rob’s snare drum tuning guide

ROB’S SNARE DRUM TUNING GUIDE

table of contents

how to put on a new snare drum head………………………………………….pg. 2

how to tune your snare wires………………………………….………………….pg. 3
how to tune a snare drum head ..…….………………………………………….pg. 4
snare drum tuning chart………………..………………………………………….pg. 5
flowchart: what turn to make next?……………..……………………………….pg. 6

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rob’s snare drum tuning guide

HOW TO PUT ON A NEW SNARE DRUM HEAD

2
gear list:
7
✦ new drum head 5
✦ 2 drum keys
✦ credit card / other measuring device 4
✦ sticks 10

step 1: take off the old head

A. detune each lug 1-2 full turns at a time in a star pattern 9
B. loosen all lugs to zero 3

C. take off the lugs and lay them on the table in order
D. pull off the hoop and head 6 8
E. (optional) clean out the inside of the drum 1

step 2: put on the new head

A. put on the new head and all the hardware in their original positions
B. tune the lugs in a star pattern through these 5 stages to playing tension:

1. absolute 0 2. touching 3. finger-tight 4. wrinkle-free 5. playing tension

LUG MEASUREMENT CHART

lug # measurement

1 ex. “A” step 3: even out the lugs (aka clear the head)
2 ex. “r" A. find a credit card or measurement device


3
with small characters along the edge
B. measure each lug and record the distance

5
from the head to the top of the hoop
6 note on adjusting lugs: C. choose an “average” measurement
7 ✦ tune 1 quarter-turn at a time
D. adjust each lug to that average
✦ if you’re loosening, detune past

8 E. continue going around the drum

the target and tighten back
9 and adjusting until there are

✦ these are such minor turns

10 no more turns to make
that you can skip the 

star pattern

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rob’s snare drum tuning guide

HOW TO TUNE YOUR SNARE WIRES

(specifically, how to develop a quick, trustworthy system to tune your snare
wires before a rehearsal or audition)

step 1: explore your snare wires

A. tune all snares down to 0 so your drum sounds like a tom tom
B. bring one set of snares up from 0 to tight, tapping and listening

at all dynamics along the way
C. focus in on the perfect tension for that wire and REMEMBER how it sounds
D. repeat for the other sets of snare wires


my tuning scheme for my 4x14


step 2: experiment with tuning schemes Pearl Philharmonic:

A. tune all snares down to 0 1. tune loud snares while testing it at

a soft dynamic until right before it gets choked
B. tune one set of snares up to its ideal position
2. tune soft snares while testing it at

C. then the next, and the next
a soft dynamic until it comes into focus
D. write down what you did
3. tune mid snares while testing it at

E. pick a different order and go back to A
a mf dynamic until it sounds good

experiment #1 experiment #2 experiment #3

1. TUNE ____ snares while testing it at

____ dynamics until ______________.

2. TUNE ____ snares while testing it at

____ dynamics until ______________.

3. TUNE ____ snares while testing it at

____ dynamics until ______________.

step 3: choose a winning scheme and practice it constantly!

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rob’s snare drum tuning guide

HOW TO TUNE A SNARE DRUM HEAD

(and find the ideal pitches)
note: you can start by tuning it to specific pitches if you want, like if some
youtuber told you he tuns his drum to B and F. but your ideal pitches may
be different. this process will get you there either way.

step 1: start a tuning chart

-get a new one for each tuning session
-you can use mine on page 5
step 2: check the pitches of the top and bottom head

step 3: optimize the snares

-see my youtube video and page 3 for instructions
step 4: write down how the drum sounds
step 5: decide which turn to make
- there are 4 possible turns: top up, top down,

bottom up, and bottom down
- at this point, cross off any turns that would bring you

to tensions that you’ve already tested. that includes
the previous turn.

- see flow chart on page 6
step 6: make the turn and write down what you did
step 7: go back to step 2

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rob’s snare drum tuning guide

SNARE DRUM TUNING CHART

turn # what turn did pitch of pitch of total top head total what does it
(make a new entry you make? top head bottom revolutions bottom sound like?
for each new turn) (T for top, B for (muffle bottom head (how far away from head (use adjectives and
bottom, + for tighter, - of head, tap the original musical terms, like
for looser. count in top. check
(vice versa)
position? a
revolutions “choked, ringing,
revoltions, so a against mallet cumulative count, as (same) open.”)
quarter turn = .25) instrument. you go.)

great for soft, needs

ex. B -.25 D Ab 1.75 -0.5 more loud, intensity

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rob’s snare drum tuning guide

FLOWCHART: WHAT TURN TO MAKE NEXT?

does it sound better or worse


than before you made the
last turn?
rse

be
wo

tte
r
undo the last turn

think through the

and go in a

available turns
new direction

is there one?
s
ye

choose one.

no

doesn’t matter which.


make the turn.

YOU DONE

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