Dixon PAKE270HP Drum Key

A drum key is a type of wrench used by drummers to screw a drum’s tension rods into the lugs. Doing so tightens the drum head (or skin) to the drum, changing its tension and pitch. Drum keys have been used for over one hundred years, and a lot of modern drum hardware requires a drum key to make adjustments. However, the original and predominant use for a drum key is to tune your drums and replace drum heads.

If you’re replacing a drum head, the first step is to loosen the current skin by using a drum key to twist all of the tension rods counter-clockwise until the rim of the drum lifts off and the drum head can be removed. Once the old drum head is removed, place the new drum head in its place, put the rim back on with the holes in-line with the tension rod holes, put the tension rods into the lugs and tighten them up by twisting them clockwise with your fingers and then the drum key. Do this until the drum head plays a desirable pitch when struck.

The next step is to break the drum head in. Put your fist firmly on the center and push down on the drum head five to six times. This stretches the drum head and prevents the drum from going out of tune as often.

Finally, take a drum stick and tap lightly around the drum an inch away from each tension rod and try to make each tone sound exactly the same to fine tune the drum.

And we have now typed entirely too much text for a $2 item.  The end.