FAQ
Q: Are Tonewings™ a mechanical device or what?
A: Tonewings™ are solid pieces of Bell brass alloy that have been precision engineered into a patented shape. They take advantage of the physics of the sound of a drum and refine it. The resonance is redirected, not cancelled.
Q: If I put the Tonewings™ in my drum will it be a permanent change to the drum?
A: No! That is the beauty of the wings. You can leave them as they are, change them around or completely remove them any time you want with no damage or change to your drum.
Q: I am not a professional drummer. Why would I want to add Tonewings™ to my drum?
A: Why not? … Seriously, we each have a sound we want to create and your drum may be close, but Tonewings™ should be able to give you that edge you want in an easy and affordable way.
Q: Do you have certain recommendations for how many Tonewings™ and what size to use for each drum?
A: The recommended starting point is 4 regular wings or 5 mini wings depending on the size of your drum. However, once you try that you may find you need to use fewer to get the desired effect. (See AJ Chandler’s findings under Testimonials.)
Q: How would you describe how the Tonewings™ produce a sound change?
A: Tonewings™ dampen unwanted frequencies, creating a more focused tone. They reduced unwanted overtones and allow a fuller, richer fundamental pitch of the drum to come through.
Q: What does the change in sound feel like after adding Tonewings™?
A: Users use words like; added warmth and clarity, deeper and fuller sound, tighter, bigger and fatter, fatter yet crisper and so on.
Q: Do Tonewings™ work only in snares?
A: We choes to feature snares because they are often the starting point for beginning drummers, but they often serve as a showcase for advanced players too. However, we have used the Tonewings™ successfully in toms and kicks as well as snares.
Q: How would Tonewings™ affect my sound’s sustain?
A: It has been described as affecting the purity of the sustain, making the whole drum sing more consistently and efficiently. Some people use the terms sustain and resonance interchangeably.
Q: What’s the best way to get the best resonance with my drum after adding Tonewings?
A: Hit the side of the drum to hear the pitch of the shell. Then tune your drum heads to this pitch.
Q: How will Tonewings™ affect my ability to tune my drums?
A: Tonewings™ provide a bigger range of tuning and the ability to use thinner heads (which most drummers prefer for lower tuning), and makes tuning in that low range much easier while keeping the drum very resonant.
Q: How will Tonewings™ affect my other add-ons?
A: As far as the Tonewings™ go we believe you will find that you will not need moon gels or finding the “right trick” to get rid of undesirable overtones or dampening- these are the trick!
Q: I expected my Tonewings™ to be a polished brass, but they are more of a satin finish. Does it make a difference?
A: Not at all, but if you prefer a shiny look, you can polish them gently before adding to your drums by using XXX grit. This is also true of any scratches to the Tone wings. It’s personal preference.
Q: What do you mean the drum sounds “fatter”?
A: As relates to a snare we mean it has a nice low pitch, fairly short note and full of tone. In general it will sound fuller and more robust.
Q: What’s an overtone?
A: Overtones are the various different notes you hear when hitting a drum. These can be very musical or absolutely awful depending on tuning. We believe Tonewings™ cleans up unwanted overtones.
Q: If I do not like my sustain how do I fix it?
A: You need to identify if the problem is with the overtones, the fundamental note or the length of the sustain for you. Overtones can be controlled by making sure each lug is tuned to the same pitch.
