Rototoms are drums which have no shell at all, just a single head and a steel frame. Unlike other toms such as Tom-tom drums, rototoms have a definite pitch and some composers write for them as a tuned instrument, demanding specific notes. They can be tuned quickly by rotating the head. Since the head rotates on a thread, this raises or lowers the head relative to the rim of the drum and so increases or decreases the tension in the head.

Rototoms are sometimes used in drum kits.