Drum Key vs. $1368 in Tuning Gadgets

Video Description

►TRY DRUMEO FOR FREE: https://www.drumeo.com/trial-yt Free Lessons: https://drumeo.com/free-lessons Our Favorite Music Products: https://drumeo.com/gear 0:00 - Introduction Tuning drums can be frustrating. How can you get your kit sounding as good as all these albums and videos? Many companies claim that their products make tuning easy and "take out all the guesswork", but it's worth practicing tuning and developing your ear to really get it right. It takes time and energy, but it's worth it! You'll figure out which tuning methods work best for you. That being said, we wanted to test 8 of the most popular drum tuning gadgets - because if there's a tool that can help us get to a consistent tension and tone more quickly, why not try it? 1. 01:14 - Classic drum key Using your ears and a drum key, this is how most drummers tune. Finger tighten the tension rods (meaning make them as tight as you can go with just your fingers), then take a drum key and give each rod one full turn. Turn off the snare wires and listen while tapping around the head. You might start doing this by feel and eventually by ear. It's a simple process, so don't overthink it. Jared's tuning time - 3mins45s Jared's rating - 8/10 (can take longer than other methods) 2. 06:53 - DrumDial This tool measures the tension of the drumhead to make sure the tympanic pressure is consistent all the way around. It gives you more of a quantifiable way to tune. If you like your settings, you can use that number as your target tension whenever you're tuning. You still need to use your ears with this tool, but it gives you a nice reference point. Jared trusts the DrumDial so much, he used it to check the accuracy of other tuning methods in this video. Jared's tuning time - 4mins40s Jared's rating - 8/10 (still need a drum key) 3. 14:19 - Evans Torque Key This measures the torque on your tension rods, so every time you turn, it uses the same amount of pressure. The key clicks when you hit the target pressure. After finger tightening, bring up the tension on the rods evenly. Go slowly with the torque key and turn each rod until it clicks, resetting the key before moving on to the next rod. Make sure your lug inserts are well oiled so it takes the same effort to turn each tension rod. Jared's tuning time - 3mins00 Jared's rating - 9/10 (a little expensive for what it is) 4. 20:07 - Neary Drum Torque Similar to Evans torque key - it measures the tension in the rods - this one is much bigger. If it can get you to a starting point where the tension is even and then you use your ears to get the tone you want, this is a useful tool. Jared's tuning time - 5mins56s Jared's rating - 6/10 (clunky) 5. 26:07 - Tune Bot Studio Compared to DrumDial and the torque keys, Tune Bot doesn't measure tension; it measures frequency in hertz and 'listens' to the actual sound of the drum. This is a fairly expensive products that clamps right on. Once you bring up the tension on your drum, strike the head and read the number on the screen. Try to match that as you move around the drum. Jared's tuning time - 3mins38s Jared's rating - 6/10 (should have an app) 6. 33:13 - Drill If you're impatient, you can use a drill with the Evans drum key drill bit to tighten all of the rods. Be very careful! First, bring up the tension to where the rods are just touching the rim. Then go around and tighten just a bit at a time. Drills do actually have built-in torque settings, but test yours first. It's best to only do this to your own drums (or drums you don't care about) until you get more experienced. Jared's tuning time - 1min44s Jared's rating - 10/10 (fast and easy once you get it) 7. 38:28 - iDrumTune Pro Like the Tune Bot in app form, iDrumTune Pro is best for fine-tuning once you've brought up the tension on your drum. If you're using a snare drum, throw off the snares, hold your phone next to each tension rod, and hit the head an equal distance from each rod as you make your way around and compare the readings. Don't worry if you can't get the exact same number all the way around - this app is best for making sure you aren't way off. Jared's tuning time - 3mins34 Jared's rating - 7/10 8. 43:31 - Dialtune Snare Drum These snare drums use a unique cable tuning system that lets you tune the top and bottom heads independently with one dial. They also have a patented system for changing drumheads - it's a brilliant design and the hoop just pops right off! It's extremely quick to tune: just crank the dial for a consistent sound. Jared's tuning time - 0min54 Jared's rating - 9/10 (innovative and quick) To see all of the products featured in this video, click here! https://www.drumeo.com/beat/do-these-popular-tuning-gadgets-really-work/ Follow us: ►The Drumeo Beat: https://www.drumeo.com/beat/ ►Facebook: http://facebook.com/drumeo/ ►Instagram: http://instagram.com/drumeoofficial/ #drums #tuning #drumaccessories