Loosen the tension rods around the drum by turning them counterclockwise with the drum key. Twist each rod a half turn, then move to the next rod until all of the rods are completely loose. You want to loosen the rods so that you can get equal tension when tightening the drum.
Turn each tension rod one full turn clockwise, move around the drum in a circle until all of the rods begin to pull equally against the drum head.
Tap directly in front of the tension rods with the end of a drum stick to check the pitch of the drum. Continue moving around the drum, turning no more than one full turn at a time.
Adjust each tension rod until each point of the drum has the same pitch. For a beefy drum sound, you want to avoid tightening the rods too much. Aim for a level of tension in which the drum head is firm and the drum provides a rich, deep sound.
Listen carefully to determine how much tension to use. Demo the sound by striking the center of your drum with a drumstick. If the sound is too high, loosen the tension rods by turning counterclockwise with your drum key. If the sound is too low, tighten the tension rods by turning clockwise.
Purchase oil-filled drum heads. Oil-filled drum heads have two layers with an oil-filled center to reduce overtones and create a denser, beefy sound.
Remove the old drum heads by following the instructions for loosening the tension rods in the "Tuning" section. You will need to completely remove the tension rods to put the new drum heads in place.
Install the new drum heads and replace the tension rods. Tighten the tension rods using the same instructions
Sit up straight with your shoulders relaxed and your feet squarely on the floor in front of you about shoulder-length apart. Your arms should be level with the drum rim to ensure a relaxed stroke.
Hold the drum sticks using an overhand position to achieve a thick, dark sound. Place the drumstick between your thumb and index finger and direct your knuckles toward the ground at about a 45-degree angle.
Alternate strokes using a firm grip and controlling the amount of bounce from the drum. The firmer your grip on the drumsticks, the thicker and beefier the sound will be.