Pitch tuning congas - How do I do it?
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by congabebe » Tue Sep 02, 2003 2:24 am
Hello,
This is a good topic and yesterday I just happened to be tuning my congas to a piano I recently acquired. The piano needs tuning, but I couldn't remember what notes. So I am so glad this topic was so well discussed. I prefer tuning them to a note in a scale, rather than guessing on what sounds good for each drum. One, I tend to keep tuning it up a notch and I broke a head that way. Secondly, most of what I play backs up or fattens up the bass, if I play a drum that is voiced in a awkward interval from what the bass player is playing, it sounds like someone hit a wrong note. I believe if you want to get to the note while tuning, the best way it to take them all the way down to just before the tuning nuts are loose and start around clockwise. I do best when I am singing the note I am headed for in tuning the drum. Also, I started with the lowest drum, on the floor. When they are up on stands, I can't hear because of overtones, and I tend to not get an even turn with my wrench. I found while tuning to count how many times around I have to go to get to the note. This give me an idea on how to get to that note faster the next time. Anyone else do that? I have Nuskyn heads so once I tune them they will stay like that a while without retuning. I really believe they do better when I detune them after playing but I forget and get in a rush when packing up after a gig. I found out that alot of set drummers get those big oom sounds because the drum head is as slack as they can get them so the head has more flex in it. I really think on my tumba it sounds best when it is tuned to the G below middle C, when I get it tunned higher than that it does not sing as well. My quinto sounds good on C or D, the second drum I can't make my mind up on, but most blues songs will have a B flat in them, so I think the G, C, B flat, is the most universal for what I do. Thanks for all the previous comments, it sure helped.
Peace,
Congabebe
This is a good topic and yesterday I just happened to be tuning my congas to a piano I recently acquired. The piano needs tuning, but I couldn't remember what notes. So I am so glad this topic was so well discussed. I prefer tuning them to a note in a scale, rather than guessing on what sounds good for each drum. One, I tend to keep tuning it up a notch and I broke a head that way. Secondly, most of what I play backs up or fattens up the bass, if I play a drum that is voiced in a awkward interval from what the bass player is playing, it sounds like someone hit a wrong note. I believe if you want to get to the note while tuning, the best way it to take them all the way down to just before the tuning nuts are loose and start around clockwise. I do best when I am singing the note I am headed for in tuning the drum. Also, I started with the lowest drum, on the floor. When they are up on stands, I can't hear because of overtones, and I tend to not get an even turn with my wrench. I found while tuning to count how many times around I have to go to get to the note. This give me an idea on how to get to that note faster the next time. Anyone else do that? I have Nuskyn heads so once I tune them they will stay like that a while without retuning. I really believe they do better when I detune them after playing but I forget and get in a rush when packing up after a gig. I found out that alot of set drummers get those big oom sounds because the drum head is as slack as they can get them so the head has more flex in it. I really think on my tumba it sounds best when it is tuned to the G below middle C, when I get it tunned higher than that it does not sing as well. My quinto sounds good on C or D, the second drum I can't make my mind up on, but most blues songs will have a B flat in them, so I think the G, C, B flat, is the most universal for what I do. Thanks for all the previous comments, it sure helped.
Peace,
Congabebe
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congabebe - Posts: 114
- Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2002 2:46 am
17 posts
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