First of all, it's scientifically as well as physically impossible for a drum to have an exact perfect pitch. This even includes timpani, which is one of the few membranophones capable of retaining an approximate pitch. So, when I use the word "pitch" in reference to tuning a drum, think of it as an approximate pitch ... not exact or perfect pitch.

With that said, I do tune my drums (even hand drums) to approximate pitches when in the recording studio. This allows the drums to really sit well in the mix ... simply by fitting in with that tonal center of the song. Although it may not be common practice, it is done when the project budget allows ... and the song calls for it. The problem arises when you try to force a drum by tuning it to a pitch that doesn't sound good or work for the drum. You have to know your instrument, and know it's tuning range. Otherwise you are sacrificing the quality of sound ... just for a pitch. This is a case in point when it's nice to have a variety of instruments from which to draw from. You can find a drum that sounds good with the tuning you need or desire.

Drum Workshop takes steps to further balance the blend and intervallic relationship within their drumsets. Their TimbreMatchedâ„¢ method uses a proprietary process of preselecting  drumshells into matched groups based on specific tonal and visual criteria. Following TimbreMatching, each shell is stamped with a specific pitch that serves as a reference point for tuning. Notice this is a REFERENCE ... an approximation as to how the shell vibrates, and the closest exact pitch it can be associated with.

In all of this, I would suggest that you not worry about pitches, but rather focus on intervals between the drums. I good starting place would be to tune the drums with a Perfect 4^th interval between each. A Perfect 4th is the same interval that exists between the strings of a guitar (with standard tuning) as you ascend the first four strings, starting from the lowest sounding string. If you play a lot of guitar oriented music, it might be wise to tune your drums to fit with the open (standard) string pitches ... namely E, A, D, G, B, E.

The problem that can arise, however, is that there are MANY ways to tune a guitar ... it's up to the performer. Even if they say that they are going to use Drop D tuning, it could be that they drop the low E to a D, or that they drop the low and high E to a D. There are more radical tunings such as Hendrix (all strings down a half-step) which will make every one of your drums suddenly not fit the music at all!!!

I typically do not worry about pitches when I'm tuning my drumset. I just go for what sounds good ... while working with the optimum tuning range of each drum.

If you are not used to identifying pitches or music theory in general, I would suggest that you just tune your drums so that they sound good individually as well as together as a group. If using a specific pitch as your reference point works for you, that's great, but don't worry about trying to nail an exact pitch, because it's physically impossible.

In the jazz genre, it's more common for drummers to tune their drums to pitches. An old school example ... the kick drum (which is usually tuned higher than in other music genres) may be tuned to an E ... to coincide with the bass players low (open) E string. It also seems that many players also tuned their high tom tom (typically a 12-inch diameter drum) to a D. Interesting that this occured, especially since many "standard" jazz tunes were performed in flat keys (F, Bb, Eb, etc).