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Instrument Care:

Balancing Timpani Heads

Balancing Timpani Heads

Timpani heads should be balanced before each use. Do it at least once a week and definitely before concerts. Although this can be a time consuming process, with practice you will develop a better ear and a knack for properly clearing a head.

You must have a quiet room to balance the heads.

First, relase all tension on the timpani head. This is done by pressing the heel portion of the foot pedal completely to the floor. Then select the basic (lowest) pitch you would like to have the drum sound. This is call the fundamental pitch of the the drum. Typical fundamentals are as follows:

• 32" drum - D
• 29" drum - F
• 26" drum - Bb
• 23" drum - d

You can adjust the tension rods with a standard drum key. Never turn a tension rod more than one-quarter (1/4) turn at a time! Keys with longer "wings" are made for timpani tuning to aid in fine adjustments. It is best to adjust the rods in a symmetrical pattern, rather than going in a simple circle around the drum head. A good pattern for symmetrical tuning is illustrated below.

Above, you see a pattern for timpani with 6 tension rods. This pattern can be summarized as "across, clockwise, across, clockwise, across."

Here you see the pattern for an 8 tension rod drum. This pattern can be seen as two crosses on top of each other. (Note the light red cross under the dark red cross. They are joined by a black arrow (between 4 and 5).

Testing the head to see if it is balanced involves tapping the head lightly with a finger or hard stick near each tension rod. Be sure to strike the head the same distance from the rim each time! Listen closely to the stike tone. This is the pitch you hear immediately after (as) striking the drum, not the pitch that resonates or rings afterwards.

Placing your finger or a mute on the center of the head will help eliminate some of the confusing overtones that are present, helping you hear the stike tone at the tension rod more clearly. This is demonstrated in the photo. Strike near each tension rod in turn to get an idea of how the entire drum sounds.

Choose the rod you want as your reference point (usually the one closest to the desired tone!) and tune the other tension rods according to the patterns shown above. Adjust the other tension rods to match the refernce pitch. Keep in mind that adjusting one rod effects the whole head, especially directly accross the head. This is the reasoning behind the tuning patterns illustrated above. Turn the tension rods no more than a quarter turn at any time! Quite possibly less! Just a little turn can dramatically change the sound of the whole timpani. Muffle the head completely before tapping again.

It is almost impossible to properly balance a head if the bowl is significantly out-of-round, has an uneven bearing edge, or has a bent counterhoop. Keep your instruments in good working order and they will be easier to balance and tune!

Although time consuming at first, you will find that experience and practice increases the facility with which you can balance or clear a head. Happy tuning!
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