I’m getting back into drumming after a lot of years not doing it. I’ve identifed what I don’t like about the kit: the cymbals, including the hi-hats, are too low and brassy, even though they’re Zildjians. They clang instead of ping, and ring instead of shimmer. The one thing I can change for free is the pitch of the snare drum. It’s too high for my taste, and I’d like to lower it.
I have the tuning key. What’s the proper way to go about it? I guess I’ll have to loosen both the top and bottom heads. Is this right? How much, one in relation to the other? Equal? Unequal? Is there a standard procedure, i.e. turn this one a hair, then its opposite a hair, and like so all over the drum?
All suggestions are welcome. Thanks!
The bottom skin has little to do with the tone. First disengage the snare itself, then establish that the top skin is even: tap near each key with a consistent power and adjust until they all sound the same. Then you can simply back them all off the same amount to lower, tighten to raise. Then you can engage the snare, and again tighten or loosen it to get the amount of “rattle” you want.
The bottom skin you just want even and moderately tight.
Boy, this thread disappeared so fast I had to look for it in my User CP!
Thanks for the advice. It worked out quite well. The pitch is much more to my liking now. I may even see what it sounds like tuned lower. I’m going for the snare sound on Billy Squier’s “Rock Me Tonite.” I just played with the record, and it’s almost there.
Now, if only I knew more about cymbals, and they didn’t cost so darned much!