When you hit a drum.. You get definitite tone a Focused tone or Fundamental Tone if you will. Hirap rin i-explain basta ganito.
Have you tried hitting a rightly tuned drum with Pinstripes on top? It has a focused tone. Now, have you tried hitting a rightly tuned drum with a Coated Ambassador on top? It has overtones and an Open sound.
Focused Tone = Metal toms. Open/Overtones sound = Jazz drummers. More or less that's how I can explain it.
Ako, I personally like my drums to have overtones, not so much that it sounds so muddy, pero I don't want it to sound dead rin. I want them to sing! You just have to tune right.