How To Tune Your Drums Like A Pro - The Snare Drum Part 1 of 3

This video will teach you how to tune your drums like a pro. In this video, I will show you how to change heads and tune the snare top and bottom. I have recorded more than 1,000 drum sessions over the past 20 years as a music producer. I have worked with the best drummers in all genres of music from Vinnie Colaiuta to Josh Freese. These are the techniques I use and that you can easily learn. This is the first in my 3 part drum tuning series.
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[@boblatzer]

I have watched many, many videos over the years on how to tune drums. Your method is the only one that really worked for me. My drums have come alive with tone and feel. Thanks.

[@modifidious7171]

You left out a crucial part of tuning the snare: when attaching a new snare wire, make sure your SNARE MECHANISM is unlocked (loose) and it's screw is loosened almost entirely. That way once you've properly attached the snare wire, you can engage the snare mech and tighten it as needed to your play style. The looser it is, the "fatter" the sound. The tighter it is, the sharper and cutting the sound will be. Otherwise perfect tutorial!

[@stp8103]

Thank you for mentioning this. That is the hardest part of putting snare wires on a drum. It can be a bit of a challenge to line them up and have the strainer work perfectly. As far as vintage Ludwig throw-offs go, I would prefer the P-83 any day over the junky P-85. The new P-88AC isn't too bad either.

[@birchply023]

Me i loosen it and maybe have to hold it were i want it its s focus thing . I already know how to tune i just like a refresh force so othen . This is a great video i get it and like it . I woulda liked to have heard it behind a drumset . But i already know how it sounds live i have one .

[@Noah-gq7pq]

yes indeed,,great catch

[@ochocabra1542]

I just loosen it enough to give me some play, then tweak it til I get what I'm looking for

[@Juandrumx]

I appreciate you noted and add it to the comments. Being a experienced drummer I went ahead and figure it out, but it's definitely needed when we're putting out these videos and countless people are watching it around the world... I always hated when somebody that could not explain in details or could even explain it after I asked that I was eventually going to get it... "You'll get it!, You'll get it!, Thank God I wasn't paying that guy for instructions lol.

[@hotsauce5]

Just got back into playing the drums, played guitar for awhile, so this was a fantastic refresher on drum tuning, thank you!!

[@jimmymiller9524]

Hey Rick, I was a drummer back when I was a kid, and I played bass and guitar pro for decades, and now at age 60 I've pulled the ol' kit out from mothballs and needed to replace the snare heads. So glad I found this video because it made replacing them much easier and quicker than the way I did it usually. I never lost the skill for tuning drums, and your way is a tad more work on the front end, but it saves tons of time on the back end. By the time the heads were tight enough, I just had to adjust one or two lugs slightly on each and I was off to the races! Thank you so much!

[@neonbreon]

Thank you Rick! followed this step by step, couple years ago I bought a drum set third hand to learn on, had original Tama heads, went to an Evans Snare Genera Dry, OMG what a difference! Just bought heads for the toms, cant wait

[@thomasmuff1486]

I got to say, man, your channel is just always informative, to the point, and well done. Whether I am watching you and listening to you about something that I already know. Or if I’m listening to you talk about something that I never knew. it’s always a master class of an instruction. When it comes to music and musicianship, and then just listening enjoyment in general, you are number one. Thank you for all of your videos.

[@crome2194]

I've been following your critic videos for over a year now. As a songwriter who just bought his first drum set days ago in order to learn the instrument(s) so I could write the drum parts, I'm very happy to find this video from years ago. I have a lot to figure out.

[@loghanditheimperialdiehard8876]

I’m in the same boat haha.

[@DirectCurrent4u]

I still Love my 1976 Dyna Sonic Sound. (Rogers) I bought the drum kit in 1976 and have been making a living with it ever since. Still sounds as good as the day I bought it. Very crisp!!! Thanks for sharing Rick...

[@nelsonnichols922]

Those old Rogers kits sound great!

[@jazz4asahel]

Totally new drummer with my first drum, an old Pearl snare and vintage Slingerland stand. And Rick Beato instructing me on some basics. It doesn't get any better.

[@novitamonitor]

But but but .... the tuning of the snare resohead is extreme important for the sound and attack. Learn about that elsewere!

[@jazz4asahel]

@@novitamonitor Thank you. Fortunately I had run into some instructional videos on that. I have had to apply that even more to the tuning of my rack toms.

[@mr.kaplanmusic]

Thanks so much for this video Rick! I'm a piano and synth player and your deep dive into drums has helped me immensely!!

[@theurbread]

how to get a good snare sound: step 1. get a ludwig supraphonic step 2. thats it

[@dustinl2640]

Supraphonic is hard to tune

[@MartinBellamyMBDrums]

Ahahaha! no kidding!

[@michaelengle9062]

Pretty much...it's hard to make a Supra sound 'bad" at all. I mean, the sound you like is subjective of course but these things have a good quality sound no matter what heads or tensions I've tried.

[@jimmymiller9524]

Don't have a Supra but I have an old Ludwig 6 1/2" x 14" wood snare from the 50's that is absolute magic and I plan on getting a 70's Supra for something different.

[@jetyler3400]

My Supra is just untouchable...amazing snare.

[@jeffdowning4877]

I read many comments and let's face it- we all have different techniques and rituals to break in and tune. And frankly to me, the result still sounds really gamey and ringy and raw to me. BUT, when I followed this and put a bit of dampening on it , it sounded really great. It had a fat punch and a crack and little resonance that I tend to choke out too much with my previous technique. I think there are many ways to get to a good spot for us all, and many are worth considering. Coming from Rick you know it's going to be a process worth exploring, so one needs to keep an open mind. That is something that is surprisingly problematic with musicians- one would expect them to be very accepting of different techniques and approaches, but in fact many of us are very locked into one way to do things and are convinced anything else is incorrect. And if I know anything, I know that is wrong. There are many approaches that can work. I tried this and got great results. I learned not to tame and over tighten and allow some ring that will need to be tamed a bit. But not having any overtones sucks. To me at least. And again, it depends on the application. Just like with a guitar sound what sounds great by itself sometimes does not work in the context of playing with others or a style of music or mix. It just depends.

[@Customwinder1]

This is great. I have a heap of steel snare drums ans a couple of wood shell snare drums and using your methods make them all sound great. I like the different sounds they all produce. Using a few different heads makes a difference too. Thanks Rick . Love ya work 👍

[@TheTouchy1]

Great video, some very helpful tips for a long term drummer who's always struggled with tuning!

[@phrosda]

shiny it's done? I play until there's a hole in it.

[@Jarhead1313]

Phrosda1 Z same here, I play my snare heads until they're as slick as a used racing tire. But since I started using the Evans Hybrid I at least get my damn money's worth.

[@m0j0b0ne]

Doesn't matter that much, unless you ever need to use brushes; if the coating's gone the brush work suffers. Drummers can go their whole career and never use brushes. Or learn to play a waltz properly. I hate those drummers, and I don't hire them.

[@davidstoleson792]

Cool. Where is the link to your video on snare tuning?

[@10000rambos]

Phrosda1 Z Cool. You and my drummer should swap ideas. He swears by aluminum tape trick, and better yet the old “piece of drum head held on by aluminum tape” trick. He tells me it’s not one you’ll find in the book.

[@joehartman87]

@@m0j0b0ne I prefer playing a worn head with brushes. It adds color when you go from smooth to rough. BTW I'm not looking for work so no biggie.

[@ramblinrogers]

Great tutorial. I picked up a nifty little trick the other day in regards to the old batter head. Cut it so you can lay it on top of the new one. Maybe even cut a hole in the middle, effectively making it into a ring. It’ll be a quick and easy way to muffle the sustain, without adjusting the drum itself. Always nice to find a new use for something, rather than to throw it away. 🙂

[@misledswede9986]

I don't know why I found him throwing the skin away so funny

[@cbparker44]

I thought you meant when he first took it off.. I thought, that's not very funny... then I saw him toss it back into the rest of his studio, and I found it pretty damn funny too. lol

[@drummer4hire12]

I thought it was going to hit the lamp at first.......that would have been golden!!!

[@dannyfoxguided]

Finger tighten is my new favorite thing. The first toss I thought was funny too.

[@DH-tn5xl]

I laughed pretty hard too and then 5 minutes later I see your comment.

[@5000rgb]

The timing.

[@mat4410]

The first thing to do on a 402 is change the P-85 throw off. Lol Glad you caught the point on the rim weights. Most folk would overlook the mention. I really enjoy your channel.

[@grahamroden9374]

I’ve given this method a go on two of my snares. Worked a treat. My thanks.

[@timothyroberts2103]

There's a lot of really good drummers out there that have never bothered to master the art of tuning their drums correctly, especially in church drumming. This was a great tutorial. I've actually never heard of anybody breaking the seals like that.

[@trevord4243]

Hey Rick, Great share. Gonna be kicking back and watch all three of this series. Awesome stuff!

[@steveballstadt1013]

Rick (from my experience playing for a long time) when you place the head on the batter side of the snare you may want to consider placing the joint where the collar is glued together over one of the lugs. It usually prevents uneven crinkling and/or buzzing (which will make your life more difficult especially in the studio).

[@ScrambleBandOfficial]

How do you mean place it over a lug?

[@kingnamedghidorah]

@@ScrambleBandOfficial I believe he means to line the joint up with one of the lugs

[@claytonbozard]

Cool video Rick. I have that snare and didn't know that about the rims being a different size from the older supraphonic's. Going to give that a try!

[@martyylitalo]

I love many of Rick Beato’s videos and have for years. I have learned so much about production, arrangement and theory from him. As a drummer however, this was hard to watch. Rob “Beatdown” Brown is a great source for all things drumset biased. With all due respect Rick.

[@joegiotta7580]

I’m with you on this vid. He does a LOT of things and says a lot of things that are off the mark. Where I disagree is with Rob Brown. He reinforces a ton of false “knowledge” and stereotypes within drumming and especially technique. Brown has a good YT presence and good production. He is also a pretty good drummer. He is an awful teacher.

[@martyylitalo]

@@joegiotta7580 true. I was just appreciating Rob Brown’s approach to snare tuning. Who’s your “go-to” for drum instruction?

[@SallyEddy]

Rick you are a life saver :) had a lot of trouble with my snare drum until I watched this video !!! :) THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH !!!!

[@drummingisdreaming4386]

Great videos, I use your technique regularly now. I do have one issue though. I have toured both the Remo and Evans heads plants and neither of them put glue on the collar of the head, only in the hoop holing the head in place. The collar of both is formed by heating the film and bending it over a mold, hot in Remo's case and cold in Evan's case, no glue ever touches the collar. The cracking you hear is the film itself cracking at the collar point, not any kind of glue. By cracking it like you do, you may make the collar less stiff to form over the bearing edges better, but no glue is involved. Great videos, keep them coming!

[@spin_soul]

Awesome video, very comprehensive. Keep em' coming! :)

[@RichardMcGoldrick]

If you want to tension drum head rims progressively and arrive at an even tension accross the head, number opposite lugs as a pair rather than every lug. For example, a ten lug rim will have five pairs. First determine which will be called pair one (use the logo or put a mark or some masking tape on the shell to be clear about that firstly). Then, progressively tension each pair rotating clockwise (ask your grand dad what that means), and call out 1, 3, 2 4 as you tweak these pairs. Doing that methodically will help prevent confusing yourself doing this save time getting an even pitch around the head. Nice kit Rick.

[@ninpomaniac]

Yep, use two keys.

[@thebouncinghearts]

Love your videos.....you make drum tuning interesting, keep up the great work!

[@TheStudioDrummer]

Good stuff. I just uploaded a 3 minute shortcut drum tuning video and yours came up in my feed. Great as always Rick!

[@devinbuchhorn]

Love this video, the only thing I would suggest is using the 2 key method when tightening lugs. It makes it much more accurate and quicker!

[@christophertracy5188]

Isn't this exactly what is suggested at 6:44 😂

[@bmessacar]

@@christophertracy5188 But Gretsch keys are expensive..lol {nice to have tho}

[@mkreple]

snare head frisbee... absolutely hilarious! 👍

[@moonkef]

Best drum tuning tips from a great producer!

[@virginia7125]

I've watched other videos on tuning snares. Yours made more sense than anybody else's I've ran across. I have a Pearl, play mostly latin music, & it's a 14 × 5½. Looking for suggested pitches to tune both sides. Note ⭐ I sometimes use brushes for acoustic setups.

[@krusher74]

318hz top 400hz bottom. (if that not hight enough go to 356top) buy a tunebot.

[@PaulMarangoni]

The "cracking" sound that Remo's heads make when you place them under tension is NOT the sound of glue cracking. It's the sound of the collar forming against the bearing edge of the drum. Rather than pressing into the collar of the head with your hands, it is much better (and safer) to just tension the head tightly and then let it sit for an hour or two. Then you can loosen the head and then tension it up to where you want it.

[@paulpresson4507]

I also have never heard of anyone deforming the collar to "break up the glue" before mounting the head. I wonder where he got that instruction from.

[@aaronatz9619]

Yup I usually do mine at night and let it sit till morning

[@johncole4882]

I've seen a drummer literally stand on top of a new head and even jump on it.

[@ItsBriiiiii]

@@paulpresson4507 when I was taught how to tension a snare drum, it was to "seat" the head by putting pressure on each side of the rims evenly. You will hear the cracking sound. This is when the head is only finger-tightened and only light pressure, evenly. Then, you will have loosened tension in the rods some as well , so another finger tighten. Then you're ready to tune the drum up as well as (evenly) putting pressure in the center of the head. Never failed for me, this was from a professional player and instructor

[@krusher74]

using a tune bot if i tune a head up to a desired pitch, if i then put a cloth in the center and then using the heal of my hand press on it with all my weight it will streatch and and can then tune it back up to the desired pitch, usually about 5 cycle of this and then it will stop changing and hold pitch. i bet you head tats sat for a hour or 2 is still stretchable and will detune after playing.

[@DamianS1893]

Rick, Thanks for sharing your knowledge

[@PlanetRockJesus]

It's cool how Rick, being mostly a guitarist, is so knowledgeable on drum tech.

[@daveyboy8907]

It's a studio he needs to have lots of knowledge on every instrument.

[@newdeltamusic]

Mostly a bass player, isn't he? Just happens to also play "a little" guitar XD : )

[@newdeltamusic]

I'm not correct here. His undergrad was bass, but his gigs were mostly guitar --- or is he "mostly" a sound engineer? Producer? Interesting question to pose to Rick: what DOES he self identify as? A Musician?

[@snickpickle]

@@newdeltamusic I would identify him as a versatile teaching musician who has a recording studio and lots and lots of real-world experience and friends who are really good musicians in their own right, with a liberal topping of awesome sauce!

[@daverothfarb2739]

Thank you Rick, this was so helpful!

[@Kman1960]

ha ha, you left the bar code sticker on the snare side rim. Thanks for the video Rick, appreciated it!

[@michaelj.morris1979]

Learned a lot . Thanks @rick beato !

[@CiaoGibson]

Excellent post. Thx Rick!

[@philipmorris57]

Hell of blast beat, right there Rick 🤣

[@andyorr1597]

We started using the Drum Dial to precisely tighten the lugs on the three kits - Ludwig Downbeat 20, Gretsch Brooklyn and Pearl Reference - I keep in my studio. They’ve never sounded better.

[@basilioskay8159]

man you are great !!! love these 3 videos !

[@janpetre1577]

Really usefull video! My snare sounds really good now!

[@benjabravo00]

3:18 this is why I love Rick

[@morgunstyles7253]

I made a jig that applies even pressure all around the drum. Squeezing the drum so to speak. Only the rim down onto the drum. With pressure applied, finger tighten rods (you can use a key if you want) release pressure, drum tuned. you can get consistant tuning, and all rods will be the same. No guessing. Want a higher pitch? Squeeze more. Its the same principle as pushing down with your hand, only its all at once and uniform.

[@richardhingle3634]

Oh wow! That's a brilliant suggestion 👏. As a veteran musician and master carpenter don't know why I never thought of that myself.

[@cortbengtson4149]

Great video. Tons of info for me a beginner ❤

[@jaumepp1975]

You should talk about the many ways we can tune drums, and all seem to work just fine. 7th time i watch this video :)

[@pleximanic]

Great! I always use Dry Lube PTFE Spray on the snare shell bearing edges "friction is your enemy whatever you are tuning!

[@RickBeato]

Nice!

[@tripppayne8777]

For an old Supra, that thing is in amazing shape. Moon gel FTW.

[@mzambo666]

Thank you so very much for the video! very nice

[@andreashoppe1969]

It flies pretty well!!

[@KeelanOHara]

Thanks for the great tips Rick! Do you have any go to pitches for snare batter/Reso like you do toms?

[@pjlogan386]

I wish someone had told me about the 1.6 rims 25 years ago, thank Rick.have changed them now.

[@kevschua]

Really good throws

[@rafaelferrer1]

Hello Rick and thanks for the videos and lesson. Question : When you work with Vinnie C,how you tuning the drums or if you used a some Signature Key ( A ,C ,D ,E ) for example. Let me Know and thanks

[@stevelangonedrumchannel272]

I really like your videos, thank you

[@aftertheendtimes]

thaks Rick very informative for a rookie like me =) Love cheers

[@devicesquad6481]

Top tips! Cheers!

[@jobrimar8291]

Great stuff here Rick, if only I’d known about this back in the 80’s lol. Howbout making a Beat-O ( geddit!?!) practice pad kinda thingy with the tuning clock printed on it + some of your other tuning tips as a reference point. Beginners would love it, sound engineers even more so. Just a thought. Get thee to Dragons Den.

[@dizzolve]

8:12 the 4 lugs around the snare bed will need to be cranked a little more than the others because the bearing edge sits lower for the snares. On wood drums they'll sand the edge down almost to flat...... I've seen on metal shells the same type of contour or none at all. But you'll generally have to tighten out some wrinkles on the 4 lugs directly adjacent to the snare mechanisms

[@johncole4882]

I believe Ludwig's metal drums don't have snare beds they're just flat. At least my 1970s acrolite is

[@rafaelferrer1]

Greetings from Miami !

[@davidcudlip6587]

Great video. @3:21 you don't know how bad I wanted that tossed head to knock down that lamp. I'm always in confusion on what snare head I should be using.

[@louisvarga7282]

To replace those old snare wire plastic bands, I cut the inside ply from an old clear tom head into many replacement snare wire bands. They are stronger than the ones that come with the wires.

[@CardinalEgan]

Great idea!

[@simonalexandercritchley439]

Rick can you cover some of the different aspects,like tuning to a note,detuning 2 lugs etc. I like tighter bottom head on snares,for crispness,a little looser but still tight on top. I have different kits or parts of for various styles: Gretsch classic maple (black) 6.5" x14, Gr. chrome/brass 5"x14 all die cast hoops. Premier 3.5" x14 birch,pressed steel hoop. Pearl 8"x14 chrome/maple die cast hoop. Slingerland 5"x14 chrome/brass pressed steel hoop. I play Rock,blues,R&B,jazz.latin,folk. I also have Roland TD9 kit.

[@Jarhead1313]

Use Evans heads and you won't have to do your little DJ spin to seat it...lol I'm just kidding bro, I'm an Evans guy and had to do a little trash talking , love the channel and a big thanks for the help you provide.

[@BonesJonesMusicMD]

Great video thanks!

[@PieterGNel]

Hi Rick! Love your videos. I have a question about mixing a snare drum. I am currently mixing a swing track with both flat stick and snare being played normally. What is a good way to control the dynamics between the two while still giving it space to breath?

[@youtube.comArthurJames]

Hey Rick, How about a video on Ringo's Drum 🥁 Tuning for Recording. His sound is amazing ! 🥁

[@DailyFlux]

I'm a pep drummer and we play on multiple snares and basses. How do I tune my snares and basses if I want them to sound in harmony? For example I want my snare line to sound very bright and my basses very deep.

[@bobbycoltrane7552]

Blues, Rock and Alternative I get. Need to tube for Hip Hop.

[@taffboyslim]

I used to have an acoustic drum kit. I loved the process of changing and tuning up the heads. I also love the process of changing guitar strings - is it weird to say 'thank you' to them when you take them off?

[@Chiroman527]

Hey Rick, I know this is a very old Video. I don't have your email, so I will make this post of an occurrence I encountered with my DW Design Series Nickel over Brass 14 X 6.5 Snare drum. I bought it used in 2021 via Reverb. It came with the previous owner installed HD Dry batter head. It played great out of the dleivery box. It was Cranked High on both heads. A month ago or so, I replaced the batter head with anew HD Dry one; re-installed he stock reso head and wires. I could not get that Sweet Sound that I liked , no matter how much tweaked it. I have a PdP Concept Maple 7 Drum Kit including a 14 X 5.5 Snare. After getting that kit (also Used) I replaced the stock Batter head with a HD Dry. Last week while playing to Music (I'm a 71 yo retiree who plays for pleasure about 1 hour a day), I placed the PdP snare in the stand. I put the DW snare on my 16 Inch Floor Tom - just to get it out of the way. During a fill, I hit the DW snare - Bingo - That was the Sound I was looking to attain, the Jon Bonham sound !! Better than the out of the delivery box sound. Take the drum off the Tom, it was not the same. I've posted this Phenominum on a number of Forums. One poster said that I was Playing 2 Drums simultaneously ; another jokingly said that I may have Invented a new Snare Stand. Like You, I have a little OCD about certain things. Drum Tuning has become one of the OCD issues :(:(. Any idea as to what is going on. Even the PdP maple snare sounds better when doing this!. I even tried placing an extra EC2 clear 16" Tom head in the snare stand, and placing the drum on top of that - sounds a bit better than w/o it, but not the same as being on the Floor tom. Appreciate your or others' thoughts about this. PS: I just tried chnaging the batter head to a UV1 (NG), then a UV2 - still not happy with it.

[@seppoinnanen5577]

Aquarian heads don't usually have those snap/crackle/pop starting sounds like Remos do. Plus, the head profile differs from Remos' by having an "oversized" flat area with lower edge part. That's why I prefer Aquarians. They can be used with any brand drums

[@davis_taylor.1984]

Thank you man!

[@gagamoola]

rick!! happy 2020............following your instructions to the tee--,, getting good results,,..my snare is sounding so good .. my 12" tom is too, but the tom frequency is rattling my snare wire like exactly horrible ..lol >>>any thoughts? (the other toms arent effecting the wire at all.thanks !

[@Lucretia2222]

Great video, I appreciate your work. I guess it's personal preference, but I really dislike everything about triple-flanged hoops. Especially on snare drums. Maybe it's better on certain kinds of recording, but I'm a big fan of die cast hoops or 'S'-Hoops (Sonic/Saver/Sticksaver/Safety). If I want a more open sound, I opt for the S-Hoops, if I want a more focused sound I go for the Die-Cast. I just find them to be much more durable, easier on sticks, the S-hoops help hold loose muffling rings and such in place, they also protect the bearing edge, and give a different, to my ear, fatter rimshot than triple-flange, and both die-cast and S-hoops tend to hold a tuning more evenly for longer around the drum, even under heavy use. One of the best 's-hoops' I've seen has been the proprietary Mapex Black Panther Snare Sonic-Saver Hoops, if S-hoops are a compromise between triple-flanged and die-cast hoops, then the Sonic Savers are like the compromise between S-hoops and Die-cast, they're probably about as solid as die-cast hoops structurally, but more open in resonance/lighter. I agree they can deaden a drum slightly, but I would argue in most situations, the amount it deadens it relative to what you can get out of it via tuning and micing, is marginal, perhaps even desirable. Plus. especially on a snare, it's very common to bend triple flange rims from use and age, or de-tune the batter head from rimshots. Obviously, it's not as big of a concern in lighter styles, but these are things I've noticed playing heavier rock drums where gear breakdowns like that can waste a lot of time/money.

[@LudingtonBass]

Somebody got an A in drums class. Rock on 🤘🏽 dude.

[@rctubs3593]

I always make sure the throw off is in the down position when installing snares other wise you will not have a wide range of tension for the snares. They will be on the loose side.

[@mat4410]

Ludwig Superphonic 402: using the Evans HD dry (the pinholes around the edge) Evans 300 on the snare side, Puresound steel 20 strand. Put a Trick throw off with the milled adapter. The 200 was too sensitive to Tom sympathetic overtones. ; likely best for symphonic/ concert band.

[@trisdactedalot2995]

Amusingly, Rick, and I almost hate to mention this, the bar code sticker was still attached to the bottom rim. Affects nothing, but it's probably a great trigger for those of us who are also a bit obsessive compulsive (in the colloquial sense). Unless, of course, the snare is for sale, lol.

[@hankmore1]

Haha, I noticed that too and would never leave it on.

[@thegingerdrumtech4253]

great video

[@DrGray_Drummer]

No matter what snare I've bought, or how much I loved the sound, or paid. I ALWAYS go back to the Supra. That's the second time I've heard you say "Indi bands" don't play rim shots. Are they usually less skilled? I had never heard that until you said that

[@ccdrums1290]

Cord over straps for sure. Much more open and resonant sound.

[@edwardhaaland2310]

Nice lesson Rick! Just to offer an FYI: Those vintage Supraphonics you mentioned that had the lighter rims from the 1970s are great for another reason,- they were equipped with the internal muffler control so you didn't have to mess around with those crappy makeshift dampening methods like tape, moon gel, drum dots or even setting your wallet on the drum like some guys do (ha ha!) So I always recommend (when possible) to go with a vintage Ludwig snare drum as they were better equipped.

[@chardrum]

I like the throw off be to my left and the air hole facing forward.

[@KITLEVEY]

I noticed Rick feels for defects (smoots) around the drum edge that mates to the head - I noticed that nobody seems to think the ring needs the same treatment. The rings are often what needs it the most. He didn't tune either head by tapping the head near each screw for tone to insure all screws were tightened equally.

[@Eurodrummer666]

What about levelling the resonant head? As Sounds like a drum recommends.

[@tubbers20]

Thanks for the video and tips. I tuned my 6.5 a different way, but it still has the 'Bonham' sound. I'm getting a symphonic snare soon, either a Grover or Pearl. :^)

[@richardhingle3634]

For anyone interested...it's been written Bonham was a fan of tuning his snare in Perfect Fourths...for those unfamiliar with this, that means the relationship between batter and reso heads yields a hertz ratio approximately 1.33 times between the heads. Naturally, the type and thickness of your heads will yield close numbers but not exactly... Fool In The Rain: G# Batter 303 Reso 412 When The Levee Breaks: F# Batter 320 Reso 355 Check this with a calculator and you'll see a relationship just under 1.33, the difference explained by thick, dry heads (batter) and a loosened strainer to yield a dry, cracking sound. Hope this helps any younger drummers looking to understand tuning relationships. Best of 🤞.

[@lildrummerboy80]

For real? 15 min long video and it cuts off during the final tuning of the bottom head???

[@jasonames5101]

couldn't believe it!

[@bobhopkins6459]

Couldn't believe it too. Most important part of the video in my eyes. He needs to finish tuning it from where the video ends.

[@roni6135]

You guys do realize there are 3 parts to this video right

[@CheckDrummer]

Thank you very much

[@drumbo62]

Live your videos Ric but I would be cautious when pressing down while finger tightening to not have the rim be uneven or a low spot if you will. The most important thing is to make sure the head and the hoop are centered (not off to one side) with even pressure and also not having one side of the hoop higher. I would be afraid of pressing too hard when finger tightening and throwing it out of whack from the beginning.

[@christophertracy5188]

I think this question has already been asked in the comments, but I didn't see a reply, I'll try to rephrase and also comment on the video. The video had a great discussion on the different types of hoops -- die-cast, 1.6mm, 2.2mm -- and why that matters (one drummer used the word "seasoning" in the comments). I definitely plan to source some new hoops, as I already knew I had one that wasn't perfectly round anymore, now the question is *where* is the best place to get some low mass hoops that fit my Gretsch drums? I've found one online vendor, what do others do? (local drum shop? find somebody who collects/refurbishes drums?)

[@karlbradley8235]

Very good breakdown of head and snare replacement and tuning. I disagree with your head selection, but that is mainly a matter of taste.

[@joaocarvalho9689]

Rick. I love your videos but there's something you do with the reso head that l conpletely disagree with. Tightening the reso head that much doesn't mean it gives you the best sound. In fact you're overtensioning the reso head and you might ruin it if you ever want to tune it lower. I used to do that when l started and it completely destroyed the head's tuning ability once l brough it lower to a specific high pitch within the recommended range. I also like my resos tight to the max, with the batter higher than the reso, but you can also get perfect sound the other way around. What l'm saying is: dont bring your reso head higher than 440Hz ~ A4 because you'll get choked sound beyound that and people who are learning to tune should get the feel of the reso resonance. As for the batter l go with what sounds best. I have a great rich fat sound on my roadshow's snare because of that. But l completely fucked my reso head overtensioning it beyound 440hz. Keep that in mind. Aint so hard to train your ear and experiment within range. I usually use a pitch emmiter on my phone like you did with the toms. It works. Tightening the reso to the max only works as a last resort when you really have a cheap low end snare drum with a lot of annoying overtones. However good tuning and knowing the recommended ranges works best most of the time.

[@richardhingle3634]

I agree...400hz max on the reso or risk splitting the head.

[@johnvandyk6515]

Finally some one has said it…I like to almost match the tone on both heads, and use the end of a stick when tuning! Do you have a drumstick? Rick’s snare was way, way too high, esp as a starting off point.

[@codersexpo1580]

I shoot for G3 bottom and A2 top, put a moon gel on if in the studio or let the overtones happen naturally live, and call it a day. ;-)

[@GamalielRios]

3:20 EPIC...!!!

[@babyjesus2025]

Does sound good

[@emrekartarimusic]

True, lighter means more resonance, but it also means less body. This is why, for example, some people prefer thicker Gretsch rims or the shells of vintage Sonors over Yamahas because they prefer body over resonance. The drum you have seems to be made after the 90's because of the gold badge, which means, not only the rims are heavier, but the drum shell overall is a little smaller than the vintage Supras. This smaller diameter makes the drum a little thinner compared to the vintage Supra's.

[@krusher74]

The weight of somthing does not dictate its resonance. that is flawed physics

[@wmmonahan]

I have been playing percussion since I was 14, and I'm 55 now. It is unnecessary to do a lot of the stuff you do to the new heads before you put them on. When you tighten the hoops down, the heads will stretch on their own. I don't skip every other nut when I tighten the hoop, but it is right to always criss-cross when tightening the lugs. Hope this helps!