Today after watching the Trust Your Ears Drum Tech with Jeff Ocheltree DVD I tuned my toms by basicly tapping the rims with a drum stick.

This worked very good for me!

With both heads loose, starting with the bottom head, finger tighten all rods.

While pressing down in the center of the head and using "feel alone" go around the head tightening each rod with the last steps tightening rods just were the last wrinkles are.

Now start tunning.

You tap the rim near each tunning rod and listen (hold your head in the center of the drum or over each rod). "Quickly" getting them all at a nice even high ring trusting your ears (tapping the head as a finnal tweak but barely necessary).

My bottom heads are fairly tight with the tops pretty loose (were the rims just start to ring and the rods are tight enough to stay put.

Try doing this tapping the rim just for the fun of it....bet you'll be surprised.

Tapping the RIM and listening to the shell.