Starting measurements
Three numbers, two different tests
Batter lug
58.0 Hz · A#1 -8c
Mute the resonant head; tap near each batter-side lug.
Resonant lug
87.0 Hz · F2 -6c
Mute the batter head; tap near each resonant-side lug.
Assembled fundamental
38.9 Hz · D#1 +0c
Open both heads; strike near the center and listen to the whole drum.
The center-hit number is not a lug target. A two-headed drum couples both membranes and the air in the shell, so its assembled fundamental is lower than the individual near-lug readings.
How to measure this preset
- 1Put the drum on a stable surface. Mute the head you are not measuring so the microphone hears one head at a time.
- 2Choose Batter or Resonant in the tuner. Tap lightly about one inch from a lug, avoiding the rim.
- 3Move around the head in a star pattern. Match opposite lug readings before making smaller corrections around the circle.
- 4Unmute both heads and strike the assembled drum near the center. Treat the center-hit fundamental as a separate result, not the target for an individual lug.
- 5Play at normal volume and adjust for feel and musical context. Record the final readings that work for this drum.
If the result is not useful
The meter jumps between low values
Use near-lug taps with the opposite head muted. A kick's center hit and room reflections are harder for a microphone meter to isolate.
The kick sustains too long
Try modest damping or a wider head-pitch relationship before making large tension changes.
Where the values come from
These are adapted starting values from the Overtone Labs tune-bot tuning guide's size-specific examples and lug-pitch method. They are not manufacturer specifications or promises about a finished sound. Drum construction, heads, damping, room, and playing technique all matter.
Other measured starting points
Snare Standard · 14"
252 Hz batter · 378 Hz resonant · 185 Hz assembled
Snare Fat · 14"
229 Hz batter · 343 Hz resonant · 164.8 Hz assembled
Snare Tight · 14"
266 Hz batter · 398 Hz resonant · 196 Hz assembled
Kick Low · 24"
49 Hz batter · 74 Hz resonant · 32.7 Hz assembled
Rack Tom Standard · 12"
186 Hz batter · 229 Hz resonant · 123.5 Hz assembled
Floor Tom Standard · 16"
110 Hz batter · 136 Hz resonant · 73.4 Hz assembled