tell me your drum tuning methods/tricks

[Nick Sevilla]

I bang the drums with the drummer's head until it sounds about right.

[digitaldrummer]

FYI - the sticky hands are nearly the same as the moongel. You can get a pack (of 6 or 8 I think) at Walmart for about $2 last I checked (I found them near the party balloons and greeting cards). If you have a "Party City" or even a crappy dollar store, they might have them too. They are not quite as sticky or thick as moongel (or maybe I have not seen the new thinner moongel yet...).

Cut off the stretchy gel "string" part as it just gets in the way and makes it want to fall off your drum. The hand part works great and in my experience will stick to the drumhead a long time. You can also wash them just like moongel and they stick again. The hand provides about the same dampening as a moongel too.

They look ridiculous, but we are drummers so this is nothing new right?

Mike

update: search "sticky hands" on Amazon. tons of options...

[Jarvis]

I bang the drums with the drummer's head until it sounds about right.

Revisiting this link.
I only record myself, will this still work?
God bless you sir.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

i pretty much only record myself too. maybe we can throw snares at each other or something. get an exchange program going.

one helpful thing i started doing sometimes....initial tuning of a drum when you're in a hurry...put a 0-ring on the head. this will kill all the overtones entirely, making it much easier to hear the fundamental. once you take it off you'll still have to do a bunch of finessing to really get it ringing right, but this can get you in the neighborhood of the ballpark pretty quick.

i pulled out the old tama tension watch the other day, and at first i thought "this thing is great, why don't i use this all the time?" then by the next day i was back to doing it by ear cause it just seems quicker and easier that way

[The Scum]

I have a Tension Watch. It usually comes out when:

A> I'm really screwed on tuning (like a couple of lugs are way off), and I need a diagnostic tool that can tell me what's up.

B> I've got to get things in the ballpark, and do so quietly (like setting up for a wedding reception, while said reception is underway).

[MoreSpaceEcho]

one other thing....if you're a tune-to-specific-notes person like me....lay a guitar down next to your drum tuning area, tune an open string (or use a capo) to the note you want, rest an ebow on the string. you don't need to plug it in, it'll go acoustically and give you a nice helpful drone.

[Jarvis]

maybe we can throw snares at each other or something. get an exchange program going.

I could kick myself for passing on several Ludwig Superphonics. Weren't they chrome plated brass.
That's some serious mass.
In which case I would safely assume I'm the better drummer.
They don't call it Heavy Metal for nothing.

[The Scum]

Ludwig Superphonics. Weren't they chrome plated brass.

Maybe, maybe not. Before something like 1965, they were all brass, but around then they switched to "Ludalloy" (Aluminum). Modern Supras are a chromed, 10-lug Acrolite.

If the chrome is coming off an old Supra in flakes, it's probably aluminum...chrome doesn't really stick to aluminum. Likewise, if it's got a stamp inside saying "reliable anti-galvanic..."

It doesn't help that Ludwig made brass Supras that look like the aluminum ones (The LB-400 vs LM-400 model numbers). The current LB's have tube lugs, but I'm sure I've seen some with Imperial lugs through the years.

[floid]

one other thing....if you're a tune-to-specific-notes person like me....lay a guitar down next to your drum tuning area, tune an open string (or use a capo) to the note you want, rest an ebow on the string. you don't need to plug it in, it'll go acoustically and give you a nice helpful drone.

Been doing something similar with a tone generator.