Once you feel confident that your drums are 100% Tuning Capable, the next really important factor is the Heads. This is absolutely the Heart and Soul that brings your drums to life. In my opinion head selection is way more important than depth, lugs, and hoops when learning how to tune drums.
It can be a bit overwhelming deciding on heads with the seemingly endless choices from Remo, Evans, Aquarian, Ludwig, etc. Study the company websites to get an idea of the various tone qualities of different types of heads in their product line.
Go to your local music store and tap on the available demo drum sets. Remember that what you hear in a music store will differ from your sound at home. Always inspect new heads for defects before purchasing. Do they lay perfectly flat on a glass surface for example?
Many pros use muffling devices such as the proven Ring-Arrestor to eliminate ringing overtones. These are highly recommended to aid in tuning drums and can really focus the tone. Head distortion or buzzing, especially on larger toms can be controlled by muffling.
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