Tom tuning comparison - 12X9 DW collector's maple tom

Hear the difference between tunings on the same tom, with the same microphone, heads and flat EQ.

Gear:
Tune bot drum tuner
DW collector's Maple VLT 12x9 tom with reinforcement hoops
Evans heads: G2 clear on top, Genera resonant on bottom
Sennheizer E904 microphone
M Audio profire 2626 interface
Promark Rebound 5A active grip sticks

[janceulema]

Nice test, that illustrates different tunings well. It also demonstrates that the Sennheiser e904 is an excellent tom mic (the Sennheiser MD421 is even better, but much more expensive and not as compact).

[briankappler]

Would have loved to hear the difference from a room mic perspective, but STL love the video. Thank you!

[SirHiggalot]

Would have been better with a room mic. Almost all of what we're hearing is the top head.

[Gkm]

I recently changed all my toms from clear Pinstripe to coated Ambassador batter heads to facilitate jazz playing (particularly with brushes). 10, 12, 13 rack and 14, 16 floor toms. And it seems they sound best and rebound best by having the batter heads tight enough to rebound the stick well, with the reso heads about a minor third lower to provide depth. They are tuned 10=F 12=D 13=Bb 14=G 16=Eb. The bass drums are 20”, and are tuned Bb on my primary foot and low G on the hihat foot. It’s a very musical-sounding setup.

[ShawnxEdge]

Goes to prove there’s no wrong or right way to tune, tune them to how you like to hear them.

[gsilva]

This is literally the only video I needed! Thank you!

[amuimi]

01:14 ➡️⬆️⬆️⬇️ 바로 쏘고 낙차가 심함
00:40 ⏺⏺↗️⬇️ 제자리에 있다가 좀 늦게 출발하는 쫀득한 바운스 소리
00:05 ➡️↗️➡️↘️ 서서히 갔다가 서서히 내려감 낙차가 낮음

[grainapps]

Interesting comparison! The fundamental pitch of the drum is at A=110 Hz in all these tunings. If you're interested: my recent video is about tom tuning based on pitches of batter and fundamental resonances and gives some explanation & tools how the tunings of top and bottom head interact.

[upsetkidpanda]

thanks for the idea! might you have a video about a coated head on the batter side and a clear head at the bottom? thanks again!

[LucasSheldon]

0:05 Top 189hz, Bottom 189hz
0:17 Top 183hz, Bottom 195Hz
0:29 Top 165hz, Bottom 217Hz
0:40 Top 146hz, Bottom 245hz

0:51 Top 195hz, Bottom 184hz
1:02 Top 200hz, Bottom 179hz
1:13 Top 206hz, Bottom 173hz

1:25 Back-to-Back

[dudemanaric]

Low resonance bottom higher sounds best to me

[danlc]

I need to experiment because my toms have almost no stick attack, and all resonance. Not good when doing those quick unison runs with the guitarist.

[samirsegovia]

Hi!
Can you upload a video with the floor tom? Thank you!

[SONORSQguy]

189Hz top and bottom is the best. The fundamental is at 104Hz G#2. 👍🤟

[edoardozampetti]

same frequency top and bottom..best..my kit like this.. ..in any case a microphone that oscillates during the percussion does not guarantee any audio quality .. indeed it is susceptible to transmission of vibrations from the support much better a separate microphone with its rod .. the microphone recording of a drum kit is not a matter for everyone

[joelsgarage-atributetorock]

Are the frequencies you are showing here the fundamental frequency of the head or the Lug frequency?

[BenjaminGib]

I think that is the worst sounding drum I have ever heard. 😂😂😂