Loosen all tension rods evenly
Seat the drumhead by pressing gently in the center
Tighten each rod in a star pattern
Bring the batter head up to a medium tension first
Tap near each lug to match pitches around the head
Adjust the batter head until the tone is even and responsive
Tune the resonant head slightly tighter than the batter head for a crisp snare response
Set the snare wires so they are centered and not overly tight
Tighten the snare wires until they respond clearly without choking the drum
Check for unwanted buzz by striking the drum and nearby drums
Make small adjustments to individual lugs to remove dead spots or overtones
Use muffling only if needed to control excessive ring
Recheck tuning after playing for a few minutes
Retune after head changes, temperature changes, or heavy playing