Tunebot vs DrumDial
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- čas přidán 1. 02. 2016
- I review and compare a Tunebot and a DrumDial and show the pros and cons of both to help you make an informed decision on which one you should use.
Both of these are good tools for tuning your toms, snare and bass drums. I have had success on clear and coated heads.
/ dissolutionca
/ in2months
www.buymeacoffee.com/BeyondBe... - Hudba
great video! you helped me
I owned a drumdial first for a couple years before getting a bit frustrated and bought a tunebot. Now that I own both I use the drumdial to ensure equal tension across the head to start. I intentionally try to start around 65, because that is usually lower than what i'll be tuning up to with the tunebot later. My favorite thing about the tunebot vs the drumdial, is how the calculations on the website allow you to tune toms to have note relations to one another very easily.
Me too, Yeppers
A tip for those who are learning to tune their kit. I bought a drum dial because I didnt know a thing about tuning drums. After having the drum dial for a year, it was definitely an improvement but not exactly spot on tuning. And if you use a drum dial, it takes a very long time to get every lug perfect with each other. Recently, I watched Rick Beatos 3 part series "How to tune your drums like a pro". This video series did wonders for my drum tuning abilities by ear. I combined these videos with a couple other methods to develop a fool proof method for tuning drums for noobs. When tuning the drums, use two keys and tune up lugs directly across from each other at the same time so that your tensions are even, and when you are done tuning by ear/hand, check your drums with the drum dial. They will be close to perfect already, but the drum dial will help you fine tune the drums, and the result is a kit that has never sounded better. I used this method to tune my kit before my first live show and I got tons of compliments of how my kit sounded. As said in this video, if you cant tune by ear , it can be a big set back if you rely solely on one of these devices when a problem inevitably comes up down the road. Just a tip that I hope may help someone.
I recomend the tunebot over the drumdial. I sold my drumdial actually because it is the opposite for most. I use it to get in the ballpark then fine tune by ear. it's not very accurate using tension. The Tunebot however is very accurate. But yes, these are tools. They help you learn how to tune by ear. I usually pull them out if I want to get back to the same tuning after a head swap, or I have a difficult drum, or want to tune to a specific note.
Very good commentary. Intelligent and thorough. Thank you!
I just got a tune-bot and I’ve been using the drum dial and for me personally I find the drum dial to be a good way to get to a set starting point and just tune the rest of the way by ear.. but I mic my drum that I’m tuning so after getting all lugs around 85 (batter) and 75 (reso). I do the rest by ear and listening to the kid through the mics I’ve got hooked up. I’m using a Mapex m pro with Aric improta’s custom art/clear heads and I swear those heads make tuning simple! I was using Evan ec2’s and while I’m still using the evans on my 18in floor Tom my 12,13, and 16in toms sing! I’m stoked to use the tune-bit! Thanks for the video
It took me years to learn how to tune my drums by ear. I say use these devices to speed up the process but still develop your ear for precision tuning. They will get you past the cranking stage as you listen to every tap up to the tension you like.
I appreciate the insight on the video and your opinion. I’ve played many live gigs over the years in warm weather and cold,rainy,nasty weather and for a drummer if having to use your own kit at a show being able to have then tuned before you go on is something you don’t always have the luxury of doing. As you said with the drum bot it’s got a lot of pros but on the cons side, having to make noise backstage is NOT an option!! I’ve used the dial so many times in all cases imaginable and it never failed me!! Yes, you may have to after getting them close check the tuning but taking your finger and tapping lightly is much different than having a mic and having to hit them hard! I’m not dissing the drum bot! I’m only saying that in situations where you can’t use a drum bot or can’t afford one or you just need something in a hurry, the drum dial if taken care of can make a world of difference in your sound!!
I mention that in the video. MY preference is the tune bot, but I use it before I go to gigs etc. The drumdial is great for backstage or places you can't hit your drums. 100%. I used it for a few years. It is also a good tool and gets you in the ball park much faster than guessing with your ears.
Great review, thanks!
I love the tune bot. I’ve been shocked how out of tension the head can be. So I use both.
I use both. And Imo, they both work just fine... it's fairly simple..drum dial on snare,floor toms and kick. Tunebot on toms....
I got that drumkit! Sonor select hardwood basswood Bop kit in galaxy sparkle. Except you added a fancy bass drum cymbal stand and wood hoops. They came out the same time as the safari that had a 16 bass and 10 rack instead of a 12. Great kit.
Clayton Murry the wood hoops look awesome but took away some punch and volume
Great little kit otherwise.
my Force 2001 is from the same era
Nice video. One thing that the 'tune by ear brigade' don't take in to consideration is us guys that have some serious hearing loss! Yes we can still hear a drum kit loud enough when we whack it, and can still appreciate a nicely tuned kit, but as to tap tuning ourselves, forget it! I have found the drum dial invaluable for my own predicament, but have worried about totally relying on it as I have heard there are other factors involved other than exact tension matching. I may well get hold of a Tunebot too now, to try and balance out those little inconsistencies you mention which can arise from using the Drum dial exclusively. Thanks for the video :)
Plus also, since I started using the DrumDial my band mates have said my kit has never sounded so good! So it clearly does a far better job than my shot ears! :)
also the tune bot is Handy if you have a lot of tomtom's
I have the drum dial and the drumtune pro app. I do use the drum dial to get me to a starting point of 70 then from there I use the app to fine tune. Still getting used to using the app. I want to tune them correctly to perfect 4th increments with a slight downward bend. The shells are Walnut/Birch and I want to go for a punchy sound with a fat bottom end. My toms are 10, 12, and 16 with a 22” bass. Andy advice on where to start? I’m just starting to play again after a 20 year absence, and would appreciate any advise. Thanks. .
That sounds like a really good start. For Fat and punchy I assume you want less overtones and sustain. I'd use single ply resos and dual ply batters. Depending on the brand you can get pinstripes, ec2's, add some moongel to taste too if needed. I often don't with decent tuning. You are going to want to tune low, I like to either start with the largest or smallest tom. I'd get them to the point that they JUST start making a true note with no wrinkles in them to start. That is most likely the deepst they will sound. Now tune the reso up above the batter a 4th as that will give the punch and pitch bend.
Great video. Everything you said is spot on, especially regarding a drummer should learn the art of tuning by ear if possible before getting any tuning aid. I just purchased a used drum dial, so I’ll give it go for a few months and if I don’t like it, then I’ll be going back to good ole ear tuning.😊
It's a game changer. It gets me close to where I need to be very quick
Would love to hear your drum sounds
Its kind of funny how much time we drummers spend tuning and retuning our drums. It can be fun to experiment with highs and lows. But mostly we retune, I think, because we just need to practice more which ultimately makes the drums sound better. BTW I love the drum dial. Its Close enough for a hack like me.
I have a 5-lug maple Gretsch shell kit, which are very hard to tune. The Drum Dial changed the world for me. I usually set reso and batter both to between 72 to 75 (meaning the top & bottom heads will have the same reading). This gives me the perfect tone that does not cause the top and bottom to fight each other tonally - and, this cuts down on ringing and humming of the heads. This works well for a "fast release" sound that you'd want for gospel and funk drumming. (For toms wanting more sustain and defined "ring", you'd want to tune them in the 80+ range, and probably have the batter head about 5 higher than the reso).
But each person will have their own special preferences. (As a side note, I had a horrible time with the Tunebot - it was way too complicated; but I may have had a defective unit).
How far does that peg need to be sticking out of the bottom of that drum dial? I noticed as you set it down on the drum, the dial went around a few times. That confuses me.
Been playing for many years. Have a decent but not great ear. Could never quite get rid of those dissonant "waves". Bought a Tune-bot and was amazed at how good the drums sound. Bit of a learning curve but not extreme. The charts/tutorials they provide are great...allow you to experiment. Being able to save individual drum settings on the unit is helpful. I still fine tune by ear but the Tune-bot gets me very close. Love my Tune-bot!
Same here. gets me close, especially if in the studio. If you start to go out of tune you can get them sounding the same as when you started, then just fine tune any thing that's off.
Great and accurate review!
Thanks for watching
THANKS FOR THE TIPS SCOTT PATTERSON! :)
Thanks for watching
awesome teacher... :)
which one better for congas....
I can't get this to work on my new Roland TD 25 kit, I'll probably take it back to guitar center and get a refund oh well.
a tune bot or drum dial on an ekit?
I hope you are joking
LOL!! April Fools.
you joking ??
a roland is an electric kit lol
Not sure If it’s a new feature but you can hold down a button and put it in high frequency mode for the snare.
That may be new but I had no issues until about 400hz before. Even still id use the filter at that point and it was good. Either way. All these years later I still use and love it.
@@beyondbetrayal from the manual “To tune a drum above 400Hz (most likely a snare resonant head), you will need to use the hi-range mode. This mode extends the tuner’s range to 450 Hz. To enter hi-range mode, hold FILT for a few seconds until HI-RANGE is displayed in bottom center of the display. It is best not to use hi-range mode for typical tuning (below 400 Hz).”
@@beyondbetrayal it only extends it to 450hz but that might help. I’m not sure how long it’s been a feature but I discovered it whole doing research and purchased one. Should be here sometime next week.
@@prongATO Very cool info. Thanks
does the tunebot do each head seperatly?meaning if i have a 5 piece set will it tell you what it should sound like?
Brandt Roach you can use the tunebot calculator online or get the phone app and it tells you what the note should be. you put how many Tom's and what sizes. how much resonance you want etc. works quite well.
Brandt Roach 0
What kind of shells are those in the background?
It's a Sonor Bop kit with wood hoops.
Question for someone thats used both.
So with Tune Bot, you know how it gives you one reading if you hit the center of the drum, and another (higher) reading when you check it at each lug!? So for example, if the middle reads 75HZ, each lug will be say 140HZ .(not the exact number, but something like that, and lets use it for example sake).
With the Drum Dial, since you mainly adjust it on each lug to get your Note(HZ), say you were getting 75HZ on each lug with the Drum Dial, then on the Tune Bot would the equivalent matching tuning be 140Hz on each Lug since the overall tuning in the middle was 75HZ? And again, when I gave the example of the lugs being exactly 140HZ if the middle(overall) was reading 75HZ, that was just an example/estimate, but I know its something like that or in the ballpark, so for the sake of example lets just say if the Tune Bot is reading 75HZ when you get the overall by hitting the middle then each lug would read 140HZ .
I think that makes sense in theory. but not every head is the exact same either. I tune the lug and often don't even worry about the "note" nothing is exact. if it sounds good in my ears or a mic, i just return to the same tuning at the lugs. The tune bot calculator basicly gives you the readings to tune your drum so you don't need to think about it which is nice.
Use the wallet and drumstick. Dry taps. If you mess up start loose and count the turns. Seriously though i might try one of the two after decades of learning the trial and error way. You don't worry about the ringing unless it's a tympani. Sometimes you actually unbalance the tension on purpose to create a zone for hitting.
Agree with the wallet or Moongel to dampen. Depending on the head I like then to have a short decay. I can tune without but when you are in a studio you can return mid session to the exact same frequency every song. There are other advantages
Great video.
+Roberto Andrade thanks. Hope to make a few more very soon
Btuno mats play Bruno Mars
Play Bruno Mars Locked Out of Heaven
Thx!
What type of beaters are those on your Axis Pedal? :o
I have used Vater wood beaters and pearl demon drive wood beaters. They are both good.
What's your fav kick pedal axis or Dw?
Axis. I don't think I have ever said anything about DW on here
Would a drum dial really help someone who can't tune at all? I've been playing for like a year and can't tune to save my life, I'm not sure if my kinda lower end pearl drum set is to blame but they sound kinda bad. Help me
Kyle Engelken either one will help you. watch some CZcams tutorials. the heads need to be in tune with themselves. then you worry about the relationship between them. some moongel gets rid of overtones. it takes years to be good at tuning
what you recomend? say please, Tune Bot or DrumDial ? hmm?
DD
Tune-Bot is an order of magnitude better than Drum Dial. I've used both and it's not even close. TB for the win.
drumdial vs tama tension watch?
addthisto get a tunebot
Bought a Tune Bot and a Drum Dial. The Tune Bot is waaaay more accurate and combined the tuning calculator has allowed me to get excellent tone from my whole kit with minimal effort. I tried the Drum Dial today and found it just way to finicky. I didn't get a good sound. When I used the Drum Dial and Tune Bot together, I was shocked to find how much variation in tone there is between, e.g., 70 and 70.25 using the Drum Dial, it just isn't accurate enough to do the job.
I fully agree. Tunebot is a life changer
The drum dial is only supposed to get you close the the same pitch.
Yup, the tunebot is better for exact pitches.
The problem with tunebot is that you can't really tune the snare drum reso head with it. For toms it works fine though.
I disagree, 300-350 for the batter, 390-410 for the reso works for me
Maybe it's just my unit but It's very hard to get the 400hz range readings. The filter helps but it's an annoying process.
Both!
Both are good and have different purposes.. The tunebot wins for me to get things more consistent though.
What are over tones?
The annoying ping, or high pitched note you hear at the same time as a drum. Like when you want a snare with a nice crack and lots of body, but you get a weird high pitched sound at the same time.
The Tunebot is $40 more than the DrumDial. I'm getting the DrumDial! It is as reliable.
To me it's worth the $40, but to each their own. The tunebot gets things perfect the dial gets things close. Both require a bit of manual intervention and using your ear though.
I own both but I prefer the tunebot
Same here
Technology is great and I'm not putting this option down in any way, but it all comes down to how good and in tune your drum sounds. I have bought turners and I end u getting rid of them. what I do is just throw some quarter turns on ur lugs up or down and use ur freaking ears. Theres a lot more to it then what I said but I'm not getting into that. If you have ears you can tune a set in 5 min. That's just me I have that ability. If you do to then say thankyou lord.
I can tune by ears as well, but for some people this is a great way to learn to use their ears. Also in the studio your ears are not as accurate as this device even if you think they are. Look at any large touring bands drumtech, when the drummer wants the drums tuned the same EVERY gig on a tour. You need to use one, or in a studio getting things in perfect pitch. You think all every VST sample library had the drums tuned by ear? It is good to be able to do everything. When I sit at a kit and give it a quick tune I don't pull one of these out, but if I am doing tops and bottoms and going to the studio it helps a ton.
And if you don't then thank God for these devices lol! Read my other comment ;)
Most people cannot tune by ear very well. Many think they can, but they cannot.
DrumDial the best!!!
drum dial any day.. no need to hit the drum.. and even tune bot will not get you the perfect tuning on a kit, as you will always have to fine tune by ear to get rid of weird overtones messing with the snare drum or something else.. I can tune by ear way fasster than TuneBot.. but I always use DrumDial to start.. ( i have written down all my drums tuning pr. head and head type) .. and then fine tune by ear. Regarding bearing edge I also build drums, so my edges are as close to perfect as it goes.. and the very tiny deviations will not in real life mean anything to the drum dial.. the distance form the rim though: THAT is WAY more important!.. so use the distance measure thingy..
I have several kits with mint edges. Use the distance measure thing as well. For me I use the tunebot to get close and finish by ear. They both work. It is just way more accurate. I can use a tune hot to get very very close. I have great success with my snares. To each their own
I would not touch that moon gel.
If you are getting different frequencies on certain tension rods with the tensions the same on drum dial, you have a problem with your bearing edge, your hoop, or a bad head. Go watch the drum dial tutorials and you would know that. The drum dial is great for detecting problems with your drums. This is not a drawback as you portray it, it is a benefit.
I have Drum Dial...and Tunebot..both are Great tools..You cannot hear the Diffrence between them..DrumDial is faster..Thats it😊😊😊
I get more consistent and accurate results on the tunebot. If I swap a head mid recording 350 hz is 350 hz no matter what. You are correct though. They both work and if you add some tuning by ear along with them you can't miss
I think the tune bot is very useful especially if you have a thicker head ( Remo Clear Emperor ) on the batter side, and thinner head ( Remo Clear Ambassador ) on the reso side. Not sure if the top and bottom should be the same pitch for best sound.?
Choice is yours. Same pitch will be very open and a long ring. I like a perfect 3rd or 4th apart for some pitch bend and attack
@@beyondbetrayal Thanks, definitely going for the more open sound. Happy Thanksgiving.
elephant in the room...Drum Dial: shouldnt that drum be LEVEL not at an angle? How about keeping it in the center?
Drum Dial isn't supposed to be used in the center of the drum. And It could be the snare angle, camera angle, or the Tunebot or a combination of those causing this effect. The drum dial I own is perfectly level. There is no elephant in the room or any trickery or special effects going on. Just below average camera work :)
I'm gonna buy a drumdial even if tunebot could be better, the drumdial just is very simple
You'll probably head back to the store in six months to get a Tune-Bot. They're much better than Drum Dials.
I agree. I don't use my Dial very much.. Tunebot is more accurate.
tune bot
Gimmicks
Sounds like you just don't know how to use them properly. The tunebot is a great tool. If you need to tune in the studio mid session it's nice to have consistency in an album. Most studios have them.
I tune by ear. No big thing. Tune your kit to intervals that please you. It's not rocket science. 😎
I can tune be ear too, but the tunebot is pretty good in the studio if you need to change your head and have it back to the EXACT same tuning for the next song / take.
@@beyondbetrayal I'm an old school "feel player." Never have used click tracks, etc. Don't mind if anyone else uses tuning devices or click tracks or electronics. Just not my thing. The old-timers sound pretty damn good to me. I did have a drum dial once, but I trust my ears more. I know what I'm looking for and go about getting it. There are so many different tuning methods online that it will make your head spin. How in the world did all those old drum greats get by? And what about singers who didn't have voice correction? Yeah, they had to be able to actually sing. Peace out fellow drummer. 😎
@@johnweyers2685 You are talking about autotune for vocals which is not what I was talking about at all.. Also. production in 2022 is much different than 1970. To each their own.. But that's like saying, I'm against going to the dentist.. What about all those people that just used to get their tooth ripped out in the 1800's.. Progress and technology advancements are not a bad thing. As I said, I can tune by ear as well, but this device gets things more consistent and faster than anyone can tune by ear. I didn't like the drum dial.. It gave me odd readings and tunings.
@@beyondbetrayal I wasn't talking about going to the dentist. 😂
@@johnweyers2685 No, I was making a comment as off as yours to prove a point. Good luck with your tuning in the future. Don't be afraid of technology if you ever want to take it to the next level though. have a great day
ya ever been in a store and the display kits sound like shit(minus the ego drummers who a rocking the display kits like their opening at monsters of rock 1985) how does a store allow the drum department jackass to tune like crap? Especially when that could affect NEW sales? Not to mention they sell these tools. I prefer ear tuning.
Complete bullshit about sound waves. Drum sound is a complex sound with different overtones, and at least two voices - shell + head and some shitty filtering doesn't clear it out. Both TB and DD are good as meters when you know the exact tuning you're trying to achieve. But as a basic tuner TB is inappropriate. I've seen a lot of videos where it showed not what you actually have been hearing. The only way to tune your drum is check it with any reference tone app until you like the tuning, then write down the values TB or DD showing. But you can't rely on TB measures of the frequency - too often it showed the overtone or some rubbish.
You missed the whole point. You muffle the head you are not tuning. The unit does one at a time. They have calculators based on tom size but ultimately it is your ear that does the final test. I get the heads sounding how I want and I will tighten or detune the heads as needed. The tune bot gets each head in tune with Itself perfectly.
beyondbetrayal
I know how it works - problem is - even if you tune batter D#, bottom higher C#, your main tone would be really C because of the shell for e.g.- and the TB would not show it at all. You can figure it out only using common piano app or tone generator app as a reference. So as i said - in initial tuning TB is useless most of the times. When you got the tuning you like, you can now use the measured values of TB.
+yrussq I agree with that
this was comparing tunebot to drum dial. I don't often tune my drums to see specific note. the tune bot calculator actually let's you tune to a fundamental pitch and not just the head pitch as well
beyondbetrayal
Fundamental pitch mode often misses the actual tone - because most of the drums give the higher fundamental note on attack which the TB considers as main but the decay note is lower and prevail in overall sounding.
As for tuning - i can't see any other scientifically based way to make drums sound good than tuning it to some pleasant musical intervals. Some drummers go even further and tune it in tonality the band mostly play.
Couldn't you just have dialect without using such neanderthal language? He was simply comparing the bot to dial. Also, "BS" would have been sufficient to get point across.
much cheaper and the same with dtumtune pro 2.0 on android
Not as effective as a Tune-Bot, unfortunately. Better than nothing but cheaper for a reason. You only get what you pay for.
this unit should not be sold more then $ 19.95. to produce this product is dirt especially the tunebot.
Antwan Filikian haha no one is forcing you to buy one. it works great for the people who know how to use it
you are not very Bright !!! You know how I Know ? you are very confrontational, I did not say anything BAD about the Product, all what I said was what there worth when you mass produce them . YOU DO NOT LOVE MUSIC YOU LOVE MONEY .
Antwan Filikian lol I was not being confrontational. I also love music and do not make money selling tunebots. I would love to have spent $20 on mine but that isn't the case. I was just stating that the do work well once you get used to using them as there is a learning curve. Saying I'm not bright is incorrect though, I am fairly intelligent :)
I own a DrumDial as well as a Neary Drum Torque. I plan on buying a Tunebot. I think it will be especially nice to have for studio use.
It's true the DrumDial is not always accurate. I have found the thinner the head, the more accurate it is. I just now replaced my 22" bass head with an Aquarian Super Kick II and the muffling ring on the underside, which is where it is measuring, throws it off. I wound up grabbing my Neary to get a more accurate tension and finishing up by ear. The Neary is pretty old school and the plastic tip it has is a pain. I have an Evans Drum Torque Key on the way that will probably replace the Neary all together.
They are just tools though and you really should learn how to tune by ear.