We were about to enter the studio and I wanted to make sure my tuning was as close to perfect as possible and we didn't waste time finding those annoying overtone spots, taping drums, etc...
I read quite a bit on drum tuning/tuners - looking at the torque key type and the drum dial/tama tension watch and either seemed to be what I was looking for. My drum kit is of the cheaper variety and annoyingly the lug tension is not even around any of the drums, which rules out a torque key. So I decided to try out the skin tension tuners instead. £60 was a bit hefty for a "just try" I must admit.
I tuned my drums traditionally finding the tone I wanted. I then used the drum dial to ensure tension was even around the lugs. The instructions are good and it's very straight forward - certainly not the quickest way to tune a drum though! I read a lot on purists who shunned the use of tuners ... most guitarists use tuners to check their tuning by ear - why shouldn't drummers?
I tried each drum after traditional tuning and then after using the drum dial and while the smaller toms (10", 12") my imperfect ear couldn't really tell the difference the larger toms (14", 15", 16") were where I could hear the difference- maybe the bigger, lower tone covers some of the unwanted overtones and hum. The band I was working with were a death metal band and obviously toms needed to be low but as clear as possible. I found I had to tune around imperfections in the lugs (some where very loose at the tension I wanted) and the drum dial really helped there.
Whether it was just I paid more attention to tuning or the drum dial but it's the first time I've been in the studio where we haven't had to muck about tape/gel/etc.. on the skins. Maybe says something about my tuning ability but then that's what the tools are for ;) I don't know about the reader but, no matter how well prepared, I'm always nervous about the studio. Knowing my kit was as tuned as it could be added a little confidence ... which, quite frankly, was worth the hefty £60.
So why only 4 stars? The spacer. Included in the package is a spacer that neatly clips onto the stem of the drum dial to ensure you have an equal distance from the rim at each lug. While it's certainly needed I'm sure they could have found a better way to do it as, because it doesn't lock on tightly, it moved around a bit. Occasionally resting at the wrong angle meaning the distance from the rim wasn't exactly as it was when the spacer was in the correct position. May sound a little anal but it bugged me.
To be fair to the Rhythm Watch (Tama) I can't say if this is better or not, I've only used the drum dial and I chose it because it was cheaper.
