There is no real difference between tom drumheads and Snare drumheads. This means that you can place any type of drumhead on any kind of kettle, even though the drumhead might have been sold specifically as a snare or tom head. The type of drumhead you choose for your snare drum and toms depends on the sound you want. For instance, single-ply tom heads produce a clearly different sound than double-ply heads. They are more sensitive, have a longer sustain and produce a more lively sound. The relatively durable double-ply heads, on the other hand, have a more prominent attack and produce a fuller sound. If you prefer, you can choose a coated drumhead for extra warmth.
The tuning of your drumheads also contributes to the sound of the toms. After you have placed a new drumhead, make sure to tighten pairs of screws that are placed opposite each other. When the tom has a proper basic sound you can tune the tom higher or lower by screwing the tension rods tighter or less tight. Always make sure that your separate toms all have a different pitch. Then you can start fine-tuning, a process which is mainly important for the batter head. For optimal fine-tuning, tap the head where each tension rod is placed in order to check whether the timbre is equal.
A tom is equipped with a batter head and a resonant head. Tune the resonant head in the same tone as the batter head and you'll get a round sound and longer sustain. A resonant head that's tuned lower produces more depth and less sustain whereas a higher-tuned resonant head provides you with a rounder tone that quickly lowers.
