How to Tune a Timpani

Set of Four Timpani

Timpani, or kettle drums, are a common percussion instrument often found in concert bands and classical orchestras. Timpani are comprised of a large bowl, usually made of copper, capped by a drumhead, and adjusted in pitch by a mechanical pedal or roller chain system. They vary in size and are often played in sets of four. A timpani head is first tuned when it is installed, and then adjusted in pitch by means of a pedal.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Set of new timpani heads
• Mallets
• Drum key
• Pitch pipe or fixed-pitch instrument
• Drum dial or similar device
• Steel wool
• Teflon tape, graphite powder or wax

1. Remove the old timpani head. To do this, you must first push the pedal with your foot to its highest position (this is usually parallel with the floor). Keeping this pressure, use a drum key to loosen the tension rods, remove the hoop and remove the old drum head. Return the pedal to the lowest position.

2. Clean the edge of the timpani bowl with steel wool and apply adhesive Teflon tape, graphite powder or wax to the bearing edge. Apply the new head, place the hoop over top of it and install the tension rods. Turn the tension rods evenly to finger-tip tightness.

3. Set of two timpani.

   Turn each tension rod a half turn in a crisscross pattern, that is, once a rod has been turned, turn the one across from it, then go back to the original rod and proceed to its neighbor and repeat. Continue this process until the head is reasonably firm. Some musicians advocate a clockwise or counter-clockwise system, although this sometimes causes drumheads to rip.

4. Use a pitch pipe or fixed-pitched instrument such as a piano or xylophone to tune the lowest note on each drum. Reset any note gauges after this has been achieved. Common measurements and lowest pitches of each drum are as follows: 32-inch drum = D; 29-inch drum = F; 26-inch drum = A; 23-inch drum = C.

5. "Clear" the head by using a drum dial or similar device. Get a reading from the dial at a location and proceed to move clockwise or counterclockwise around the drum, adjusting tension rods to conform to a common reading. Check each position before changing individual tension rods. Once they match, the head should be evenly stretched. Repeat the tuning process in Step 4. Now use the pedal to adjust the pitch as necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Measure drum heads from inside of the rim to ensure an accurate measurement of size before purchasing new drum heads. Record the size and date of the head on a piece of masking tape applied to the underside of the head to aid in recordkeeping. Tune the lowest note of the timpani first. If the pedal will not hold a particular position, improper head tension may be to blame. Check the tension rods using a drum dial or similar device. If the problem remains, the spring tensions system may need to be adjusted.

• Use a crisscross pattern to avoid ripping drum heads. Adjust the spring tension system as a last resort---it can be dangerous and may break the drum. Do no adjust the pedal wildly as it wears out the head and break the tension mechanism that applies pressure to the drum head.

References

• Timpani Troubleshooting Guide
• Timpani FAQ

Resources

• A Basic Guide to Tuning Timpani