When you tune drums, you adjust the tension to change the pitch of the instrument. While there is not usually a precise tone required of a drum (like there is for a guitar, violin, and most other instruments), you can alter the sound according to your personal tastes, as well as the acoustics of a venue.

Tuning the drums may seem complicated for a beginning drummer and may be more time consuming that a younger drummer wants to spend. However, in order to get the best sound the drums should be tuned regularly. Tuning skills develop with time and with practice. While the tuning is a learned art, the quality of the drum and the abuse it has taken from the learning beginner will also contribute to the success in the tuning and what the resultant sound is like. http://www.peelerdrumcenter.com/tech_talk_drum_tuning.htm

Make your drums sound their best by keeping them well tuned. This will not only guarantee the best tone, but can actually help extend the life of your drums. Just follow this guide on how to tune drums to get started.

Before you get tuning, take off the head of the drum. Wipe it down on both sides, and set it down. Then, wipe any dust or grime off of the drum shell, both inside and out. Starting with a clean drum will help ensure the best sound quality, and help your drum last longer. It is a good idea when you are tuning the drum to do an overall check of your instrument. Preventative maintenance and repairs make the instrument last longer and can stop damage from progressing if it is caught early.

While the head is off, check the shell and look for flat spots, cuts and nicks. These can cause the drum to buzz or ring or can cause you to not be able to establish tuning to the level you want. Snare drums are the exception as you will have the snare bed in these. If you have damage to the shell you will need to take it to the shop for repair. Minor nicks may not be a problem but you should attempt to determine how they occurred to prevent re occurrence. http://www.tunadrum.com/shell_check.html

When you've finished looking over the shell, sit it on the table top and look for levelness. Any warping or distortion in shape could be a problem. If the drum is out of shape try tuning anyway to see what the end result will be. It is possible a lower quality drum may have some torsion or twisting in it which cannot be repaired without a lot of cost and possibly not at all. If this is an issue, continue with the tuning process to determine the end result and if it is not an acceptable sound, check with a professional music repair store before taking any more action.

1. Place the drum head back on
2. Tighten lugs by hand
3. If you are tuning because your lugs keep backing out while playing, consider buying lug locks.
4. Stretch the skin by pushing down in the center with a fist
5. Use a tuning key to tighten a lug
6. Proceed to tighten the lug on the opposite side, similar to how you change a tire by working opposite sides instead of moving around the circle
7. Continue with the rest of the lugs, using the drum key or a drum stick to tap the drum, tuning to desired sound at each of the lugs.

Remember that your drum will resonate differently in different spaces, based on the acoustics. If you are tuning up for a performance, you may want to wait until you get to the location before making adjustments. The acoustics of the room, combined with the type of drum you own play a big role in sound. Your playing style makes a difference also. How hard you hit the drum and the type of head on the instrument will result in a different tone. The quality of the drum and the ability of the person doing the tuning makes a difference in sound also. For a new drummer having an experienced musician help with tuning before playing a new venue is a good idea. Also, the rim issues mentioned previously can cause sound issues and may require repair if they develop to the point of disrupting the music.

Remember drum sounds match the style of music being played and the musician. If you are switching from jazz to hard rock, or trying to use the drum set of a friend who plays a different style and strength of music, the drums may not sound the way you want. Check with a drummer in the style of music you are moving to for tips on how to muffle the sound, or what tuning makes the best resonant sounds.http://drumtips.com/tuning/drum-tuning.htm