How to Make a Drum Set Sound Better

Drums can be tuned to make a variety of sounds.

The best thing about playing the drums is the player's ability to get them to create a variety of percussive sounds. Drums can be tuned to specific pitches, and make loud and soft projections. If you are having trouble getting optimum sound from your kit, the following information will help you get everything you paid for out of each of your drums. With a little know-how, even the most inexpensive drum sets can be tweaked to sound as good as custom-made kits that cost much more.

Things You'll Need

• Tuning key
• Proper heads
• Drum sticks

Instructions

1. Choose the proper heads. Most drum sets come with standard, single or basic, double-ply heads. These stock heads are usually only good for demonstrative playing in the showroom or banging around in the basement. Choose solid, two-ply heads are perfect for a variety of applications. Good two-ply heads project a warm tone, and will slightly muffle piercing high frequencies and loud, ringing overtones. If punch is what you are looking for, choose a clear head, free of coating. To muffle some of the punch and let more echoes come through, use coated, two-ply heads (see Resources below).

2. Seat your drum heads. Before you replace tension rods, "seat" the drum head. To seat the head, press down firmly in the center of the head with the palm of your hand. Repeat three to five times. This will allow the head to mold itself with the drum's bearing edge.

3. 

   Replace your heads. Using your tuning key, loosen each tension rod, removing them from the lugs. Lift the hoop from the drum shell, and remove the existing head. Set new head in its place. Replace tension rods and finger-tighten them only. Repeat this step for each drum in your set.

4. 

   Tune your top heads. Start with a tension rod head closest to the 12 o'clock position. Place your tuning key over the head and make a quarter-turn to the right. Locate the rod head directly opposite and make a quarter turn (see image). Locate and tune the rod immediately to the right, or the 1 o'clock position. Tune its direct opposite. Make quarter turns until your head is tight.

5. Dial in your resonator heads. For your resonator heads (bottom heads) to work properly, tune them slightly higher than the top heads. Give each tension rod an extra quarter-to half-turn to produce a higher pitch. This will allow the bottom head to capture the tone and properly project it.

Tips & Warnings

• Properly muffle your bass drum. If loud bass drum overtones are a problem for you, place a towel or blanket inside your bass drum to muffle some of the overtones. Use solid cymbals. Cymbals that come with drum sets are often poorly-made and lose their playability after only a short time (see Resources below). Spend at least a couple hundred dollars on cymbals. Buy a good bass pedal and hi-hat stand. A quality pedal will cost you about $160. A stage-quality hi-hat stand will run $85 to $125. Spend the extra money (see Resources below).

• Don not tune your bottom heads too tightly. The pressure can cause them to break.

Resources

• Aquarian Drum heads
• Zildjian Cymbals
• Tama Iron Cobra Bass Pedals
• Quality Hi-hat Stands by Pearl