Dialtune Origins: The Whole Story (Fast Recap)

A quick, skimmable recap of our three-part series with Alexander Marshman (CEO), Bryan Bedson (inventor), and Bryan Saftler (co-founder, behind the camera). How a $30 prototype became a production snare—and now a full kit—built with real feedback from working players.

Dialtune Origins: Part 1 · Part 2 · Part 3

Part 1 — The $30 Prototype That Lit the Fuse

A drummer’s problem (fast, repeatable tuning) meets a tinkerer’s notebook. Inspired by BOA-style lacing, Bryan rigs up pulleys and steel cable from the hardware store and proves single-point tuning can distribute tension evenly.

• $30 Home Depot prototype → even tension from one control.
• Early help from a drummer/patent attorney → broad provisional patent.
• Principle established: speed to sound, repeatability, more time playing.

“What if you could tune drums like a guitar—know when it’s in tune, and get back there quickly?”

Read the full story → Dialtune Origins, Part 1

Part 2 — Prototyping, Gatekeepers & The Maker Series

Grad school V2 makes the idea playable: both heads represented, lock/unlock gearboxes, and a drum-key interface. Big-brand licensing pitch goes nowhere, so we let drummers hear and feel the concept themselves—then we iterate.

• Non-negotiable: independent batter/resonant control.
• Dropped ratcheting “quick release” (bad for fine back-off control) and the drum key (simplicity wins).
• Cable trials: braided steel kinks, takes “memory,” spools poorly → moved on.
• NAMM feedback drives Maker Series: a dial and quick-release hoops for 30-second head swaps.
• Manufacturing lessons: first runs were costly (early snares landed near $1,000). New partner = price down, quality up.

Read the full story → Dialtune Origins, Part 2

Part 3 — From 6.5×14 Workhorse to a Full Kit

After proving it on the hardest canvas (the snare), we brought Dialtune to toms and kick. The brief: keep the quick-release experience, cut weight, and make mounting flexible—without compromising tone or feel.

• Toms, lighter: cast aluminum housings + steel inserts → about 50% weight reduction vs. snare hardware approach.
• Mounting: fixed shell mount with resonance spacer; two pre-drilled positions so dials face you. Virgin kick preference validated by pros.
• “All that hardware?” Same hole count as traditional lugs; spacers reduce shell contact → open, resonant tone.
• Bass drum: criss-cross cable path + quick lugs for fast head swaps; dials tailor sound and feel; holds tuning over long sessions.

Read the full story → Dialtune Origins, Part 3

What This Adds Up To

• Speed to sound: get musical fast—consistently.
• Repeatability: return to favorite settings with confidence.
• Independent head control: feel and tone, precisely shaped.
• Quick-release hoops: swap heads in ~30 seconds → bigger color palette on sessions.
• Built with players: thousands of drummer conversations → design choices that stick.

Thanks for being on this journey with us. We’ll keep listening, iterating, and building tools that make drums more fun to play.

Explore each chapter: Part 1 · Part 2 · Part 3