tom tuning

howdy. i am currently using a 16' tom as a rack tom and an 18' floor tom and i was wondering if anyone had advice on how to tune them to get a good boomy sound but not like i am hitting a cardboard box sound...thanks.

Dave, Check out the links mentioned in 'damping.' This tuning site, and the sites maintained by fine purveyors of drums and heads pretty much take care of you.

Get rid of that 16' rack tom. Try a little smaller drum. Big drums will not cut through a band as well as smaller drums. Try using clear single or double ply heads. tune the bottom head to a good note for the size drum and then put the top head on and tune it up to the same note. This should make the drum resonate very well. Don't ever use duct tape, no matter what the sound man says. If you have good round drums you can make them sound great with a little patience.