TUNE-BOT ELECTRONIC DRUM TUNER REVIEW
Posted on Tue 13 March 2012 in entries
](https://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/store/drums-20/drum-accessories-204/general-drum-accessories-2045/tune-bot-electronic-drum-tuner-47359)
This review was written by Absolute Music web team member and Constellation drummer, Mark Harris...
TUNE-BOT - INTRODUCTION
The Tune-Bot is a great little tool for helping to tune drums. It is also the first of its kind in that it is entirely electronic and resembles a clip-on guitar tuner. Most of the other drum tuning aids are mechanical, and rely upon the tension of the head to aid the tuning process. The Tune-Bot is completely different, in that it uses a microphone and a sophisticated processor to display the tone or frequency of the drum regardless of head tension. The user can then tune the drum either to a note, or to a frequency and get visual feedback with a chromatic tuner-style display, or view the actual frequency of the drum.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Tune-Bot Drum Tuner"]
](https://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/store/drums-20/drum-accessories-204/general-drum-accessories-2045/tune-bot-electronic-drum-tuner-47359)[/caption]
TUNE-BOT - UNBOXING
The unit itself is very well made. It feels tough and the clamp will not fall off the drum. The display is nice and bright and can be turned as you rotate the drum so you don't have to learn to read upside-down! The microphone is built into the clamp and picks up the sound through the rim of the drum, so even if the band is sound checking or warming up, you will still be able to tune your drums without even being able to hear them!
TUNE-BOT - IN USE
Using the Tune-Bot is very easy. You simply clip it to the rim of your drum, between two of the lugs, turn it on, and off you go. Whilst tuning the head, you don't even have to move the unit around the drum. However, the Tune-Bot also has a 'filter' mode that can work out the frequency of the lug you are tuning whilst filtering out the other lugs. It is worth noting at this point that it is a lot easier to use if you remove the drum from the kit and place it on your stool so that you are only tuning one head at a time. The Tune-Bot is a lot more accurate this way and you will save time in the long run.
There are several ways to use the Tune-Bot. The way that I found best was to find a tone I was happy with and then use the units' 'difference' mode to tune the rest of the drum. The 'difference' mode takes the initial tone from one lug as a reference, and then tells you if you're sharp or flat for the rest of the lugs. I found this method very fast and it produced a good result at the end.
The best thing about the Tune-Bot is the memory functions. You can save your favourite tunings, not just by each drum, but by each individual head. These can then be recalled later on, and by using the 'difference' mode, you can quickly recall each drum and retune it to just the way it was before.
TUNE-BOT - SUMMARY
The Tune-Bot is unlike anything I've ever encountered before and it is definitely an item that every drummer should have in their essentials bag. It tunes quickly, accurately and it even works in noisy environments! The memory function pushes it head and shoulders over any other tuning aid and the 'difference' and 'filter' modes make it extremely versatile for a variety of tuning techniques.
The unit is in high demand at the moment and supplies are limited, so I would recommend getting your pre-order in now so as not to be disappointed!
For more information on the Overtone Labs Tune-Bot, click the link below: