Marching Percussion Tuning Techniques

Marching Percussion Tuning Techniques
By Kevin Namaky (Marketing Manager for Pearl Corporation)
Pearl Corp. Nashville, TN

What Is Your Desired Sound? Some General Concepts:

• Cutting/articulate/staccato?

1. Tune higher.
2. Use larger amounts of muffling (this will decrease volume but shorten the length of note, resulting in a more staccato sound).
   

• Very resonant? To create a booming sound?

1. Use less muffling.
2. Tune in the low to mid-range.
   

• A blend of resonance with articulation? A percussion sonority that bends with the band?

1. Obviously this is the middle-ground of the above two extremes.
2. Tune in all ranges depending on the instrument, with a focus on the mid-range.
3. Tune snares a medium to high pitch, basses a medium to low pitch, and tenors bridging the gap (6” is tuned high while 14” is tuned low with substantial tone).

Basic Tuning For ALL Heads:

• While the head is off, clean the drum (specifically the bearing edge). Some percussionists like to use a material such as soap on the bearing edge to eliminate any unnecessary friction when tuning the head. This helps keep pitch consistent around the head. Also remember to lubricate tension rods when possible.
• Place the head on (check the logo if there is one) and place the hoop over the head.
• Tighten each tension rod as tight as possible only using your fingers (finger-tight). IMPORTANT: Be sure to tighten rods evenly and follow a crossing pattern. This ensures that the head sits evenly side to side. If the head is uneven, you are almost guaranteed many headaches in trying to clear the pitch of the head later on and you will also shorten the life of the head.
• Using a drum key (possibly a high-tension key), tighten each a few turns and follow the same crossing pattern. Continue this pattern until the head reaches a low to medium range and you can begin to distinguish between the pitches of each rod.
• Tap lightly near each rod to ascertain its relative pitch. Tighten only those lowest in pitch until the entire head become an even pitch (or very close).
• If at this point the head is still too low, tighten each rod one or two turns (max) in the crossing pattern until the head is at the desired pitch. At this point you can check again to see if any rods are out of tune with the rest of the head.
• Remember to proceed slowly once you near your desired pitch, especially on tenor drums. Sometimes one turn of a rod can dramatically alter the overall pitch of a head.
• Finally, evaluate the length of sound at your desired pitch and use muffling if you want to shorten the sound at all (keep in mind that muffling can also change the pitch).
• In a drumline, each drum should be tuned the same to create a clear and consistent sound (just like wind players have to play in tune with each other). All snares should be tuned the same with pitches matched from drum to drum. Same for tenors. Basses are the exception, although each side on any one drum should be identical.

Specific Concepts for Each Instrument

• Snares
  • Heads: Mylar vs. Kevlar (and other synthetics)
    • Sound vs. Maintenance
    • Mylar will produce a warmer and thicker sound. It is more responsive. However, it also requires a lot more maintenance to keep it in tune and can break at high tensions.
    • Kevlar will produce a brighter and drier sound. It is less responsive, however it requires much less maintenance and can attain higher pitch levels.
  • Pitch and Feel: Bottom vs. Top
    • Relative pitch is important in determining the general characteristics and feel of the drum.
    • Tuning the top head lower results in a softer and more comfortable feel. Tuning the top higher results in more rebound but is also harsher on the hands (and the ears depending how high you go).
    • Try tuning the bottom head to a ½ step below the top, even with the top, and a ½ step above the top. Determine which sound you like best and stick with it (my personal preference is to tune the top to a medium tension and take the bottom a ½ step higher than the top).
  • Gut Tuning (see gut tuning article)
    • Do they sound “raspy”? Tune them.
    • Should you use tape? Depends how “wet” or “dry” you want the drum to sound. The more tape, the drier the sound.
  • Muffling
    • If the length of sound is too much.
    • If you can’t seem to get rid of an unwanted overtone (rare).
    • Often a folded up paper towel/toilet paper is used. Remo makes a muffling crown. Evans makes inserts for their heads.
• Tenors (Trios, Quads, Quints, Sextets, etc)
  • Heads: 1-ply vs. 2-ply (2-ply is most common)
    • Resonance vs. Durability
    • 1-ply is more resonant but less durable.
    • 2-ply is a little drier with sharper attack and is more durable.
    • In general, clear heads resonate more than white or frosted heads.
  • Pitch and Intervals
    • Thirds are most common.
    • Start with the bottom drum and get a good sound. Then tune up from there.
    • An easy reference is to use a D7 chord: M3, m3, m3 as you go up in pitch (drums 4 then 3 then 2 then 1).
    • The 6” is just tuned high. No specific interval for it. Usually used for accents and effects.
  • Muffling
    • In most cases tenors are not muffled.

• Basses
  • Heads: 1-ply vs. 2-ply
    • 1-ply is more resonant. The drums usually “sing” better with this head.
    • 2-ply is a shorter sound. A little punchier. Better for indoors/domes or when a drier and less-live sound is desired from the bassline.
  • Pitch and Intervals
    • Thirds are most common.
    • 4-drum setup often uses thirds only. Tuning scheme can be same as tenors (D7 chord or similar).
    • 5-drum setup often incorporates a 4th or 5th between the bottom two drums. Starting on drum 4, then tune up as you would with four drums.
  • Muffling
    • Bass foam, hardware store (foam and stripping), built-in systems. There are many options depending if you want to put it on the inside or outside. Different types of foam yield different results.
    • You will usually have to figure out what you like via trial and error. A good starting point is to use foam from a drum or head manufacturer.

Disclaimer:
It should be noted that these are GENERAL concepts. Because opinions differ and there’s often debate as to what type of tuning scheme is best for the outdoor marching ensemble, this is an attempt to cover basic concepts and generally used sounds, regardless of their “correctness”. I feel it is best to let each individual teacher to use his/her own judgment as to their desired sound and to tune accordingly. That being said, I think that most people will find certain sounds to be more acceptable than others. With that in mind…

(http://library.marchingband.web.id/2008/03/13/marching-percussion-tuning-techniques/)