Diagnosing Common Snare Drum Problems | Season Two, Episode 25
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- Опубліковано 22 тра 2024
- We receive more than a few inquiries every day about how to overcome problems being experienced with tuning snare drums. While we can’t always get to all of them, we assembled this episode to help. Barring any flaws in the equipment itself, there are several causes that have emerged as the most common for snare headache based on what we’ve encountered.
Are there a multitude of other causes? Absolutely! Can we cover them all in one episode? Not a chance. Do we have time to address the issues that every single person comes to us with? Unfortunately, no. But we do have a private message board via our Patreon and would be more than happy to address topics there.
Demo 1: 2:53
Demo 2: 5:46
Demo 3: 7:22
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Signal chain:
Mics - Focusrite Clarett 8Pre USB & OctoPre - MacBook Pro w/Pro Tools 12
Recorded at 48kHz / 24bit
Focusrite Clarett 8Pre USB tinyurl.com/Clarett8Pre
Focusrite Clarett OctoPre tinyurl.com/ClarettOctoPro
Bass drum demos done with AKG C414 (ear-distance) + AKG D112 (at mic port).
Additional microphones demo’d for comparison and available for listening via Patreon.
Drums: Pearl Masters Custom Extra Maple
Snare Batter: Evans G12 Coated tinyurl.com/EvansG12coated
Snare Reso: Evans Snare Side 300 tinyurl.com/EvansSnareSide300
Hosted by: Cody Rahn
Production: Ben O'Brien Smith @ Cadence Independent Media
Presenting Sponsor: Promark by D’Addario
Production Partners: Focusrite, Evans Drumheads
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How about “My snare sounds amazing and I have now idea how or why”. So I am afraid to touch anything. Lol
Ah yes! That’s one of the scenarios where more is learned through “failure” than success. I recommend making tweaks to a single element (example, lower the tension of the batter head) and then make adjustments to the snare reso and snare wire tension to match. Then bring everything back. Continue to tweak with a single characteristic and match with the others to better understand how the three relate. Cheers! -Ben
Warren Garber great question!😀
The more I learn about tuning, the worse my snare sounds haha.
instaBlaster.
Probably a Nobel and Cooley.
I have this Pork Pie snare drum that's been killing me with all the overtones. It never occurred to me that I had the bottom head cranked too high. 15 seconds with a tuning key, problem solved forever. I owe you a beer, Cody.
Yessss. I usually have that second problem. Because I'm not great at tuning my snare, I usually go for the standard "table top snare side, tune the batter to taste). And then it sounds bad, and for some reason I always thought that maybe the snare side was not tight enough, so i'd tighten it even more. Thanks for the help man. (in my personal defence, i'd like my snare to sound a little bit alive, so not super dampened, but we rehearse in a totally dead room, so it usually doesnt sound great, but then in a nice room with a little bit of reverb it sounds awesome)
I know what you mean i started just putting cotton in my ears so i dont have to hear the crummy snare
I’ve owned a Pearl Decade Maple snare drum for a couple of years. I never really liked it, thought about selling it a few times. Then recently, after having learned more about tuning, I got new remo ambassadors, a PureSound 20 strand wire, and tuned it up. Now it sounds killer: fat, great crack, and sits well in the band mix. It’s now my favourite snare drum. And I must thank this channel for all good things you’ve said about tuning, snare wires etc. Your advice kept nudging me in the right direction, and that plus a ton of tuning practise means I now feel like a won back a snare drum! Awesome!
yes for sure i run into the 2nd issue. Your explanation makes sense now excellent
Great content as always! Will love to see more snare problems and explanations + solutions to it! ❤💛💚💙💜
I’v have a accent steel 6x5x14 just tuned the bottom head a little looser and tighten the Top cs black dot head . It made a difference more open tunes very loud 🥁thank you ☺️
This video is so important to drummers. Thankyou for your contribution. 😁
Great video, snare tuning is the bane of my life! Thank you
Another great one!!! Most interesting is the reso - head. Wow, what an impact =)
When ever my snare sounds bad, I just cut a hole in the snare side head and detune one lug on the batter head. 😂 But seriously thank you for another great episode. I know this will be helpful to many!
Haha! That and the "percussive maintenance" approach (hit it with a hammer until it works...) will make for some...interesting results. 😂
Thanks for the kind words. Cheers! -Ben
The vid was definitely good! It is a good way showing problems and explaining how to solve them.
Great explanations, Thank You for the great information. Everyone should be able to teach this way. Thank You
a great way to learn what the differences can be, and all without taking my own drum apart. another fine job !!
The 3rd one was my bane for a while. Tuning and patience worked it out. Great video guys. This will help many.
I just wanted to say thank you for these videos. They are by far the best drum tuning videos anywhere. They have helped me overcome my frustrations with drum tuning and have finally let me dial in my sound! Keep up the amazing work!
I watch all of your videos about tuning a snare drum... i bought a pro snare. I bought new heads new wires and i still can't make it sound good as it was when i bought it... I give up... its pretty painful when you have awesome drum and you can't tune it no matter how many hous you'll put into tunig.... btw awesome channel, best one out there. Keep the good work!
Also, thanks for your videos. Great combo of useful, accessible info for new people. This is the channel i go to first for relevant info on making my drums sounds better.
What you do is really appreciated. Please keep it up!
I once found an old Pearl Steel Snare drum sitting around a closet at school and took it home. I also had a crappy Pearl Target snare sitting around with all black hardware which I thought would look killer on the shiny steel.
Took apart both snare drums, added the Target hardware to the steel and boom; it sounded and looked much better than it did before. I couldn't believe it. Of course my stupid decisions at the time led me to sell the whole kit including MY snare for about $600 flat. I still miss that snare to this day.
EDIT: It also would have made a great video but too bad I never took the time to film, take photos and edit any of my projects that I've done in the past. That particular snare basically inspired me to come up with this channel. Hopefully someday I can start doing more similar projects. :)
Sounds like a great project. I had an early 60s steel shell rogers powertone that I regret getting rid of.
Great explanations and examples. Thanks!
Great video! Super helpful!!
So much help, thank you!
I know a lot of people struggle with getting a good snare sound because when they hit that 10" Or 12" tom and you get a little buzz off the snare wires it drives a lot of people nuts. Most end up sacrificing a great snare sound to eliminate the problem. They will spend a lot of money on a great snare and make it sound terrible. Cody in one of your videos please inform your listener's that when there playing in a live situation that that buzz isn't usually heard out front.The snare is the main drum in the kit.DONT EVER COMPROMISE A GREAT SNARE SOUND.!!! Please do a video cody.!!!
Hey David, we've actually addressed this quite a bit across multiple episodes and it comes up in comments all the time. One of the greatest issues is that people are listening to isolated drums without consideration for musical/situational context. Cheers! -Ben
I encountered this doing some recording. I kind of apologized to the engineer because of the snare buzz but he said 'it actually sounds pretty good' and he played me what it sounded like in the control room - and it was pretty good. That was a helpful reminder about playing for the mics rather than just my own ears.
Another thing along these lines is hitting a snare that causes sympathetic vibrations in med size toms - and those vibrations seeming to come back and make the snare buzz more.
You guys changed my snare life! I’m not too proud to say I was wrong about straps. I’ve always used grosgrain ribbon straps, but since I implicitly trust your judgement I decided to try cords (orange Ludwig) - WOW! Game changer.
Makes sense right? The cord holes are at the outside of the end plates so cords don’t just pull on the middle like a strap. And now I can adjust both cords to get a PERFECTLY straight pull on the wires every time, which is a beautiful thing. Thanks again guys, Im an old dog but I learn something new every episode.
Great videos! Super helpful info.
Thank you so much. Just tuned the reso. head of my snare and oh what a difference. I always, erroneously, thought that the batter head was the most important part of the snare's tuning. The difference that it's made to the articulation of the drum is amazing ( at least to my cloth ears it is ). Ghost notes no longer disappear and I can now pretend to be half bad. Smashing vids from great knowledgeable guys, keep on please.
Side note: this video was insanely helpful. Thank you. I've been recording drums in the studio for decades, and this helped me diagnose a specific problem on a new snare that I was struggling with.
Snare side too tight on a low tuning.
New here, been playing for over 15 years and admittedly have never really given the bottom snare head enough attention or consideration in my issues i can face with tuning.
Loving the episodes I've watched so far. Going to binge watch everything now and nerd up.
🥁
Great video, I have a vintage supraphonic and it brokes my heart not making it sound as it should. I’m saving for new heads and some good wires.
Super helpful! Thanks so much!
This video really helped open my ears and eyes to the fact that my resonant head had been too tight for too long and had lost tuning range. I'd been fighting basic snare awfulness forever and now I'm regaining sanity and not spending as much money on therapy and booze.
I love these trouble shooting videos, super helpful
Thanks man. You have helped me learn to hear what is wrong, and where to start fixing the problem. In the last 4 months, I have had at least 10 complaments from other drummers on my sound. Keep doing what your doing man.
Incredible! That’s fantastic to hear, that’s what we hope for here :) -Cody
Thanks, great video!
Loved this video
Very good. Thanks.
Dude, you're THE MAN.
I have that exact same 70's Ludwig SD!... I also have the same one from the 60's (WFL Badge)... Wide open is the best!...
LOL, all these "snare drum problems" sound better than the best snare sound I have ever achieved.
You can do better!
@@SoundsLikeADrum No doubt. And thanks to you guys I'm gonna keep trying.
Another excellent vid dudes!
Thanks, Brody! That means a lot to us. Cheers! -Ben
Cody, appreciate your info. I have real Beginner set [Gammond Percussion - Don't laugh that my wife gifted to me Xmas 2018] . After a 50 year hiatus from playing (if that's what I can can all it), drums , I have picked them up again. At 68 years old, and getting ready to retire , but suffering from a number of spinal arthritic conditions, I'm in the basement playing basic rock beats to some of my old timer old rock and roll. It's fun to me and trying to keep it there and not let the rough playing frustrate me. I'll never get out of the basement, but I am really enjoying playing again. This snare drum issue is the most perplexing. I've changed the heads to Remo Emperor X (uncoated Snare head, Coated Batter head). I can't get close to that Phat sound you have in the intro. I've tried some of the things presented here - tuning , etc. But I can't approach that nice Phat sound. Too much resonance. Shoud I consider different heads?
Hey there! I think a thick head like that can definitely work for the kind of sound you're talking about. That said, I tend to want to start with a coated single-ply head for the batter and standard 3mil snare side and experiment broadly with those. Thick heads will definitely promote lower frequencies because of the mass, so your particular drum may need something thinner to get the combination of phatness and crack. Hope that helps!- Cody
I think I know the reason to the situation I'm emcountering. When the wires are loose, they naturally buzz like crazy. As I tighten them gradually, this lessens. So far everything like this is normal. The problem on this particular drum is the buzz doesn't go away nicely til the wires are practically choked. When I find what is probably the sweet spot and strike the drum in the centre, it sounds fine, but only in the centre. When I strike the drum somewhere in between the middle and the rim, there's excess buzz. That's the point at which I tighten the wires but feel I'm choking them while in search of the sweet spot (with no excess buzz). It's a really dreadful sound - almost mixed squeaks versus some colourful and pleasing tones. I have had this scenario on cheap and elite snare drums. I'm currently experiencing it on a Ludwig Black Beauty LM417. It has stock wires and tere's no obvious damage to them, even when they are not under tension. Can you please share your thoughts on solving this. I'd love to know if my guess as to the cause and solution is right. Thank you thank you!
I reused one of Hanson's Hi energy heads, still sounded good.
Best video ever thanks
this helps me because I have been having issues getting my acrolite tuned like I want it and I think it may be the snare side head being too tight or the batter needing replacement...thanks
I recently got a Pearl Steve Ferrone snare back in my arsenal and had to do some similar troubleshooting. But it didn’t take long for it to find it’s mojo.
Very helpfull !
Another great video on an important topic.... thanks. If you haven't tried the Sabian wires yet you owe it to yourself to give them a try. They use stainless and carbon steel wires which gives a fuller sound. It's subtle, but I find it quite nice, particularly with softer snare work!!
I've messed with them a bit back when I was at D'Addario and working on some Puresound projects (also stainless steel). We'll be doing a major comparison video on wires in the future but, In the end, I find that the alignment of the wires (during manufacturing and installation) and endplate design has more of an impact on performance than the material of the wires themselves, though this does certainly affect the sound. It seems quite similar to the recent episode we did with coated vs. clear resonant heads paired with clear batters. Cheers! -Ben
I just saw the title but I´m guessing the video is going to be good!
Ha! Thanks for your faith in our series!
Good ole myth busters!
Thanks.
I love my supraphonic. But my 8" DW is my go to.
Thanks!!!!!!!
You're quite welcome!
Another excellent video. Beard looks groovy.😘🥁🌻
Thanks! #growslikeabeard
So hopefully you’ll cover one of the main problems I’ve experienced with snare sound is the lack of a snare bed cut into the bearing edge.
I’ve had a few drums that lacked this component and no matter what I tried I couldn’t get a decent sound out of the drum.
Hey Chris! We addressed a bit of that here: ua-cam.com/video/sO4bHlcMwfM/v-deo.html
Still, your best bet may be to take the drum to a quality builder who can cut a snare bed into the shell for you.
I just got a Pearl Steve Farrone signature that I've always wanted. I recorded one in the studio once and I know it can sound legendary... Still... I just can't get it how I want it. I need to find out why.
And I've learned it doesn't like low tunings, which is my go-to.
Thanks for the video, you have really improved in front of the camera compared to your first videos!
I bought a new 12" snare and whatever I do (and I'm pretty good at tuning), I can't get the pitch on all the lugs to be the same. Two of the six lugs (opposite to each other) are always lower than the other four. When I tighten them, the other four go up as well. Maybe the hoop is bent?
Thanks for the kind words! What you're experiencing can be a symptom of a few different issues; bent hoop, out of round drum, bearing edge problems. We'll address the process of diagnosing these issues in a future video but you can start out on your own by systematically ruling out elements (especially if you've got access to a 12" tom) but swapping in a different head, different hoop, checking for topography issues with the bearing edge, and using another hoop to check for roundness of the shell. Cheers! -Ben
@@SoundsLikeADrum Thanks! I checked the bearing edge against a flat surface and shining with a torch light to see if light comes through, and I didn't find anything wrong. I checked the diameter of the shell with a ruler across different points around the perimeter and it was perfectly circular.
The hoop was indeed bent, and the batter head was warped a bit like a Pringles chip (although not as exaggerated) so I tried bending it back until it lied flat on a flat surface. Using the same batter head the issue didn't go away, but when I finally took the time to go and buy a new head, the problem went away and the snare drum sounds perfect now. I'm so relieved that the shell wasn't the cause of the issue!
When you talk about your ideal range for a snare side head, how much tension is enough? I'll sometimes (usually if I'm tuning toms quite low) prod the head to see how much give there is in the centre and at each lug, to see if it seems sensible and is helping keep the tone stable. It tends to give me an okay idea of where I need to tune to overall, though I'll bet tuning to notes would help me out more (I'm gonna check out what tuning apps there are for sure).
I guess I do this partly because, well, I'm a simple minded guy at drums, but typically when playing a rehearsal room snare for instance, if it sounds bad and the batter head feels comfortable to me, I'll see how cranked the reso feels. Most of the time, that's all I need to check to improve the sound.
i figured my wires must be bad....now i know my batter head is bad too....and probably the reso head as well...
thank you....at least i know its not the drum...or my kit.
Thumbs up!
So, I end up with the one where you have the reso too tight.
First off, I like it fairly tight to begin with for my snare reso, to stand out a little from the toms.
Then, because I started out with what I could afford, which is still pretty nice; a Pearl Maple Decade which I’ve added pieces too, so I currently have a
Stock PDM Bass - 22x18
Stock PDM Snare - 14x5.5
Stock PDM Toms - 8x7, 10x8, 12x8
Stock PDM Floor Toms - 14x14, 16x16
K Hybrid cymbal mix.
Recently used Evan’s UV2s over EC-Reso, great combo.
Literally just put on a set of hydraulic batters over genera reso’s. Gives a really full, booming sound. Great attack and projection without the sustain.
I do also have that whopper of a combo on my snare as well. I actually played a fairly thick snare side to start out, not realizing the difference before I even a 7mil and then a 10mil before I experimented with an Evan’s 300 and the Genera would be like an Evan’s 1,000 if we were to compare in that manner since it’s also 10 mil, so far I’m surprisingly impressed at the articulation I still have with my snare.
The hydraulics also have this really weird, strange and hard to explain, nice feeling when you hit them due to the oil especially on accented shots. It’s like hitting a pillow almost.
They almost feel like miniature hand cushions, not to mention the tuning range capability they seem to have which would only expand on many nicer, well made (snare) drums.
Love it
ah that third example. What I noticed right away is a problem I have with two of my snares. If you strike anywhere outside of the very center you get that weird boingy high end snare wire crazyness... however if you hit dead center it sounds great. My heads are not old by any means but they have been on different drums. I'm going to try a new one I guess.
Did you ever solve the problem?
@@ryanwilson5936 Nope. Basically had to settle for tunings in a higher pitch than I wanted... and it minimized it. I basically gave up. Wasn't going for anything super low just a decent rock sound. Tried all kinds of heads and tensions and snare wires...
@@glytch5
Well…damn. I’m new to drumming (20 years of playing guitar) and I just got a 5-piece Pearl Roadshow. Put Aquarian’s all the way around. Classic Clear Snare Side w/Hi-Velocity Batter Head. Also put PureSound Custom Pro snare wires on it. It helped a bit but anything outside the batter heads center dot and it’s timbale-town. The drum itself sounds much better but those edges just aren’t buzzing to save to my life.
@@ryanwilson5936 yeah its a weird one... some people are more sensitive to it than others. Its sort of like guitar fret buzz. Some people play harder and notice it more than others.
The only advice I have for you, is try to strike a unbalance between the batter and resonant. Most of the problem seems to be the reso head being activated by the batter.
@@glytch5
Thanks for the tips man. I’m pretty sensitive to fret buzz too and little things like that drive me bananas. Good luck with your snare journey and have a good one dude
Yeah Man.
Found out I cranked the reso too much. Much better now
I always have the problem of the better looking like Verdun (I have put a hole through one before) because I play so loud. I also have to tune it low for metal and high for jazz, which helps more in the destruction. I would have to replace heads about once a month, but I am a kid and can't afford that (Im saving for recording equipment.) I can get it sounding fine as I am well versed in drum tuning, but it never can get quite "there" with my budget.
Why don't you keep the snare in a mid-high tuning range for jazz and then, for metal, just put a cut out batterhead onto your snare? It will deaden and darken the sound and increase the longlivety of your batterhead. The cheapest method IMO.
Awesome video! I know you did the video on sympathetic snare buzz, but what would be your suggestion when you solve the problem no.2 from this video but then all of the toms start really exciting/resonating with the snare wires? Thanks! 🙂
Hey there! Really i'd just do the things in the snare buzz video, no other particular tricks with regards to the second issue in this video. Also, i'm firmly in the camp of 'some snare buzz is ok' because it's largely inescapable if you're dealing with genuinely resonant drums that are close to each other. :) -Cody
@@SoundsLikeADrum Thanks Cody! Will definitely recheck that video on snare buzz! 🙂
My snare buzzes like crazy when I hit my 10” Tom. They are tunes at least a 3rd off. Drives me nuts! Got a vid about that?
Your videos ensnare me.
I see what ya did there...
How often should I change the reso head on my snare drum and Tom’s?
Totally unrelated but make a video on sounds you can have with an acrylic set, channel is sick btw
We've got an acrylic snare and could probably get a kit from a good friend of ours for a future piece. Will get it in the lineup!
“In the past I would just start out by selling the drum and buying another one” lmao
This is INCREDIBLY common too.
@@SoundsLikeADrum Guilty. With much regret.
I did this, but within good reason. Had a drum that was gotren cheap and used...
Once I started "really" practicing and playing, I got a new set. Still trying to tune it to perfecrion though.
wait, what does the snare with straight wires and "good compression" sound like, because that first snare sounds kinda like many snares i've played 😂
Ludwig Acrolite. Both heads tight. Pearl wires. Remo Ambassador or Evans or Aquarian coated heads. Tighten snare wires tight. Easy and awesome,unchoked sound. Never perfect. An occasional piece of tape. I need tape with the Aquarian heads,but I go with cheap. For anyone that wants it,there’s a black Acrolite on eBay for $130. I can’t afford it this month. Y’all have good snare tuning. Hahahahaha!
Just dialed in my ‘64 Calfone over a Ludwig snare side tuned: batter 303hz/ reso 390hz. Puresound super 30 wires with green Ludwig cord on butt-end and obviously at the trusty old P-83... IT IS MY TRUE LOVE. Just found a keystone 68 acrolite at Sam Ash for $200 in amazing shape! Instant purchase what can I say, got some Vic Firth vintage 26 strands for it, diplomat SS, Vintage A batter, YEAH BUDDY!!!
One day I’ll get a supraphonic because it’s a drummer requirement, but I have to say I prefer the “focus” of the acrolite. If you take it into the medium-low range it has a “brassy” sound that I can’t get enough of. It just has fatness that the Supra doesn’t do without dampening.
Ian Isaacs Hella rimshots,too.
Justin Lee you already know my good sir, pure satisfaction.
Hi thanks for all advice, I have 400 sd and when I tune up batter head the rim is high for hoop cracks yours is much lower?
5:21 -Ahh, don't touch 'em!!!
Good video. Just a hint: Maybe you should have mentioned that some snaredrums just don't like specific heads, too. I have run across a few (expensive) snaredrums that had fresh heads, wires and tuning, but still sounded disappointing. But with a really different type of batterhead (Fiberskyn instead of an Amba coated.e.g.) they suddenly sounded right as the head was able to tame overtones and thus soften the EQ-Range. Also, one should check a snaredrums sound in different rooms as sometimes, the culprit for a bad sounding snare is the room where you are playing.
Thanks! We didn't address head choice here because that actually hasn't been much of a factor in the vast majority of the situations we've experienced. It's bee more about the age/state of the head than which specific model is in use. -Ben
@@SoundsLikeADrum Well, I (and other pro drummers I know) have had problems with new quality heads not working with high-end snares, whatever you try. You tune them high, mid, low, use fresh bottom heads, different wires, nope, doesn't sound right. But a very different head type gave the drums some life. Sounds kinda weird, does it? Especially as I am talking about snaredrums that cost around 800 bucks.
Yes, such weird scenarios exist. They might not occur very often but in case someone runs into such a problem, I recommend to check if a really different batterhead-type might do the trick if everything else fails. Some snaredrums are divas.
I can SO relate to this issue. My Ludwig LM 402 snare sounds SO choked. I’m going to start doing something about it! Changing my snare wires and snare side head! Any recommendations on wires & heads?
Hey there! My go to is coated G12 batter and 300 snare side, usually w 20 strand steel wires. The normal puresound custom do great! -Cody
Sounds Like A Drum I appreciate it, Cody! This issue has been bugging me for some time... I’ve been told that my snare beds are too shallow. I love my Ludwig snare and want to improve it’s sound...
I have a Pearl Reference pure 14”x5”. I like a high pitched cracking sound. I have an Evans 300 hazy on the snare side and a EC reverse dot on the batter side. Now I’m not actually sure if I am chocking the drum or not to be honest ... The batter side does feel a bit table top but I’m just not sure ...
That particular snare batter can choke out VERY easily. Have you tried using a standard two-ply head like a G2 or UV2?
What do you consider a "solid range" for snare side heads?
Terrific content :)
This really depends on a few factors (the drum, the head, preferred sound, etc). We cover this in more detail here: ua-cam.com/video/vYOimGMU9ZI/v-deo.html
In general, the topography of the bottom side (height of the reso hoop in particular) is one of the key focal points. Start out low and bring it up in small increments to discover your ideal range. Cheers! -Ben
does that throw off knob lock in place?
why do I somehow seem to have all 3 :(
Hi when not playing the snare? Is it best to leave the snare wires on or off? Thanks..
What snare SIDE lugs Frequency do you suggest for low to mid tunning without snare Buzz.
What is the difference between short stack toms and regular toms
In the near future, i predict this Channel will one of the biggest Drum Companies in the world....
I feel a big opportunity...
Anyways...
Much Enthusiasm!
Your Videos helped my Snare Drum sound Trash to Fresh!!!
Also facing one issue here,
Snare Drum buzz, I have Detune half a turn on the butt plate lugs and Still can't remove it. (It's a 40 Strand Steel Snare Wire from a Cheap Company, So is there a way to remove this buzz Mr. Cody?
A Response will be appreciated.
-Andre.
Confession! I don’t play drums my son does but I love your series👍🤘🏻 is it worth it to spend money when replacing a strainer and butt plate? Are there standard spacing and hole sizes for mounting to the drum at least within brands? I put expensive locking tuners on the average priced guitar I have because I play it a lot and it makes my life easier. If I decide it get rid of it I’d just put the old ones back on. Are snare drums worth more original or pimped out? Specifically, I’m inquiring about an imperial star snare. Also, any tips for a loose throw off? Taking off the head to tighten the nuts is pretty time consuming. Thanks and keep up the cool content!
I’ll try to help here... First things first: upgrading snare strainer/butt - there is no ‘standard’ size but there are usually choices within any one given spacing size. So if you measure the spacing, you can likely find options. ‘Original’ equipment does add value to a collectible vintage drum, but on newer ‘non-collectible’ drums upgrades are welcome.
The Imperialstar isn’t collectible, so changing parts won’t impact its value. BUT, unless you’re really happy with the sound of that drum I wouldn’t invest much in it. Imperialstar kits can be great, I have a bop kit that I absolutely love. But the included snare is the weakest link. I’d say you can probably get one used for $50 or so, so spending $30,$40 on parts is iffy. If you DO love the sound of it, get a tube of LOCTITE and apply to the threads on the strainer, it won’t loosen any more. (I’ve also seen clear nail polish used on the threads for a fix, put a little polish on the threads, tighten up the nuts and done)
If it’s possible financially, and your son is serious about drumming,here’s your best option - Invest in a good quality snare, new or better yet in good used condition. The snare drum is THE central component of the kit. It’s gotta sound good, period. You don’t have to spend $1000 either, there’s no reason you can’t get a very nice snare sound for under $200. Vintage Acrolites are going up in price lately, but they can be had for $150ish, are fantastic for the price and will only go up in value. So if you buy one for $150 and he stops drumming, you sell it for $150. Free lease!
The Ludwig Supralite 13x6 is on sale now for $169, and it’s a GREAT drum. Tama Metalworks, or Tama Artwood snares are budget friendly and very nice. Tama Starclassics can be found for a good deal, and are always re-sellable. Pearl Modern Utility gets good reviews as well. (I’d be happy to comment on specific drums if you find some options)
A good snare is essential, and it’s a big part of an individual, ‘signature’ sound. When you show up with a serious snare, you’re taken more seriously. And of course, a terrific snare drum is inspiring - it begs to be played, and speaks for itself. Good luck, and hope to hear how you make out!
Thanks for the reply! I totally get what you’re saying 👍 I’ll let you know if we get into trouble or come across any magic. Keep up the good work and thanks again, I appreciate your time!
Matt Echeman LoL , no problem but - I’m not the Sounds Like a Drum guys, I’m just a dude trying to be helpful. Not trying to pass for a SLaD guru!
Dan! I read your reply again. Still seems really logical and that it’s coming from someone who has beat on a lot more things than myself. Lmao! Sorry for the misunderstanding but I still appreciate ya!!
Had this problem with my supra for years and finally realized the snare side rim holes were bent choking the snares, gotta order a new set now hope it gives it new life :)
I know all of this can vary but in general I stopped having problems with any snare of any size and material once I started using pretty high tension on my reso and going on the higher side of medium tension on my batter. I then use my snare wires to dial in buzz.
If it works for you, that's excellent! In general, we're weary of the "table top tight" tuning approach to the snare side that so many people advocate, as we believe that it really does limit the capabilities of the drum. The responses we've gotten from so many people experiencing "eureka" moments when experimenting with lower snare side tuning have been numerous. All we can do is hope to inspire people to experiment with alternatives and come to their own conclusions. Cheers! -Ben
@@SoundsLikeADrum Totally! As a result of your video I took my primary snare and detuned each reso side lug about a 1/4 turn and it did reduce a minor "whiney" overtone it had while not compromising response and feel.
i have a 13 inch snare from pearl midtown kit. The lugs get loosened everytime. And i dont get any articulation from the wires while im playing ghost notes or softly.
I just bought new pewter over copper copperphonic. There is this weird snare buzz toward the end of the resonance of the drum. It sounds like it is coming from the end metal piece of the snare wires. I though maybe the snares were not centered well but I re-centered the snares and tightened the snare head a little bit but I can't seem to get rid of that sound. Any ideas?
I have got a question about my Yamaha snare drum. The venom usually pulls out from the edge(the venom’s ring) after a while. I have replaced it several times. It’s tiresome replacing it all the time. What do you suggest that I can do to solve this issue? Thanks a million.
If you're new to drums and you've just replaced a batter head and have left the snare side with the same tuning it's always had and you can't get the drum in tune, should you loosen the snare side and start tuning from scratch? I just replaced the head that came with my snare and left everything else as is and the drum sounds awful. Any suggestions would be great.
My practice space is inside of a garage and its sooo difficult to get my snare somewhat decent sounding
7:16 humph!!!
I always have the the issue of the matching lugs being unequally tuned, not by much but it's still obvious. And I always have a tough time getting all the lugs to be tuned to the same pitch.
Assuming that the shell/edges are in good shape (and that may be a big assumption depending on the drum), it’s all about spending time practicing ear training. We’ll have an episode on this in the future. Cheers! -Ben
You can get pretty close to fixing this by checking the tension at each lug, checking how much the head will give in when you put pressure at each lug (one by one) with your fingers. If you can push the head deeper in at one (or more lugs) lug, then you need to tune it higher. Once you get pretty close to an even tension, you can fine tune by listening to the head, hitting it softly with your fingers or a mallet roughly two fingers away from the rim into the center. It's like tuning a guitar. You try to tune it gently up so the overtones sound clear, even.
If the snare has die cast hoops, you can also hit the screw/lug with the tuning-key and you will hear, which one will sound higher and which one lower (works well on stages ... where silence is a rare good). A trick that some drum-techs use.
@@fab5720 yes, that is exactly the issue I am facing. I have been doing that, but I just seem to not be able to get all the lugs to sound exactly the same. My kit is a tama stagestar. So there only 6-8lugs for each Tom. I'm sure there other reasons, such as overused heads, hoops might not be fully flat as it's a really old set.
My snare wires dont stop !! It always sound in everytime that I play the snare. My snare wires are new and the reso/bater head too.
Please help me =(
I havent played my snare for while used to make nice shaky sound now it makes straight soujd like im smacking a door its not shaking what do i do?
I have some problems with the noise of the stick being very loud while the snares a bit low when I mic my snare on top. Is this like a mic problem or something?
The looser your snare wires are, the more snare sound you’ll hear. I’d try a couple things - loosen em up a bit, higher count wires (24 instead of 16 for example), and maybe a different set of drum sticks (a different stick, different weight, tips, wood even make a big difference)
If you’d like less attack, with more ‘drum sound’, I suggest a good faux-calf head like the Evans Calftone. Great snare (and tom) head, really tones down attack while allowing the drum to speak.
Of course, you can always mic the bottom of the snare but that shouldn’t be a required thing to get a good snare sound in the mix.
Guessing it's more likely to be the lugs than the hoops.