Drum Sound and Drum Tuning: Bridging Science and Creativity
By Professor Rob Toulson
Professor Rob Toulson, inventor of the innovative iDrumTune Pro mobile phone application has authored the first full-length, 212-page book on drum tuning, titled ‘Drum Sound and Drum Tuning: Bridging Science and Creativity’. The book brings together Professor Toulson’s 20-year career evaluating drum acoustics and drum tuning, as well as documenting professional approaches to optimising drum sound in recording and mixing projects. Drum Sound and Drum Tuning is published by Routledge Focal Press as part of the Audio Engineering Society Presents series and includes 212 pages of drum sound discussion and is printed with full colour images.
In 2002 Professor Toulson, a successful musician and music producer, stared developing new knowledge and technologies relating to drum tuning, which resulted in many academic publications, international presentations and the launch of the iDrumTune mobile app. iDrumTune has become the world leading system for assisting drummers with drum tuning and now Professor Toulson’s theories on drum sound are available in a book which all drummers and sound engineers can explore and incorporate into their own creative work.
The book includes many practical hands-on exercises incorporating the iDrumTune Pro software, encouraging the reader to put theory into immediate creative practice and to develop their own listening skills in an informed and reflective manner. All aspects of drum acoustics, drumhead equalisation, and resonant head tuning are de-mystified, alongside discussions relating to drumhead types, drum shell vibration, and tuning to musical intervals for different performance genres. The book also includes interviews and opinion from some of the world’s most celebrated drummers, music producers, and sound engineers – including Sylvia Massy, Alex Reeves and Cherisse Osei.
Book Contents
1 Introduction
2 Drumhead Vibration and the Science of Sound
3 Tuning the Pitch of a Cylindrical Drum
4 Lug Tuning and Clearing the Drumhead
5 Tuning the Resonant Drumhead – What, Why and How?
6 A Holistic Approach to Drum Tuning
7 The Wonderful World of Drumheads
8 Timbre: The Truth about Drum Shell Vibration
9 Tuning for Different Musical Styles and Genres
10 Snare Drum Tuning
11 Kick Drum Tuning
12 Production and Preparation for Drum Recording
13 Fundamental Technologies for Drum Recording
14 We Need to Talk About Phase!
15 Microphone Techniques for Recording Drums
16 Mixing Drums: Balance and Dynamics
17 Mixing Drums: Creative Processing
Includes primary interviews with award winning drummers and music producers:
Cherisse Osei (Simple Minds, Paloma Faith, Bryan Ferry)
Alex Reeves (Elbow, Bat For Lashes, Dizzee Rascal)
Sylvia Massy (Tool, Taylor Hawkins, System of A Down)
Emre Ramazanoglu (Noel Gallagher, Kylie Minogue)
Mike Exeter (Black Sabbath, Judas Priest)
Simon Gogerly (U2, No Doubt and Underworld)
About the author
Professor Rob Toulson is an innovative musician, music producer, sound designer, and studio engineer working across most music and film genres. He has collaborated with many successful music artists and award-winning music producers, including Talvin Singh, Mediaeval Baebes, and Ethan Ash. He is an expert in musical acoustics and digital audio, with a doctorate in vibration and acoustics analysis and a full professor title in commercial music from University of Westminster, London, UK. He is inventor of the iDrumTune and Drummer ITP mobile applications and also founder/director of RT60 Ltd, who develop cutting-edge technologies for the audio and music industries.
Book companion website: www.drumacoustics.com
