Welcome to Day 11 of 31 Days to Better Sounding Drums. If you’ve missed the past several days, I’ve been discussing tom tuning. After you’ve tuned all of your toms (starting from smallest to largest), it’s time to position these around the drum kit. When you hang a drum shell on a tom holder post, a normal tension on the shell is inevitable. There’s not a ton of ways to get around this. After you’ve spent time tuning your toms to your taste, there will likely be some change in tone as soon as you place the tom on its holder. No need to panic! Simply tweak the tension rods ever so slightly to bring the drum back in tune. There are still a few things to keep in mind, however, with the angle and position of the toms.
Reduce Angles
If your toms are angled too much, consider a set up change. Believe it or not, the way you mount your toms will make a huge difference in the sound. Flatter toms will not only sound better, they’ll help you play better and your heads will last longer. One way to determine if it’s time for an angle adjustment with your set up is take a look at the front of your kit. If it resembles Mickey Mouse in any way, it’s time for a change!
Get Comfortable
The first thing you have to do is get comfortable. Think about the way you’re hitting those toms. If your toms are angled in such a way that you’re actually hitting at them instead of on top of them, somethings wrong. You drum stick needs to be able to bounce off of the head naturally, not stabbing the drum head. Consider re-thinking your seat height: Can you move around the drum kit with ease? My suggestion here is to position your drum throne in a way that allows you to sit up a bit higher. Your legs should be fairly parallel to the floor. This will allow you to sort of look down on your toms. This starting position will also allow you to flatten those toms out a little bit, relieving some of the tension and pressure on the toms.
Quick Tip: If you’re having trouble keeping your toms in tune, consider replacing the hoop! Different hoop weights and designs will affect the sound dramatically!
Simply put: Flatter Toms > Angled Toms.
What about you? What do your tom angles look like?
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