Steve Maxwell Drum Tuning Video 

In my 68 years of playing drums I can say this, if I had a nickel for every drum tuning method I have watch or read about I would be a wealthy man! Thanks Steve for your video on drum tuning, simple is always best. Rich

Excellent neutral approach explaining tuning methods and how you emphasized there is no right or wrong way. It's whatever sounds good to you and or the band and viewers. Thank you Steve for being open , honest, and professional.

Steve, your snare drum tuning is opposite to most other tuning videos on RU-vid, but you snare drums always sound better, so you must be right. Your method certainly works great for my snares. I wonder where the reverse method started.

Useful, simple explanation. It's funny to see all the people with advice on how to tune drums like, "this is how you do it...", etc. who don't agree on how do to it because either they don't know or there's such a subjective element to it that what sounds good to one person might not sound good to another. I'm sure that even some excellent drummers and engineers have no idea how, or couldn't explain it to you. The fact is, it's not an exact science, and tuning two heads that interact in complex ways is very different from tuning a violin or a guitare, but Steve is right here, lowering the bottom head in relation to the batter, to about aminor 3rd or a 4th below, does improve resonance (I've done the test on several instruments), provided you don't tighten the batter above the drum's natural tuning range and choke it. Even Ross Garfield, "drum doctor" agrees, for whatever that's worth... Looser heads generally resonate better. Tuning the two at the exact same pitch can also work, but it has to be exactly the same, otherwise you can get phase cancellation or nasty beating/overtones, it's just easier and more reliable to use this method. Plus, having a clear, precise note come out of a drum isn't necessarily what you wan't, especially if it clashes with whatever tonality a piece is in. People should experiment anyway, that's the only way to really know. I remember watching a video with Bob Massenburg in the studio saying that most engineers record overheads on the drums wrong, and he began using a different method, with both mics slightly angled and equidistant from the bass and snare drum, just over the player's shoulders. Steve Albini too, changes his methods occasionally ... if even these two, who are some of the most experienced engineers recording, can admit that sometimes they change their minds on how to do things, then you should be wary of anyone declaring "this is the right way to do such and such...", etc.

Mr. Maxwell...thanks for all you do for the drumming community. You must have one heckuva busy day between two stores, sales, taking time to answer questions, the great videos you make, and who else knows what! ; ) Can't thank you enough and hope to meet you someday and see your store. Russ Cashdollar

Interesting. I guess there are different approaches to tuning a snare drum. Joe Morello taught me to tune the batter head to the desired tension and then the resonant head a perfect 4th higher. The reso head would generally be quite tight, or as they say “tabletop tight.” I’ve found over the years and having owned dozens of snare drums that this always produced a great sound. Crisp and bright.

I get many positive comments from my clients in regards to my drum sound. I’ve never tried tuning the res head lower! I’m intrigued by your theory and going to give it a go!!! Thanks!

Ever since I was a teen in the early 90's, I always tuned the top head tighter than the bottom. On my 14th birthday in Aug of 1990, I got a 1966 Slingerland drum set. The next year I switched to Evans drum heads. Rock Glass tom batter, and Resonant Glass on the bottom. Genera coated snare batter, and Rock Glass on the bass batter. Adults used to compliment me on my drum sounds all the time. These days I'm playing dw collectors, and am experimenting with the tighter bottom head. Not bad, but I may go back. I'm also using Ambassadors, but used Pinstripes and Emperors for a long time. Thanks for the video!

This was great, Steve, thanks. Gotta say, I was skeptical of the snare drum, and I don't know the ratios, but the other day on a whim I dropped the tuning on the bottom snare head about a quarter turn (I was always told to tighten the bottom snare head as tight as it will go). Holy smoke! I can't believe how much fatter and LOUDER the drums sounds - too loud actually. I'm going to have to play with it a bit, what what a difference. Thanks again.

Cool. Feel helps me tune. Pushing in on the heads. And trial and error. Listening as well. It's very important what you said about tuning range. Smart! I've learned not to try to get a sound out of a drum if it doesn't have it.

Exactly the way my Dad taught me....ya, the fellow to the left of this comment in photo. Dig that kit from about 1936 or 38. Thanks Steve as always!

That is all sound advice. Thanks. Personally, I tune my drums to specific pitches all the time. If recording I'll tune to the key of the song being recorded. With new drums I go so far as to determine the pitch of the shell without any heads, then I tune both heads to that pitch. At that point the drum is as open and resonant as it is capable of. That is my starting point. Also, I use a Drum Dial for speed. I log the Drum Dial settings for all heads on the sets. When it's time to put on a new head all I have to do is dial in the head tension and that gets me to a hair close to the pitches I want. I also log specific tunings that I know will work in specific situations. I also frequently use a Resotune which is an amazing device that lets you quickly tune each lug to the exact same pitch. It's far more accurate than measuring head tension at the lugs, and a lot faster than doing it by ear. I'll never forget it... I took my floor tom into a music store cause the salesman wanted to see my vintage Ludwig tom. I told him it was tuned to a "G" pitch. he did not believe me so he brought it over to the piano and played a "G" and then hit the drum. He said, "Damn, it really is tuned to a "G". he was amazed like he never heard of such a thing.

Alot I agree with. have always tuned my toms that way but never got success with tuning snare that way. Struggle to get nice wire buzz with loose tensioned bottom head. very interesting and will keep experimenting for another 30 years, we always learn.

I tried this as after listening to a live recording of my kit, it sounded 'boingy' from the audience side but amazing from the stool. I tune the toms / kick either same pitch or a 4th higher on the reso. Try tuning your reso a 4th lower!

i purchased a bklyn bop kit from Maxwells I tuned it exactly how he instructed and it sounds amazing

Thank you Steve. Great insight and a clear concise explanation.

This is gold!!!

Awesome info! Thanks for sharing Steve!

Wow, thankyou Steve, I have done it always the opposite way, I will definitely try this.

I found this very informative and useful. Thanks.

Thank You, Mr. Maxwell

I’m so glad I stumbled upon you.

very true.. I play festivals a lot and the backline kits are so detuned that it hurts to play

wisdom,,, truths

Some drums actually want to sing at very specific frequencies. I'm in the process of re-heading my Tama®/Hoshino® New Imperialstar™ kit, and the IMT08A add-on rack tom doesn't put out until I bring the heads up to G3 (~204 Hz) on account of shell volume and vent size; same is true of the IMT10A and IMT12A at lower specific pitches, but the IMF16A will put out from F1 (~ 43 Hz) and hit peak around C2 (65 Hz). All are slated for Evans®/D'Addario® EC2S coated batters and Remo® clear Diplomat resonants; they can tune for best sustain. The IMS145 (14"x5") snare drum, which has no snare bed (a common issue to Tama standard-model snare drums), will need a different snare release from the stock MUS65A, which binds the flesh hoops short of max supported tension for the lugs, and possibly a stouter reso than the Remo® SA-0114-00 3-mil hazy (will the SE-0114-00 5-mil hazy be sufficient?). As of 15 January 2016 it packs an Evans®/D'Addario® B14HD batter and should handle the same vendor's TT14RGL as a reso if necessary. The drum that has presented no pitch problem with new heads is the IMB22F kick, which packs an Evans®/D'Addario® BD22EMADHW 2-ply/20-mil clear batter and a Tama®-branded Remo® ES-1022-00 10-mil Ebony resonant (Hoshino Gakki P/N BH22B).

Best tuning video ever!

Love this site Ty Steve your the best!

Interesting. I play in purely acoustic situations and in situations where I'm closed mic'd. I have more than one kit and so maybe I'll tune one with the top heads higher and one with the bottom heads up a minor third (or so). Good information.

Thank you so much!🙏

Thanks Steve!

Hey Steve, Could you do a segment on Bass Drums regarding Port or No Port on the reso head? Also, I would appreciate your thoughts on using a Kick Port that can be placed in the port hole. Thanks!

Great video

Great video. I used to tune my jazz kit this way, but moved toward the Bonham sound, which I've gotten tired of lately. I just might go back!

I've never been able to get an even decent snare sound if my snare reso head isn't cranked up almost as tight as it can go. In my experience, if the bottom snare head isnt cranked, you get this loose, terrible rumble sound with way too much wire buzz and ring.

HE FINALLY DID IT!!!!!!! YES OMG

I gave this video the thumbs up number 440 :)

I want to hear your snares which have the reso tuned lower than the batter... I've never heard this sound good.... I agree on the toms part, but in my experience if the snare head isn't tuned damn tight, it will be buzzy and have poor sensitivity.

This is the only way I have ever known how to.

The Best

Actually this method worked for me on a birch Yamaha kit. Which up until today I hated.

What do you recommend for kind and brand of heads for a pearl hybrid fiberglass 2015 kit 24 16 13? Thank you for all you do! You love drums like I. Tunning sounds great. I was thinking you said you use the same ply heads for top/bottom. is it better to use same ply usually I knew the reso would be thinner ply then the batter. Any reason why you like even ply heads for both top/bottom? I was thinking that would make more sense? Easier to tune or no difference or I dunno where I’m goin with this here. It can be quite scientific if you let it. Sweet spot is so true on a drum.

Agree

@Stevo Reno Bonzo actually used the opposite technique. His resonant heads were tuned several steps higher than the batter. Search for Jeff Ocheltree's video on this subject. He uses bonzos actually kit and seeing as how he was john's drum tech he would know what was used.

Hi Steve! Is a one turn a full revolution of the drum key or is it a half?

steve! If a bass drum or any other drum is a little oversized due to age (60's kit) will using the remos coated ambassador or vintage heads still sound good with it? or should I try the evans 360?

@Steve Great video! Always interesting to see how other people tune their drums, especially someone with experience such as yourself. I am intrigued by this concept of which head is tuned higher than the other, specifically for the idea of optimal acoustic projection. It's hard not to think of John Bonham when having this discussion, considering that so many people (even non-drummers) love his drum sound, both live and in the studio, and his tuning method was based purely on the fact that he couldn't rely on recording technology to capture his sound...It had to come from the drums live, as was probably the case of any professional drummer back in the day. It's interesting to me because his drum tech, Jeff Ocheltree, has an instructional video discussing the drums, hardware, tuning and mic setup John Bonham frequently used. I'm not sure if you've seen this video, but it is available here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_mrNjz_U0ZM.html. Anyways, the reason I'm bringing this up is because Jeff mentions John's methodology of tuning the drums as they "did in the big band and swing era," which could be synonymous with your statement that the way you tune is based on tuning methodologies from the 40s and 50s. However, Bonham tuned his bottom heads higher, for the exact reason that they projected more to the audience. So, it seems we have a bit of a conflict here, at least in terms of historical accuracy: one person is saying they used to tune their top heads higher back in the day; the other is saying the opposite. I'm not saying that anyone is right or wrong, just curious on your thoughts here. I've spent about 20 years exploring drum tuning and my sound, and it's funny because I always used to tune my bottom heads super tight, and when I would tune my top head higher by accident, I tended to like the sound better. I know there's no right or wrong, and it's a completely personal thing. Thanks for the video and information!

Are you implying you tune your SNARE drums this way or are we just talking about toms and kick? I've never heard advice to tune the snare reso looser than the batter. Seems like you'd get crappier snare response and sensitivity that way.

Also Steve, the philosophy of tuning the snare, only, at a fourth from each head, and use the " hear comes the bride" as the key??

I mean when the batter head is saggy it is not fun to play

What I don't understand and never understood after playing professionally for many years and teaching as well is that I always hear conflicting opinions on tuning. Here is another example. You say you tune the top head tighter than the bottom. Others have said the tuning should be the opposite (bottom head tighter than top) and the last person of knowledge I asked who is a drummer and sound engineer said the top and bottom heads should be tuned the same. Also you mentioned the big band era nd how they tuned and I just watched a video of Jeff Olcheltree describing how John Bonham's drums were tuned like the way they tuned in the big band era with the top head looser than the bottom head. Jeff has been a dru teach for great drummers like Bonham, Billy Cobham, etc....so I'm surprised you and him seem to be saying the complete opposite thing about big band drum tuning. I do like that you said it is an opinion. I think it gets even more confusing (drum tuning) when you have variations in the thickness of heads. One question: when you say top head "tighter" than the bottom head are you actually talking about the tightness of the head or pitch?

I tune the same way.

99% of people today actually tunes bottom head higher for the note to bend down and some tune heads same pitch for dryer tone.

16 thumbs down on the video? probably 16 persons working for Drumdial!

that snare drum looks beautiful! what is it?

Man I wish you were a little closer to Phoenix!

Someone speaking some sense.

This is what I call "folk tuning" which has no real reference or scientific basis, and is just passed down from teacher to student. Thankfully electronic tuners have emerged, and I can tune a drum better than anybody I have ever heard that doesn't use one. On the one hand the ear is a very important tool to use, but you can't use your ear accurately without a reference, which the tunebot or apps do. You ear cannot discern notes well at all from a two headed drum, because of the clashing overtones. So you end up playing whackamole and people spend their whole lives trying to learn the art of tuning. I learned basically overnight. That's says nothing about me, just the technology that is available, which has demystified tuning and made it a million times easier. it's very difficult to get seasoned drummers to accept this, because they have spent so much time of their lives tuning, and come up with some lackluster crude method that works but is nothing special.

I tried this as after listening to a live recording of my kit, it sounded 'boingy' from the audience side but amazing from the stool. I tune the toms / kick either same pitch or a 4th higher on the reso. Try tuning your reso a 4th lower!

I tried this as after listening to a live recording of my kit, it sounded 'boingy' from the audience side but amazing from the stool. I tune the toms / kick either same pitch or a 4th higher on the reso. Try tuning your reso a 4th lower!