Tuning tom toms often baffles many drummers. It could be because, for the most part, drummers do not tune them to specific notes. There are, of course, some exceptions - like the awe-inspiring Terry Bozzio, who tunes the 31 toms on his huge kit both chromatically and diatonically. The other aspect that can make tuning toms a bit more complicated than tuning a snare drum or bass drum is that toms produce many more overtones. These extra overtones can sometimes make it difficult to hear the true pitch of the drum.

So then how are we supposed to tune our toms if we are not tuning them to specific notes and we have to deal with the complexity of their overtones? I'd like to present some easy tuning tips that can assist any drummer attain the desired tone and sound from their toms.

Don't Tune Your Toms While They Are Set Up

Most drummers understand the basic rule of tuning - tap along the perimeter of the drum near each tension rod, select a pitch, and tune each tension rod to achieve the same pitch all the way around. The error many drummers make, however, is that they attempt to tune the toms while they are set up. The problem with this method is that you are hearing both heads resonating fully as you tap, and cannot accurately hear the specific pitch that you are trying to attain.

The first step that I always suggest when tuning your toms is to remove them from their stands or mounts and lay them on a soft surface (like a drum throne), one at a time. This goes for floor toms as well. When you do this, you are now only listening to one head at a time, which makes it much easier to determine the true pitch of your drum/toms.

Relationship Between the Heads

Unless you're using a single headed concert tom, your toms consist of two heads. The relationship between the two heads plays a critical role in their sound. In general, the bottom or resonant head should be tuned a little higher than the batter side or the head that you strike. The batter head gives you the desired pitch and the resonant head helps the drum to hold that pitch. If the resonant head is tuned too low, you may get a funny pitch bend that descends. On the other hand, if the bottom head is tuned too high you'll get the opposite effect with a pitch bending upward.

When checking the relationship between the heads, I like to put the drum on its side on a soft surface (like a drum throne) to protect the finish. Then, I mute one head with one hand while hitting the opposite head with my other hand. By muting one head while tapping the other, I can clearly hear the pitch of each head since I'm only focusing on one head at a time. If I determine that the relationship between the two heads is off, but I know that the drum is in tune in terms of equal tension on all of the rods, I can quickly raise or lower the pitch of both heads by systematically turning each tension rod an equal number of turns either clockwise or counterclockwise.

I hope these basic tips help you tune your toms more consistently and efficiently. Just remember to be patient and take your time. Your tuning skills will improve over time to the point where it becomes second nature.

Good luck!

Whether it is for a special presentation at work or school or a means to commemorate something special, creating video presentations can be a real challenge. This is especially true if you are not well versed on the basic editing and some rules in videography. To get the best shot that you need, you will have to plan ahead.

Over the years, the demand for some services centering on the creation of videos has increased. This is exactly why we have companies like Pittsburgh music videos. They are composed of professionals who have the necessary skills to carry on a full production.

Once you decide to hire one, you should be very mindful of the ones that you will be working with. They should be reliable enough and have a solid experience when it comes to doing those kinds of task. To help you ease your search, begin by doing this on your end.

Think of a concept. Before any shoot will happen, there has to be an idea first. This is where it all begins. Without this, you will not have a direction. Think about what you want to see on the video. You do not have to worry about the format on how to write it. You can have it in bullet points for ease. This will serve as a guide for the makers later on.

Listen to who other people are recommending. This is not only limited to asking the people you know about a reliable company. This also includes searching for online reviews or testimonials. Rather than focusing on advertisements and promotional materials, you are better off knowing how a company performs straight from the opinion of someone who have tried it.

Ask for samples of their work. This is one of the things that you should not take for granted. Among all the proof that you can get about the quality of their work, this is perhaps the closes that you can get from the most reliable one. It is easier to judge their skill when you see it with your own two eyes.

Ask who their most recent clients are. Private information about their previous customers may be classified, but they can at least give you some notable names. You can also try checking on their website. If they have worked with some big names before, they are likely to place the info on their site.

Ask quotations from various companies. This is the best way you can do to find out the standard pricing of different projects. Be sure to be mindful of the package inclusion. Later on, if you are torn between various options, the price can cut off the tie.

With professional producers and videographers in town, you should be able to create that wonderful music video you hope to have. Just make sure that you have selected the right personnel who will do the work. Do a run down on the things we mentioned here and see if you have done them already. Remember, you have many choices. Be selective and choose right.

You are planning on doing some shopping. You need to get some of the items on your wardrobe upgraded. You need to make sure that the ones you get are exactly the ones that you really need. Here are tips for you.

If you want to buy new accessories though, you want the purchase to be worth it. You want it to be worth whatever the amount that you have to spend to get it. This is why you are determined to actually own an invisible belt.

If you are worried about the bulk that seems to bulge on your waist every item you wear belts, then this would be a good accessory that you might want to own. Unlike the usual belts, this one does not create any mass underneath your shirt. This makes it look as if you are wearing something that is a perfect fit for you.

One of the reasons that this product has hit such considerable popularity these days is due to the fact that it tends to make the wearer appear slimmer. The wearer gets to look leaner to. It can easily be hidden under a shirt if one is not wearing any belt at all. Thus, allowing one to get that sleek, more sophisticated look.

Buy the right kind. There may be other products of the same type that you can see in the market these days do not get easily lured by these items. If you are not to careful, there s a good chance that you might end up with a choice that is going to be less in quality than the real item that you ought to be purchasing.

Find out the name of the providers that are present in the area to. You want to use this chance to ensure that you get an idea of the people that can sell you the stuff that you require. Research about these products, you need proof that you are going for items that would be worth whatever it is that they will be priced at too.

The local stores may be able to help you get what you want but you should not assume that any of the places will carry the item that you are in need of. Some of them might, some of them might not. You just need to locate that place that can get you the specific items that you require this time around.

You may choose to get the stuff that you need off of the internet. A number of sellers these days have recognized the opportunity of reaching more audiences and possible consumers when getting their items sold on this medium. See if you can find reliable sites that sell the items that you are in need of.

Recommendations from people you know who have bought the products before can help immensely. They may have tried out the same products before, they may know which store you can get them from. So, ask them to offer you suggestions so you would not need to look far and wide to get what you are in need of.

Check the price for the accessory that you plan on getting as well. You need to find out if the numbers that would be involved here are reasonable. Use this opportunity to ensure that at the end of the day, you go for something affordable, yet excellent in quality.

Shopping for newborns requires that people be very keen with what they are buying. There are lots of things which people will find ion the market but then they should go with the best. The most important factor which people should consider in this case is comfort. That is what makes the newborn beanies a product which people should never leave out. Luckily, they are readily offered and that means that all people who have babies can readily find them.

Choosing the best colors is one of the things which people should always make sure they do. This is an important thing since the choices of colors vary from one parent to the other. The important thing for parents to know is that they will always find these products in that color which will give their babies the best look. This has been one reason why many people consider this as a very reliable choice. What people have to do in this case is to look at their range of options and then pick the ones which they find most attractive.

Size is not something which people should worry about when it comes to these products. This is the case since people can readily find the ones which are elastic. That means that they will fit any newborn no matter what head size they have. This is another factor that has made it easier for parents to find the ideal head wear. This also contributes towards making this quite the popular option for people in the market.

A good number of these products are made of cotton and this is another thing which makes them popular. Cotton is a superior material that assures the babies comfort. This is important since in most of the cases, the babies will sleep in these beanies. They will need a product in which their heads can breathe in. Luckily, these products come readily in the market and people just have to pick the ones which they will getting their babies.

Locally, people can find these beanies with any kind of specifics they need. There are many stores in which people will find these products in and this is a good thing. This will give people the chance to weigh their options based on the different options they come in.

Online shopping is also an option which people should consider if they are to enjoy more flexibility. The idea in this case is for people to access the galleries of the sites and then look at the options. When people find the ones they would like to buy, they will make the payments online as well. What makes this even better is that people can make the purchases from any location.

Price is also a factor which people can weigh their options on. There are different prices which they come in but the important thing is that they are affordable. This is therefore another factor which people can benefit a great deal from.

In a nutshell, people should weigh options based on these factors so as to buy the best products. There are people who are doing this and are benefiting a great deal from the same.

When you are hosting a party, you must have invited so many of your friends. It would be such a great embarrassment if it ended up being boring. People would leave earlier than they were expected to. To make the party more lively and enjoyable many planers and organizers have come up with the idea of hiring a band to play live music on request by the guests. When selecting a band from the Austin party bands you ought to be careful since what may suit one event may not be as suitable for another one.

For any kind of event there are several options of entertainment that you can choose from. Some people opt to go for DJ but they can sometimes be a little expensive. Apart from the cost factor their music is not always as good as that which a live band would offer. This is why most people go for a live band instead of the DJ.

When you will be choosing a band one of the considerations that is most important is the audience. Always put the audience first since it is them that you want to get entertained. Different audience will have different tastes in music. If it is made up of older people look for a band that is going to play the classics. Do not get tempted to put your needs before those of your audience.

One of the most overlooked things is experience. With the right experience a band will always know how to get people loose on the dance floor. You should find out beforehand the number of years the band has been together. Another important question that you should always ask is where they have played before. You should always as for proof for this.

If you will be hiring a professional band then they must have some references. You should even ask for their contacts so you can ask them a few questions. They should also give you a recommendation letter or two from someone else for whom they had played for. The audience for which they usually play for should be similar to the one that you are expecting at your party.

The event can be a wedding or a birthday party or even a graduation ceremony in Austin TX. In each and every event there are some songs that can never miss on the play list. Make a list of them and do not skip any song. With the list, go to the band leader and go through them with him. If there is a song that they do not know you can request him to learn it but this will increase the total cost.

It is always wise to listen to the band before they perform at your event. This is how you will gauge if they are fit for your event as well as the audience they will have. You can either ask for a CD of their work or you can go to one of their performances in Austin, TX.

Since this is a business transaction, always sign a contract with specific details like date and time. Contracts do help a lot especially when things do not go as you had planned. You should also have a backup band that can take over.