reso heads as low as possible was my tuning throughout the complete 1980's and still up to the middle of the 1990's..... ;-) LOVE that sound......!!
That's my go to, plus with small toms they can still sound beefy and bigger than they actually are
Yeah that pitch drop is so good.
You just made my day man!! I'm pretty new to all this, I had my tom reso heads tuned almost slack giving a very dead sound, which I thought was good, as no need for tape or gel, etc. But not very exciting. Would tune up slightly and get nasty ringing. But using your tips...WOW.....like I got a brand new drum kit. Way more tone and power to boot. Thank you so much.
Great stuff. I had lots of problems back in the day with engineers wanting default muffling but I think the tech & attitudes have changed. Still on house kit , we will almost have to retune . Thanks again- love the “ heads talking to each other “ approach.
Thanks for such a clear, concise explanation of the relationship between batter and reso head tuning. It makes sense and I can’t wait to try it!
These guys are so freakin' reasonable and professional. Love.
Thank you so much for this. Very informative as usual. Love the sound of your tuning
Awesome job you included just the right amount of topics didn't get too deep into either one. I restore drum kits and other musical antiquities, knowing the correct tuning, the correct head, and the correct differential between heads cannot be overstated. iT. I tune Tom's top to bottom with either the native shell tone or more often call to the Post. I like mine the same if I want a shorter tone I use studio rings, this gives me both options without having to re tune. I played around with reso heads on snares only to return to standard Remo res. You articulated extremely intelligent and spot on correct information. Cheers
Great video. I spent years ignoring the reso head. It’s still a pain in my rear but you guys make everything better with each new video. Very much appreciated
FINALLY!! A helpful guide to tuning drums that’s more than just “experiment and find what you like”
i’m mostly a sound guy and bass player, i just want to be able to get my church’s kit sounding ok
I use this concept to my advantage. I tune the top and bottom rack Tom heads the same for tone and resonance. But the floor Tom’s and kick, I keep the reso heads a little tighter and the batter real loose. This naturally muffles them. Not completely, but it definitely calms them down
What about on the floor Tom,seems to have boing sound and always have to moonjell the crap out of it,doesn't matter what kindve heads I use,please help.
@@chriscobbdrummer6876 If you are talking about that "bouncing basketball" kind of sound: You can put a paper towel or some kind of fabric inside of your floortom to absorb high frequency standing waves insinde of the drum. I think there was one episode tackling that topic...
Loose batter heads = no control, unless you are a banger only.
I love that this channel gives you the tools you need to choose your own drum sound. Keep up the good work guys!
That's the thing. It really depends what you play and what you like.
And not sure what exactly is the deal with the floor tom in this video but none of the tunings sounded good on it...
The mounted was fine... just preferred the tighter sound in it with this specific demo. 🤷♂️
Going to be exploring your channel for a bit and finsing my tuning based on your suggestions and ideas. Thanks for producing good quality and instructive content.
Main thing I hate about the resos is that sound they made. 2:08 was basically what I was getting except WAY bad, his actually sound good where as mine were bad, I baisically wanted the sound to be there, and then end. So I took the Resos off and I’ve loved the concert tom. Looking back now, I think my Resos were too old (looked like the moon really), and were too low. So I guess it’s time to give it another try.
Thanks for this informational & practical video. Great delivery of this important information
Amazing drum sounds... I've always tuned like this even as a teen...it always made me feel good as a musician when I'd take my kit into a studio or just kinda a hired hand live gig, and have the engineers or the other players or whatever, would really appreciate my drum sound and ease of recording them or getting them in the live mix.. I also was lucky enough to purchase a Sabian prototype flatbell ride in the late 80's that is arguably, for the music i play, the best sounding ride ever.... I've never even seen another one.... great video
Love this video, thanks! I played quite the gig two weeks ago on my PDP Concept Maple. A few days before I put Remo Powerstroke 4 clear on the tom/floortom reso and Remo Pinstripe clear on the tom/floortom batter. Tuned them pretty low and fat.. damn, best thing I've heard in years. Also the Remo SMT Emperor clear on the kick batter gives it a looot of attack and fatness.
This channel answered like all of my questions. You guys are awesome!!
My favorite and go-to for drum needs lol
Just installed new Evans G2 Reso heads a few days ago (including batters) and YES! That WAS the problem. Can't stress that enough! Your channel is extremely helpful! Puts a smile on my face every time you guys upload a new episode!
Nice! Rocking the two-ply reso? That's definitely a fun sound. Glad you're enjoying the series! -Ben
@@SoundsLikeADrum Yes, the two-ply version! Fiddled around with a mix today and was shocked how little plugins I've manage to use to get an awesome sounding mix. It's true when they say your source has to be proper in tune, hehe. And I've completely dissembled the whole kit, cleaned and polished every screw and nut, got new tension rods (Zebra Drums Thread Locks), applied white lithium grease and installed new skins. All thanks from what I've learned here on your channel! Thanks a bunch Ben and Cody! Rock on!
My drums are 1961 Oaklawn Camco Ambassadors in the rare Burgundy sparkle colour, I’ve owned them since 1990. 12”, 14”, 20”. My method is simple: coated Remo Emperors on top and bottom, tuned to the natural note of the shell. Done. I’ve had countless drummers say to me “if you ever want to sell these, call me first!” They just sound that good. I attribute the sound to the old school 30 degree bearing edges, and the fact that the wood is 60 years old. I love my old kit.
Really well done! I decided to watch the video because over the past few years I've gone from the extra tape and muffling to playing (pretty much) wide open. It is an absolute joy to play "clean" drums with no tape...and better rebound. I have a moon gel on a few toms, but that's it. I was also frustrated that my O-ring dampeners would get kinked during packing and travel (if not lost altogether), so now I don't have to deal with that either. Your video confirms a lot of things for me. Again, well done. I think a lot of other players will benefit from your wisdom!
You guys deserve sooo many more subscribers.
Cody, Listening to your Pearl Drumkit makes me realize that as a Beginner / Low Intermediate 69 YO drummer , that I need to Upgrade my kit. I was gifted a Cheapo Gammon drum kit in 2018 by my wife - of all people - for Xmas in 2018. I have returned to "playing" drums again after a 51 year Hiatus from my Garage Band playing days. God Bless her - I play now for pleasure in retirement which was forced by spinal disabilities. The kit has a 12, 13 and 16 inch Toms. I replaced the Heads after 6 months of playing on the crappy stock heads. Evans G1 on the batter heads, coated Remo Ambassadors on the Reso sides. I have been able to tune the 12 and 13 inch Toms to a decent level using These Tips. But I can't get the Floor 16 inch Tom there. No matter what I do. Note that I do use Gatt tape and Moongels for all the Toms. I'm not going to Play "Gigs", but look to obtain a nice sound when nI play along to My Music. Any other Tips for the Floor Tom? By the way, I saw your Video on Attack Heads. Tried the 2 ply coated on the batters and 1 ply coated on the Reso...... NG. Better sound witht he G1s on the Batter heads. THX for info and advice.
My all time favorite finish. Platinum Mist 151. I’ve owned two MMX kits in that finish. Pure class!
Thanks for the clear and no-BS informative tutorial… will subscribe for sure and look forward to more. One comment - please balance the volume of narrative and drumming - had to adjust volume every time you switched from talking to drums and back again. Thanks again.
Thanks for watching! We're glad you enjoyed the episode. Just a side note, lots has changed in our production in the last 6 years (3 years since this episode) but one thing that hasn't is that our audio demos aren't compressed/limited. As a result, they're much lower in perceived volume. We opted to put the volume control in your hands to make the decision, particularly because the volume of ad spots is significantly louder. We've worked to strike a balance while recognizing that it's impossible to please everyone, particularly without affecting the drum demo audio.
Have to say I really appreciate these videos. Just picked up a super inexpensive 1982 Tama Imperialstar kit with a 24" kick an 18" floor and 13-14-15-16 concert toms. They aren't pristine and since I got them for $50, I don't have much into them. I am debating on converting the 14 and 16 to dual heads and having a semi Bonham kit, so I have been watching the single head video and the tuning large kick drum videos again. Thank you so much for being an incredible resource.
Damn, 50 bucks for that? What a score man 🤘
@@daniel_alan_music6583 I was gitty like a schoolgirl all day. I needed a couple of parts for my Superstars so I thought I would grab them off of this kit and resell, but when I got there I was surprised to see it was all the big sizes. Luckily my wife is pretty understanding. :)
Cut the bearing edges and installed lugs for the reso head. I’m not real big so it is a bit of a challenge to play that 14” mounted on the 24”. Having fun with it
Sweet🤘 I spent the weekend making some custom cymbals. We'll modifying their look I mean. I'm no cymbal maker 😳
@@daniel_alan_music6583 Hell yeah! A weekend spent with drums is a pretty fine weekend in my opinion. :)
Man with just the g1s in the beginning, that floor tom sounds GREAT, especially when you put a bit more force into your hit!
Another excellent video. This might make me boring, but I always tune the batters and resonant heads to the same note. I like hearing that single note, with a rich fundamental, rather than any kind of harmony from each drum. I’ve experimented, but over the last 30 years or so of playing double-headed toms (I used Rotos when I was young), I just always come back to the same thing. To me, that’s also the maximum resonance you can get-which is generally what I’m after.
Sir I tend to still love the other extreme ways of tuning u demonstrated. Maybe because u just a good tuner . So informative. Thanks a million
So important for some people to hear this, even myself🔥
The biggest difference between my second and third kit was the tom sound. Went from a Prestige Session Select kit to a maple Gretsch kit. The tom sounds were SO different. I was blown away at the tones the Gretsch toms could provide.
Snare sounds killer man.
attended a Arnoff drum clinic back in the 80s he shared his head set up remo thin diplomats on bottom and ambassadors on top his drums sounded great but too the man playing them is a awesome drummer.
I use this simple tuning method as a rule for reso heads.
Snare drum - 2 full turns from finger tight
Rack toms - 1 full turn from finger tight ( then reseat with downward pressure and pinch each lug a teenth of a turn)
Floor toms - 1/2 turn to 1 full turn on floor toms (reseat and pinch up)
And make sure each lug is PERFECTLY in tune. Works every time.
Pretty much how I’ve always done it too but usually set the kit up toms upside down so I’m happy with intervals between drums - then 💯 make sure each drum is in tune with itself at EACH lug.
The tops kinda tune themselves but I always tweak each lug so they are in tune with each other too 🤘🏼
With floor Tom's depends on the size and number of tuning rods. When the rods are further apart you have less control over the tuning and the tuning won't hold for long. Top class sonor floor Tom's can have 10 on the 16 head allowing real even low tuned sound that would be crap on say a pearl export 16 ft with 6 tuning rods.
Phil Rudd has known this for decades.
My finger tight might be more or less than someone else’s depending on hand strength just my ocd
Wow, I have been tuning my '76 Ludwig thermogloss reso heads to the same pitch as the batter head for years. I tried raising the reso head a minor third and the sound is night and day. especially on my 18" FT. I always had a little rattle in that bottom head. Thanks so much for this video.
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent video! Demonstrating the sound differences really taught me a lot. I also like how you gave scenarios in which the different tunings would help achieve the effect you are looking for......nice job!
Best drum channel on RUclips!
Great video! Very helpful information. I've been playing for about 13 years, and I've found that I prefer tuning the batter heads based on what kind of attack they give me. I love a "slappy" sort of attack on a low-tuned (but not too low) single-ply coated head. Then I tune the resos a perfect fourth above the batters. I used to tune each drum to specific notes, but these days I go completely based on feel and natural tone of each drum.
Thx for all the experiments you do in your videos. I find that you answer many questions I've always wondered about. You are very well-spoken, clear and articulate. Much appreciated!
I've always struggled with tuning the heads just right, never even thinking about at what pitch range they have a clear line of communication. When I do get the right sound, I go so long without tuning them again that I forget what I did to achieve that sound the first time, lol. This was super helpful, thank you!
I only recently learned about how different the drums sound when you're sitting at them vs across the room. So you touching on that subject really helped paste it into my conscious when i try to tune. I use a Tascam to record about 5' away, so that would explain why my toms sometimes can't reach it.
Besides all the great content and competent advice, you are succinct and articulate with the English language that quickly and comprehensively explain your thoughts. Thank you for this. WELL thought out and delivered.
Me yesterday: "Man, my resos are killing my tom tone"
SLAD today:
Thats realy best explained video and easyest to understand tuning. Thanks
I downloaded a piano tuner to tune my piano and now tune my drums with it. I use specific notes in intervals. Two Roto toms 6, 8 then 10,12,14,16 toms. Tama Starclassic. Never use damping but heads have a damping ring. I found the notes of the drums online, recommended ranges for diameters of drums. I take the written cheat sheet on gigs and always have great sounding drums.
Gracias, excelente como siempre! Saludos desde Argentina.
This ride cymbal sounds great
Hi Cody! I have been following you almost since you began your channel and have learned very much. Thank you 😊. One aspect of this particular video is that you didn’t turn the drum over to the reso head and tune it...to whatever suits your taste. Music is a universal language and every drummer has that “sound” they’re searching for. Any chance of sharing why you didn’t tune the reso head for us. Keep up the good educational format. We all appreciate it.
I actually liked the sound with the looser Reso head. But then I also like the sound of concert Tom’s. Has that ‘doom’ sound.
Hey man. feel great about yourself. You guys are awesome. Thanks for this.
Cody,when you first started playing example one.Thats my sound.Thats what I go for.I call it punch.!This is my drum sound.I don't use a tune bot,or tension meter to achieve that sound just 2 drum keys and my ears.I always found it so much easier by using the same heads top and bottom,clear ambassadors. For years what ever I did to the tops I did to the bottom heads.Never had to put anything to dampen my heads.Recently I started pitching my reso heads up about 25% higher or lower depending on the kit.Just that little 1/4 turn with the drum key makes a big difference .Hearing your drum sound in the beginning is just the best for me.It works great live and in the studio.Ive always took a lot of pride in my drum sound and have had people tell me they sound like a million bucks. It's sad when you see someone playing on a very good set of drums and they sound terrible in the audience. It makes you want to tell them,but how do you tell someone there sound is terrible? Hopefully they will catch this video and a light will go on.Thanks guys,love your channel. Your the best.!
Great video! Have you ever done a video on the effects of different rims? I’d love to see that!
Sounds like a drum coming through and saving my sanity yet again. Great video, guys!
Love the floor tom sound right out of the gate!
Man that tom groove at the beginning kicks ass!!
@9:00 - recording to a one mic set up can sometimes showcase issues. :)
You have become my go to head and source for tuning. Best wishes!
You also did some fine drum groves while explaining. 👌🏻
Once again, amazing video as always! Only in the last maybe few years have I really given any real honest and intentional thought to my reso heads (with plenty of great information from you guys!). It has made a world of difference! I love the way my drums sound (and look for that matter) without a whole bunch of muffling on them. Thank you all again for doing this. Much appreciated!!!
Thanks for your quality information and videos, Cody.
Well done! I play live and very seldom are my drums mic'd. Appreciate the comment about listening to your own drums from several feet away. What sounds good from behind the kit can sound like wet cardboard out front! I find using a Tun-bot and tuning both heads to the same pitch gives me max resonance, which means the sound makes it out into the audience. Good topic and video. Thank you!
This was perfect 👌🏻, I was having this experience with my Tom tuning.
Thank you 🤘🏼
Great vid, solid info without prejudice!
Such a clean pure sound. Thank you. Still working on getting that tone...
Fascinated with the interval pitching, not being someone who ever learned to read pitched music or theory. I stick with "Top for feel, bottom for tone" which usually ends up with the batter somewhat tighter than the reso.
Try getting the right feel on top amd matching tension on bottom. Your toms will sing
I appreciate what is being demonstrated here. I am always looking for that best ear sound, and frequently I'm tuning my toms to get a John Bonham sound using recommended frequency differences between the batter and reso heads. It definitely is frustrating trying to find that sound. You did a great job explaining why I may not be able to get the sound from my particular drums versus another one's drums.
You guys always seem to answer a question that I’ve had with every video. Keep it up! I’d love to see you do a video talking about Alex Van Halen’s snare tone. It’d be awesome to get your take on that.
Rick beato (spelling) did a good video on Alex VH tuning
@@Mmoody2112 I’ve seen that one and agree, he did a fantastic job! I would just be curious to see a take from these guys as well to see if they discover anything different.
Sure are. I just discovered how the res head makes the snare drum!!! Of course you get your tone and attack shaped from the top head but its body and soul comes directly from the bottom
I've never heard this explained so clearly - thanks for the great video! Time to go play around with the resos!!
ALWAYS GREATNESS WHENEVER I GET A CHANCE TO VIEW YOUR VIDS BRO. GOOD JOB!
I need to try this out, I use a drum dial and I usually set the reso and the batter to the same tension but I need a tighten up the Reso just a bit to see if I can get more projection, I like the sound that I get but if I can get a better sound I'm all for it 👍
I've found tuning the bottom head to how I want the top head to sound generally gives me my best starting point. Without the top head on of course.
Always an interesting approach, thank you so much
Great video. thank you! I subscribed and will recommend your channel to my students.