Whats the best way to tune a jazz drum kit?
Very good question. If your toms only have a batter head, be careful. You can get definite pitches with a single-head drum and tune them to a chord. The thing is, if you have a set tuned to say a “C” chord and the band is playing in B-natural, there could be a discordant clash! So unless you are going to re-tune for songs in different keys, it is best to avoid that type of tuning. You are going to be working toward two goals simultaneously! (1) You want the right sound and (2) You want the right feel. Both are achieved by the tension on the head(s). A loose head gives a lower-pitched sound but gives less of a re-bound to the stick than a tighter head. See what I mean? The best way to go about it is this: (The way most jazz drummers I’ve talked with about tuning do it.) Start with one drum, say the snare. With two heads you can’t get a definite pitch, so (with snares off and muffling each head in turn) work toward the combination of pitch and feel you prefer. Remember, a tighter head gi
