LOL! After about 10 yrs of drumming, Ive NEVER had my snare sound as nearly perfect and professional as it does today thanx to this vid. Thought it was my drumhead choice, NOPE...TUNING!!!! And snare wire mounting...SWEET GRACE, used to be my ENEMY!!!! Thanx Bobby G.
This is a great video to learn tuning drums very easily. Gavin Harrison mentioned Bob Gatzen during his workshop in Switzerland and it helped me a lot. Thanks
Thanks' for these great tuning videos Bob! As we all know, tuning drums is an imperfect science and it all comes down to personal preference on how each individual wants their tone. Every technique helps and I applied much of what you teach when I was in the studio last and walked away with the best sounding drum tone I've ever had!
Awesome. Finally a tutorial that references exact pitches for repeatability. Everyone else says just tune the resonant real tight then tune the batter until it sounds about good. C'mon man...
Hi, Bob. Thanks for the guidance. UPS delivered my first snare drum today. I watched this vid four or five times while I was awaiting the drum. I played it again while I tuned my new drum. It sounds better than I imagined it could. I love your work.
Thank you Bob. I've always felt I had a fairly good handle on my snare drum tuning. But after watching this and your other tuning videos; my DW Snare with Evans G2 coated head, sounds like a million. You Rock Bob!
thank you so much for making a USEFUL video (expertvillage doesnt know what theyre talking about at all). i tried tuning my snare drum on my own, and i could never get it to stop humming afterward. now my snare sounds great. thanks!
Hey Bob i just wanted to drop you a line to tell you about a cheap Mapex snare i had lying about. I could not get a sound i liked out of it but i watched some of your vids and decided to sort it out. Its now got an Evans G1 coated batter and a 300 hazy reso head with some puresound custom wires. I used your tuning method and gigged it at the weekend. My bass player complimented my "new snare drum". Enough said. Thanks to you it wont go in the bin.
I've had a pearl ultracast 6.5" deep for 2 or 3 years now and have never really been happy with it.....until I tuned it to the same as in this video!!! I had it way to low (top and bottom) even though to my ears it still sounded high - but i was listening to the overtones not the fundamental note of the drum. Tuned bottom to A and top to C and BOOOOM!! The rim shot nearly killed me! haha
Wow! I´ve got those Remo UX heads too, and I didn´t like how they sounds. But after I watched this video and did like you said, it sounds so amazing! So thank you Bob, you make my life musch easier ;)
Wow... what a great video.. I bought a new PDP 7 piece Maple Concept. I really haven't played acoustic drums for over 20 years and back then I sucked at tuning.. I couldn't get the sound I was looking for on my stock PDP snare, so I jammed down the snare side Hazy 300 to the "A" suggested and the top G2 coated head to a "G-G#".. This snare is is now singing like it costs $500. I LOVE IT.. THANKS BOB!!
tomorrow i'm about to tune my first "real" kit (so far i use a rhythm traveller and i only use mesh heads for practicing) and almost everything i know (if i can say that) is from you, Bob. Wish me luck! ;)
we are right indeed! and the best thing is, since writing this to you, i received another comment saying just because people cant sing, doesnt mean he is tone deaf. oh dear...
I've found tuning the reso side from about F-G is the highest it will go before choking out. A is killing it in my opinion. I tune the batter from A to C depending. In any case, tuning the reso to G makes all the difference from being a 'whack' sound to something quite tuneful.
omg bob, thanks. i thought id never understand this but my snare sounds great now, but i seen the tom tuning vid, and id have to say didnt sound the way id like.
I read somewhere the same thing, but it said that for the snare it's the opposite way: the batter head is high and the resonant is low. I followed the instruction and it sounded pretty good.
"snares could be your good friend or worst enemy". Thats absolutely true and my snares are my enemies :( Tuning snare drum is horror for me, thanks for this video, i will try it:)
@hoygising1 That's because the resonant side of that tom has the same tension of the batter/resonant head of the snare. The sound frecuencies of the snare drum "match" with the resonant side and it vibrates. You could say they have the same notes. Try tuning the tom or the snare drum in other note. I guess that's the reason. I might be mistaken.
I tune all my batter heads higher! I get a better sound that way IMO, that I like much better! I know of a lot of drummers that tune this way, including many professionals! I personally don't buy into that pitch machine/gadget deal he has and singing that particular pitch/note, and I realize he is well respected by many, and I have learned a lot from Mr. Gatzen and respect his opinions, but there are 1000's of videos etc out there on tuning and techniques, etc...I don't use gadgets anymore at all! I trust my ears, I get the head on centered, finger tighten the tension rods, then use a cross pattern til I bring the drum gradually up to sound good to my ears, then I play each drum, make a few tweaks, and DONE! I wasted a lot of money and time on drum dials and other gadgets that slowed me down, where as the way I tune now gets the same exact results, bottom line it works just fine for me and a lot less time!
@LOGonover Hey thanks for the reply! I got it fixed a few hours after posting the comment, It was the snare wires, i was messing with them a couple of days ago and the wires are really bent and i didnt put them back in their orginial position so they rattled everytime i hit off centre. But thanks for the reply :)
I didn't see this until after I replied to your deleted comment. I respect that you decided to take the high road and reply in a mature way. I apologize for being a douche and insulting you. I'll check out your song, and yes, keep on drummin'!
@MeideC another way to avoid that is to tighten the snares a little bit, maybe use some muffling (o-ring, drum gum, etc.) i find that some snare muffling takes care of the resonance.
@honyontaco Thanks for the info. I currently have it tuned reso lower but was wondering if cranking the bottom head would give a better sound. Gonna have to try it.
Bob, I've been a Remo guy my whole life (47 yrs.) but recently fell in love with the Evans Genera G1 coated head for my snare. As luck would have it, I see Evans has discontinued the Genera G1 and now offers a Genera as well as a G1 coated head. My question is which one is the replacement for the Genera G1? No success contacting Evans and the local shop is a bit unsure too. Love your videos. Keep up the good work...they are very insightful to many of us. Steve.
This snare drum tuning is my true North. I’ve tried other tunings, but they always end up sounding too tight, or too loose. This one always sounds just right, no matter what genre I play. From AC/DC to Orchestral, and everything in between!
@Refiep - if you take music in school, you will be required to be able to match pitch like that. especially if you play timpani. just practice matching pitch
Hey! All`s good in the wood! But the interesting thing is; when you start tuning the toms to sound good- you notice that the snare and the whole kit gets a whole new sound!
these videos are great, love the COMA drum playing idea, think ill use it for guitar aswell, question: i just got a new drum kit and the toms all have coated heads or the white ones same as the snare on top and clear heads on the bottom, should i use the same technique as the snare to tune them or still use the normal tom tuning and bring them to the same pitch, the snare technique seems logical but want to be sure, thanks if anyone knows the answer. they are evans skins on a gretsch kit.
@llPurpleHazell this is called snare buzz and is normal. but if the buzz is very excessive it is a sign of bad tuning but if you tune it well the buzz should be minimal hope this helps
@casubla9, you have to mess withy the tightness of your snare heads. If the have the same resonant frequency as your snare, they will make it vibrate. Or, with the floor tom, the sound waves are strong enough to shake the wires. It's pretty annoying, but the only way to fix it is to move your kit to a really wide open place. The audience won't be able to hear it, so if you can get past the noise it makes then you're good.
I said not to the choking point, but to the max of it's acceptable range. I like the sensitivity and quick response. My idea of a great snare sound and drummer is Ian Paice. I think toms have to be gauged even more carefully.
hes actually at A and c# (used a tune bot and double checked his accuracy) but im curious as to Gatzens decision to tune the batter higher than the reso. its not the most common method of tuning but its is acceptable. its just strange to me he never even touches upon his reason he does this or explains why other drummers would tune the batter a 5th lower than the reso which is more common
Well, according to Billy Ward you should replace it once a year, you can check out his tuning tips on the DW website. Even though you don't hit the resonant head it will still be worn by the snare, especially around the edges, less so if you keep it in a good position(i.e. even).
Thanks for the great tuning video Sir...i just don't get why we should consider/ referring to a note in tuning drum, IMHO the most important is how to tension down the drum-head evenly across all the side of the head. Imagine if we could turn all the 10 tension lugs at once to bring down/ set the head agains the drum, then that would be awesome.
@garrettgerbil13 When you use the dial do you turn the opposite lug of where the dial is placed? I have the digital dial and I never used the older design. Any preference?
YEAH! Took the snare to my computer, sat there and tuned it, AND IT F*kn WORKED!!! :D:D:D:D I have worked all day on this xD thx! alot! ^^ See the tricky thing is to get the "real" tone, you have to be very accurate or lucky :P then it sounds gr8!
To get the best snare sound should the reso head be tuned higher or lower than the batter head? I've seen videos where some say higher and some lower. Which gives the best sound?
I like moongel on my toms, but I like my snare wide open and medium high tension on the top head, and high tension on the bottom side. When you hit mine, you get a heck of a ring lol But I have two snares, thats just the main one I play. The other one is just a medium tuned top head, and still high tension on the bottom, and it is muffled for that crisp sound.
First, thank you for your video. I am disappointed, however, at your choice for the eventual snare drum sound starting at about 3:56 in your video. I think it sounds harsh, I am wondering do you dampen or muffle the harsh sound? if you did, how would you do it? Maybe not a drum pad, but isn't there something I can do to dampen or muffle the sound? I'm not taking about decibel level or pitch, I'm only talking quality of sound. thanks
@prodrumtips hey i have an old 70s or so crown drum set and the throw off for the snare is simply on or off, there is no knob to adjust the tension on the snare wires and i haven't been able to make it work, the strap simply slides through the clamp. how would you fix this?
@prodrumtips Hey Bob! Youve helped me tune my toms and my bass drum and they sound beautiful thanks to your help. I need some help with my snare. It sounds too articulate, the snares dominate the sound of the drum. Ive tried so many different combinations with the tentions of the heads and wires but it is the same result! I just want to know how to get LESS snare and more tone, bite and attack. Im a fan of overtones, so that is not a problem. Im desprite Bob...DESPRITE!!!!
@MeideC Unfortunately if you find your toms are causing you snare to resonate, you're going to have to retune one or the other. I found it so much simpler re-tuning my toms when I last had this problem.
This is the gold standard for how to tune snare drums. Thanks Bob for your fantastic contributions to the drumming community.
RIP Bob you absolute legend.
Thank you for everything you did for the drumming world.
Every time I look at an Evans head, I think of you.
Much love ❤
Playing for 30 years and found this the best method of tuning a snare drum. Phenominal and what a time saver. Thanks!
LOL! After about 10 yrs of drumming, Ive NEVER had my snare sound as nearly perfect and professional as it does today thanx to this vid. Thought it was my drumhead choice, NOPE...TUNING!!!! And snare wire mounting...SWEET GRACE, used to be my ENEMY!!!! Thanx Bobby G.
This is a great video to learn tuning drums very easily. Gavin Harrison mentioned Bob Gatzen during his workshop in Switzerland and it helped me a lot. Thanks
Thanks' for these great tuning videos Bob! As we all know, tuning drums is an imperfect science and it all comes down to personal preference on how each individual wants their tone. Every technique helps and I applied much of what you teach when I was in the studio last and walked away with the best sounding drum tone I've ever had!
Bob Gatzen is the drum Guru! and a hell of a nice guy to boot!
Awesome. Finally a tutorial that references exact pitches for repeatability. Everyone else says just tune the resonant real tight then tune the batter until it sounds about good. C'mon man...
I've been drumming for a little over 5 years and this video showed me things I didn't even know.
Same!
Hi, Bob. Thanks for the guidance. UPS delivered my first snare drum today. I watched this vid four or five times while I was awaiting the drum. I played it again while I tuned my new drum. It sounds better than I imagined it could. I love your work.
Still use this method all these years later. Bob was a master. RIP legend
Thank you Bob. I've always felt I had a fairly good handle on my snare drum tuning. But after watching this and your other tuning videos; my DW Snare with Evans G2 coated head, sounds like a million.
You Rock Bob!
Probably the best way for tuning a snare drum! Thanks Bob!
thank you so much for making a USEFUL video (expertvillage doesnt know what theyre talking about at all). i tried tuning my snare drum on my own, and i could never get it to stop humming afterward. now my snare sounds great. thanks!
Hey Bob i just wanted to drop you a line to tell you about a cheap Mapex snare i had lying about. I could not get a sound i liked out of it but i watched some of your vids and decided to sort it out. Its now got an Evans G1 coated batter and a 300 hazy reso head with some puresound custom wires. I used your tuning method and gigged it at the weekend. My bass player complimented my "new snare drum". Enough said. Thanks to you it wont go in the bin.
fianly, no one ever undertsands pitches when tuning snare drums. Thank you, now maybe others will be able to understand pitch on a snare
I've had a pearl ultracast 6.5" deep for 2 or 3 years now and have never really been happy with it.....until I tuned it to the same as in this video!!! I had it way to low (top and bottom) even though to my ears it still sounded high - but i was listening to the overtones not the fundamental note of the drum. Tuned bottom to A and top to C and BOOOOM!! The rim shot nearly killed me! haha
Awesome Bob. Best snare video I've seen so far.
Wow! I´ve got those Remo UX heads too, and I didn´t like how they sounds. But after I watched this video and did like you said, it sounds so amazing! So thank you Bob, you make my life musch easier ;)
DAMN!!!!!!! this video really help me a lot!!!!!! i thought i cannot tune my snare anymore.. tnx Bob gatzen!
Wow... what a great video.. I bought a new PDP 7 piece Maple Concept. I really haven't played acoustic drums for over 20 years and back then I sucked at tuning.. I couldn't get the sound I was looking for on my stock PDP snare, so I jammed down the snare side Hazy 300 to the "A" suggested and the top G2 coated head to a "G-G#".. This snare is is now singing like it costs $500. I LOVE IT.. THANKS BOB!!
Thanks for the video, I have tuned my snare following these steps and it sounds very good, records perfectly through my shure sm-57.
my snare is tuned so friggin high. love it. i used this method and it rules. you wont be disappointed if you use it.
Thanks a lot for this tutorial! It even helped with that snarebuzz when I hit first tom (because a had my snare tuned much more lower).
tomorrow i'm about to tune my first "real" kit (so far i use a rhythm traveller and i only use mesh heads for practicing) and almost everything i know (if i can say that) is from you, Bob. Wish me luck! ;)
I keep coming back to this it's so great. Thanks Bob.
you did a good job of telling young drummers how to set up and tune there there drum
Bob knows his stuff worth watching thanks Bob
Always great videos-miss the store. Stick under snares is cool trick
This helped me so much! i got remo ux heads, wich sucks. after this video my snare sounds exactly like bobs. omg. THANK YOU!
Thanks for this man! Finally I got the right tutorial for tuning my snare.
That OTT tip is great. I've been struggling with that. Thanks :)
Thanks for letting us hear how it sounded after tuning.
I think youre correct i noticed when i was trying to tune my snare vibrations was there specially on the high tuning. more power to you.
we are right indeed! and the best thing is, since writing this to you, i received another comment saying just because people cant sing, doesnt mean he is tone deaf. oh dear...
Sounds like I need new snares then. Was wondering what that ringing sound was caused by, now I know. Thanks Bob!
I've found tuning the reso side from about F-G is the highest it will go before choking out. A is killing it in my opinion.
I tune the batter from A to C depending.
In any case, tuning the reso to G makes all the difference from being a 'whack' sound to something quite tuneful.
reddieseled i
This guy is amazing at tuning drums
thanks man you rock, my kit has never sounded so good.
hahaha! Just like a cooking show! They made it look so easy! "Here's a snare drum we prepared earlier" Those crazy buggers!!
omg bob, thanks. i thought id never understand this but my snare sounds great now, but i seen the tom tuning vid, and id have to say didnt sound the way id like.
I read somewhere the same thing, but it said that for the snare it's the opposite way: the batter head is high and the resonant is low. I followed the instruction and it sounded pretty good.
"snares could be your good friend or worst enemy". Thats absolutely true and my snares are my enemies :( Tuning snare drum is horror for me, thanks for this video, i will try it:)
Thx for the info on tuning the snare Bob!
For those who cant get a great tuning sound with their pearl chad smiths, this tuning vid gives you the key! A on bottom and C/C# on top.
@iTraceur Thanks man,
Im using an Evans Genera HD dry snare batter for my 14 inch snare.
@hoygising1 That's because the resonant side of that tom has the same tension of the batter/resonant head of the snare. The sound frecuencies of the snare drum "match" with the resonant side and it vibrates. You could say they have the same notes. Try tuning the tom or the snare drum in other note. I guess that's the reason. I might be mistaken.
Excellent video... thanks so much for providing this :) Really got my snare sounding good!
I tune all my batter heads higher! I get a better sound that way IMO, that I like much better! I know of a lot of drummers that tune this way, including many professionals! I personally don't buy into that pitch machine/gadget deal he has and singing that particular pitch/note, and I realize he is well respected by many, and I have learned a lot from Mr. Gatzen and respect his opinions, but there are 1000's of videos etc out there on tuning and techniques, etc...I don't use gadgets anymore at all! I trust my ears, I get the head on centered, finger tighten the tension rods, then use a cross pattern til I bring the drum gradually up to sound good to my ears, then I play each drum, make a few tweaks, and DONE! I wasted a lot of money and time on drum dials and other gadgets that slowed me down, where as the way I tune now gets the same exact results, bottom line it works just fine for me and a lot less time!
@LOGonover Hey thanks for the reply!
I got it fixed a few hours after posting the comment,
It was the snare wires, i was messing with them a couple of days ago and the wires are really bent and i didnt put them back in their orginial position so they rattled everytime i hit off centre. But thanks for the reply :)
I didn't see this until after I replied to your deleted comment. I respect that you decided to take the high road and reply in a mature way. I apologize for being a douche and insulting you. I'll check out your song, and yes, keep on drummin'!
@llPurpleHazell Its not drum's fault. There should be a knob in your snare strainer and you can twist it to reduce snare buzz.
thanks for this :) now my snare drum finally sounds good :)
@MeideC another way to avoid that is to tighten the snares a little bit, maybe use some muffling (o-ring, drum gum, etc.) i find that some snare muffling takes care of the resonance.
@honyontaco Thanks for the info. I currently have it tuned reso lower but was wondering if cranking the bottom head would give a better sound. Gonna have to try it.
Bob, I've been a Remo guy my whole life (47 yrs.) but recently fell in love with the Evans Genera G1 coated head for my snare. As luck would have it, I see Evans has discontinued the Genera G1 and now offers a Genera as well as a G1 coated head. My question is which one is the replacement for the Genera G1? No success contacting Evans and the local shop is a bit unsure too. Love your videos. Keep up the good work...they are very insightful to many of us. Steve.
This snare drum tuning is my true North. I’ve tried other tunings, but they always end up sounding too tight, or too loose. This one always sounds just right, no matter what genre I play. From AC/DC to Orchestral, and everything in between!
@guledmalim
You mean the wires?
In that case, your snare drum is now just basiclly a tom tom...
You need the wires for the "pop" sound.
@Refiep - if you take music in school, you will be required to be able to match pitch like that. especially if you play timpani. just practice matching pitch
@drabhand i would, but i don't have a recorder. i actually found a way to fix it, i used some ribbon to add more friction.
Hey! All`s good in the wood!
But the interesting thing is; when you start tuning the toms to sound good- you notice that the snare and the whole kit gets a whole new sound!
@MikeAsHimself Thx a lot, probably I will try something like this. But i think for first times is good to learn it by own ears.
these videos are great, love the COMA drum playing idea, think ill use it for guitar aswell,
question: i just got a new drum kit and the toms all have coated heads or the white ones same as the snare on top and clear heads on the bottom, should i use the same technique as the snare to tune them or still use the normal tom tuning and bring them to the same pitch, the snare technique seems logical but want to be sure, thanks if anyone knows the answer. they are evans skins on a gretsch kit.
@llPurpleHazell this is called snare buzz and is normal. but if the buzz is very excessive it is a sign of bad tuning but if you tune it well the buzz should be minimal
hope this helps
I really suck at tuning my snare. This helped a little.
This saved me a big hassle...thank you very much
This man is my hero. THANK YOU
@EPICisFUN - moon gel. works wonders. and muting rings. i've gone as far as to put two on a snare for a dryer sound.
@casubla9, you have to mess withy the tightness of your snare heads. If the have the same resonant frequency as your snare, they will make it vibrate.
Or, with the floor tom, the sound waves are strong enough to shake the wires.
It's pretty annoying, but the only way to fix it is to move your kit to a really wide open place. The audience won't be able to hear it, so if you can get past the noise it makes then you're good.
I said not to the choking point, but to the max of it's acceptable range. I like the sensitivity and quick response. My idea of a great snare sound and drummer is Ian Paice. I think toms have to be gauged even more carefully.
damn thats an immaculate sounding snare drum
@XxbanconandbeanxX Thanks i retuned it and it got better, but there is still some. Is it the tom or the snares fault?
OMG, this vid. helped me very much. Thank u Bob.
this is really barney stinson's father! Bob!! he even speaks like him! XD
by the way great lesson it was really useful
I just bought new DW snare strainers, they sound GREAT
hes actually at A and c# (used a tune bot and double checked his accuracy) but im curious as to Gatzens decision to tune the batter higher than the reso. its not the most common method of tuning but its is acceptable. its just strange to me he never even touches upon his reason he does this or explains why other drummers would tune the batter a 5th lower than the reso which is more common
Well, according to Billy Ward you should replace it once a year, you can check out his tuning tips on the DW website. Even though you don't hit the resonant head it will still be worn by the snare, especially around the edges, less so if you keep it in a good position(i.e. even).
dude thanks for all your lessions been really helpful ^_^ I finally found someone who knows what there on about o.o
Thanks for the great tuning video Sir...i just don't get why we should consider/ referring to a note in tuning drum, IMHO the most important is how to tension down the drum-head evenly across all the side of the head. Imagine if we could turn all the 10 tension lugs at once to bring down/ set the head agains the drum, then that would be awesome.
@garrettgerbil13 When you use the dial do you turn the opposite lug of where the dial is placed? I have the digital dial and I never used the older design. Any preference?
He is a real drumming master!
Voice of an angel
YEAH! Took the snare to my computer, sat there and tuned it, AND IT F*kn WORKED!!! :D:D:D:D
I have worked all day on this xD thx! alot! ^^
See the tricky thing is to get the "real" tone, you have to be very accurate or lucky :P then it sounds gr8!
To get the best snare sound should the reso head be tuned higher or lower than the batter head? I've seen videos where some say higher and some lower. Which gives the best sound?
yea it works! i got it just tighten the knob but not to tight hope that helps
I like moongel on my toms, but I like my snare wide open and medium high tension on the top head, and high tension on the bottom side. When you hit mine, you get a heck of a ring lol But I have two snares, thats just the main one I play. The other one is just a medium tuned top head, and still high tension on the bottom, and it is muffled for that crisp sound.
Hi bob you mention tuning the resonating head to an a and the batter head to a c what octave would that be in ie 2nd or 3rd octave many thanks.
snare was my worse nightmare since 7:45 min ago :) thanks a lot
start off by "tuning" across until it is seated well, then you can switch to tuning around the drum (or across) to get the right pitch.
THIS GUY'S A LEGEND!!
First, thank you for your video. I am disappointed, however, at your choice for the eventual snare drum sound starting at about 3:56 in your video. I think it sounds harsh, I am wondering do you dampen or muffle the harsh sound? if you did, how would you do it? Maybe not a drum pad, but isn't there something I can do to dampen or muffle the sound? I'm not taking about decibel level or pitch, I'm only talking quality of sound. thanks
I just bought some today. They're pretty good
@prodrumtips hey i have an old 70s or so crown drum set and the throw off for the snare is simply on or off, there is no knob to adjust the tension on the snare wires and i haven't been able to make it work, the strap simply slides through the clamp. how would you fix this?
Thank You!!
My Snare Drum is great now!!
@prodrumtips Hey Bob! Youve helped me tune my toms and my bass drum and they sound beautiful thanks to your help. I need some help with my snare. It sounds too articulate, the snares dominate the sound of the drum. Ive tried so many different combinations with the tentions of the heads and wires but it is the same result! I just want to know how to get LESS snare and more tone, bite and attack. Im a fan of overtones, so that is not a problem. Im desprite Bob...DESPRITE!!!!
@AlexeiDmitri How do you get rid of the snares ringing from say hitting your floor tom? it's REALLY pissing me off ha cheers
@MeideC Unfortunately if you find your toms are causing you snare to resonate, you're going to have to retune one or the other. I found it so much simpler re-tuning my toms when I last had this problem.
also, if the skins are already on there does it harm them in anyway to losen them right of and start the tuning over? thanks
Now i feel like a tool for doing this completely wrong, lol! thanks for the info this helps alot!
doin this would it stop the the snare from giving feed back or rattling when you hit the toms or the bass?