How to Fit a Bass Drum Head

Historically bass drums were used to keep the beat in marching bands. Today in pop music, as well as rock and roll, Bass drums are used in conjunction with all the other drums in the drumer's drum set to keep the tempo. Bass drums are also important for keeping time for jazz music and for musical accents in classical music. Here are the steps for how to fit a bass drum head.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Drum head
• Drum shell
• Hoop
• Tension Rods
• Washers
• Claw hooks
• Drum Key

1. 
   Bass drum shell.

   Place the bass drum head on the empty side of the bass drum shell. Then place the hoop on top of the drum head and adjust so that it fits evenly around all sides.

2. 

   Place a washer and a claw hook onto the first tension rod then position the tension rod in line with a mounting lug. Next rest the claw hook onto the hoop and hand tighten the tension rod. Repeat this step for each of the remaining tension rods.

3. 

   Use a drum key to tune the drum head. Keep the head even on the drum shell and use your palm to press down on the center of the drum while tuning. After the drum head is tuned you are ready to play.