Ask if they have a CD with drums they like. Second, find out what kind of sound they are looking for. However, even an experienced tuner will need time to acclimate to your acoustic space, so the battle isn't over. First, does this person know how to tune the skins? If the answer is yes, life is good. During this time it's good to talk with the drummer to learn a few things. Have the drummer set up the kit, get mics out, go over the session plan, etc. Were they sitting in a hot car? Left in a shed over a winter's night? Kept in a garage during rainy season? If there are significant temperature and environmental differences try to let the drums rest as long as feasible. When the kit is first brought into the studio, check to see where the drums have been. I've listed a few resources at the end of this piece for those wishing additional detail. Since the topic of drum tuning can quickly expand to materials, construction designs, and physics, I've tried to limit the scope of this discussion to a recording situation. The following provides a primer aimed at anyone who wants to capture better drum sounds without taking years of trial and error. Although I've been playing drums for a long time, it was only in the past several years that I've gotten a proficient handle on tuning. Unfortunately, very few people know the basics of drum tuning - including drummers! Many studio sessions involve drum heads that are covered with muffles and drenched in reverb, resulting in a sound evocative of cardboard boxes being hit with spoons. An out of tune drum can ruin any recording session. The adage "garbage in garbage out" takes on added meaning when it comes to recording drums.
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