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In this illustration I have used a keyboard graphic to show pitch comparison between
drums. This graph came about after many years of listening to recordings of different styles
and comparing the pitch of each drum on each recording to notes on a piano. What I found
was that drummers were tuning individual drums within a certain range to make them
sound their best and give the best response. As you can see, the natural range of each
drum is a major third (augmented fourth for the snare), although from time to time this
range can be extended either higher or lower.
Whether they were aware of it or not, I also found that drummers were tuning their drums
in a musical way, so the drum pitches relate harmonically to each other. A very common and
modern-sounding way to tune toms is to tune them in fourths, where the pitch of each tom
varies consistently by 5 semitones (for example 10"Eb, 12"Bb, 14"F). Another common
tuning is where drummers tune the top toms closer together with a bigger gap between the
low toms (for example 10"E, 12"C, 14"F - this outlines an F major 7th chord). Some jazz
drummers choose a major triad for their tom tuning (for example 10"Eb, 12"C,14"Ab), but
generally tune their drums tighter for better response.
By comparing each drum's fundamental tone to a note on a piano (or other melodic
instrument) I have found I can tune individual drums very quickly. Suspend the tom or
snare (with snares off) off the ground and strike in the middle to assess the drum's
fundamental tone. Adjust the tension according to what pitches you need for your drums. A
good starting point for a 'fusion' sized kit is this:
Rock Tuning (medium-tight head tension):

14" Snare

10" Tom

Ab

D or Eb

12" Tom

Bb

14" Tom

Jazz/Fusion Tuning (tighter head tension):

14" Snare

10" Tom

12" Tom

14" Tom

When I'm recording, this method allows me to tune each drum to a pitch that will sound
harmonious with the tonality of the song. For example, if the song is in the key of G major,
you might tune the drums around a G major chordor G major scale (G, A, B, C, D, E, F#),
for example:

14" Snare

10" Tom

12" Tom

14" Tom

G or F#

This suggestion uses a tighter head tension. It is very similar to Vinnie Colaiuta's tuning in
the example later. Another tuning suggestion for G major using a lower head tension is:

14" Snare

10" Tom

G or A

12" Tom

14" Tom

Nowdays it is popular to tune each drum towards the top of its range (tighter head tension),
as can be heard in the following examples of Marco Minnemann, Vinnie Colaiuta and Keith
Carlock:
In this video Marco's toms are tuned in fourths, and the snare is very tight:

14" Snare

10" Tom

12" Tom

14" Tom

16" Tom

In this video Vinnie's toms are tuned one semitone lower than Marco's, again in fourths, and
the snare is tuned a minor third lower than Marco's:

14" Snare

10" Tom

12" Tom

14" Tom

F#

16" Tom

C#

Here Keith's toms are tuned to Bb Minor, and the snare is tuned to the 7th of that chord:

14" Snare

Ab

10" Tom

12" Tom

Bb

14" Tom

16" Tom

Db