Video: Pearl MHX and Ludwig Classic Maple

I managed to make some decent demo videos of my 2004 Pearl MHX (now owned by my friend) and my other friend's Ludwig Classic Maple (early 2000s).

Both were recorded with a single Audio-Technica ATR 25 stereo mic with a Canon HD10 camera. I always do a little Bo Diddley thing for these demos. That way you can focus on the drums, not the cymbals (or my playing)!

Regarding the snares used, here's a good chance to compare the much less expensive Pearl Sensitone Elite Aluminum with the famous Ludalloy Supraphonic.  Honestly, if you just need a solid player's aluminum drum and don't care about resale value, consider the Pearl. Or try to hunt down an old Beverley Cosmic 21.

We tuned the Pearl MHX nice and low to bring out the characteristics of these drums: big and fat.  We used the High Resonance relationship described in the Tune Bot Tuning Guide (bottom head slightly higher, but not too much). The tom hoops are Pearl die-cast.

• 13x9 with Ambassador X, tuned to a G with Tune Bot
• 16x16 with Ambassador X, tuned to a C with Tune Bot
• 22x18 with Powerstroke 3
• Pearl Sensitone Elite Aluminum 6.5" (SuperHoops) with Ambassador X14 tuned to F# with Tune Bot

My friend with the Ludwig puts moon gel on all heads, even the resonant side. The snare also has some. I wanted to demonstrate my friend's preferred sound. I wouldn't tune this way, but he does a great job and drums sound superb. His bottom head is quite a bit higher than the top. If we use the terms described in the Tune Bot Tuning Guide, he's at what they call Medium Resonance.

• 13x9 with Ambassador top and bottom, tuned manually to an A
• 16x16 with Emperor top, Ambassador (Ludwig) bottom, tuned manually to a D
• 22x16 with Powerstroke 3
• Ludwig Supraphonic Ludalloy 6.5" with Ambassador tuned manually.

Build problem with Tune-Bot

UPDATE: The Tune-Bot team responded with lightning speed to my email about the problem discussed in this post. They are sending me a new pin. 

My beloved Tune-Bot has started to fall apart after a few weeks of use in a very safe studio environment.

Here are some shots. Essentially, the little pin on the clip has broken, so the bot doesn't clip properly anymore.

Bummer!

I've contacted their customer support to see what they say.  Meanwhile, I"m concerned it will fall apart soon.

Tune-Bot Review:10 Bullets

I've had a few weeks now to play around with Tune-Bot, so I finally feel comfortable committing some thoughts to paper. In short, Tune-Bot is not a silver bullet, but it will help you make your drums sound better once you follow the Tuning Guide and learn how to deal with some of its idiosyncrasies.

I'm not gonna write a proper review since there are some excellent video reviews on YouTube. For example, the Drummer Connection guys (the ones with the clear acrylic drums) really did a fine job in their review. I feel it represents the product's strengths and weaknesses accurately. If you are trying to make a decision to buy one, watch their video. My little article here is for the folks who already bought one but maybe feel a bit frustrated. I was certainly frustrated at first, but then I read the Tuning Guide, played around, and got Bot-Religion.

So here are some tips once you've got your Tune-Bot:

1. Don't whip it out of the box and slap it on a drum without reading the manual!
2. The best manual is the Tuning Guide. Print it out and use it!
3. Using the Tuning Guide, choose target frequencies for your drums (page 2).
4. Decide which top/bottom ratio you want to try first. Then try them all! Just for fun.
5. It's handy to have a pencil and calculator on hand (or a smartphone, if you prefer)
6. Don't start tuning while your band mates are around. You'll drive them nuts. Your first experiments should really be on your own, in a nice stress-free environment (since sometimes the learning process can be frustrating enough).
7. Don't start using the Tune-Bot until you've got the head roughly tuned by ear. I mean, I have a pretty bad ear, but even I can get a drum into the ballpark, and then Tune-Bot helps me detect the variations that I can't hear on my own.
8. When checking individual lug frequencies, always place the drum on the floor or on a throne! 
9. Filter mode is your friend! Use it! When tuning a metal snare, it's indispensable! On my first pass with the bot I somehow missed out on the filter (translation: I didn't read the manual). I got readings all over the place and was cursing myself for buying a useless piece of garbage. Then I found the manual, and I found the filter.
10. Don't follow the Tuning Guide blindly! The guide is a GUIDE, but you need to also trust your ears. That is, if you are trying to get the entire drum tuned to 124 Hz, you may only be able to achieve that by honing in on lug frequencies that differ from those listed in the guide. And regarding your ears, you may find that you'll learn to recognize differences that you may have missed before. I'm convinced that the Tune-Bot trains your ear as you use it.