drum tuning

Discuss the various methods you use in music production, from compressor settings to equipment type.
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drum tuning

By Champloo Tue Sep 10, 2013 4:15 am
i know about the whole "if it sounds good do it" idea, but are there anyone that uses real drums or an actual kit and have any specifics about tuning particular parts of the set? (ie tuning the snares up just a bit higher than everything else)

is there a way tune parts of the drum kit that will make parts of the kit stand out from the rest of the set (tune bassdrum lower, snare up higher?)

just wondering about this and like to know if any of you have "set" rules about drum tuning, etc.

peace
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Re: drum tuning

By Ill-Green Wed Sep 11, 2013 9:13 pm
Yeah, I use real drums. Provided by my homie back at the university. :smoker:

I also get busy on an antique wooden night table and a zildan cymbal for drum sounds.

My trick is to think there are three mics, one for kicks, one for snare and one for high hats. I beef up the kick, then crisp out the snare and make the high hats shattering. All with equalization. Sometimes when I want it to sound like a drum break on vinyl I will filter and eq in the above fashion. Compression resampled with a tint of Grunge will **** shit up and make **** piss and perhaps diarrhea in their trousers.

Re: drum tuning

By dtaa pla muk Thu Sep 12, 2013 12:12 am
this is the type of necessary tedium that makes me think that i could never have been a musician before at earliest the mid 90s. i lack the patience, the resources, the tools, etc. not to mention lugging a drum set from gig to gig? crazy.

Re: drum tuning

By drumjockey Thu Sep 12, 2013 2:37 am
Started drumming in 86, started playing out about 89ish until around 2000. Different bands...punk, slocore, dub, jazz...I tune my snare tight as sh@t and use a coated head and use coated heads on my toms with no dampening. Let em ring out. But you see, it is all personal preference. Depends on the player, the specific song, and the situation. There is no "right" way, in my opinion. Yeah Nym, lugging a kit everywhere and unloading amps and all that was the worst. Don't miss those days much anymore, now I'm just a hermit with all the gear I need at home.
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Re: drum tuning

By Lampdog Thu Sep 12, 2013 3:04 am
drumjockey wrote:...I'm just a hermit with all the gear I need at home.

+1
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Re: drum tuning

By es-k Thu Sep 12, 2013 12:05 pm
i'll pitch my kick up till it sounds more like a note, find root note.. thenpitch back down.. for snare i sometimes do the same or find root note and then move to the 3rd or 5th .. hat i just mess with till it sounds right i dont "tune" it
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Re: drum tuning

By n4l Thu Sep 12, 2013 1:31 pm
es-k wrote:i'll pitch my kick up till it sounds more like a note, find root note.. thenpitch back down.. for snare i sometimes do the same or find root note and then move to the 3rd or 5th .. hat i just mess with till it sounds right i dont "tune" it


Never thought of that :shock:

Re: drum tuning

By dtaa pla muk Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:09 pm
es-k wrote:i'll pitch my kick up till it sounds more like a note, find root note.. thenpitch back down


this is the absolute best way to tune a kick drum accurately by ear.
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Re: drum tuning

By peterpiper Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:08 pm
^^yepp also very good to finetune a bassnote or bassline to a givin sample.
another way would be a sweep thru the frequencies with a very very narrow band and find the root frequenciy. this works better with the snare than with kicks.

peace
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Re: drum tuning

By es-k Fri Sep 13, 2013 10:52 pm
n4l wrote:
es-k wrote:i'll pitch my kick up till it sounds more like a note, find root note.. thenpitch back down.. for snare i sometimes do the same or find root note and then move to the 3rd or 5th .. hat i just mess with till it sounds right i dont "tune" it


Never thought of that :shock:

:-D :smoker: go gettem homie!
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