Snare sounds like a HIGH tom

HOUSTON 94

Senior Member
I recently bought new heads and was tuning my snare today. I got it to where I wanted it and I started to put the wires back on. I did and flipped over my snare and put it on my stand. I hit it with the stick and got the detached snare sound (St. Anger). I went to turn them on and noticed it was turned on. Im completely confused and Ive tried different configurations like changing the tightnest of the knob and how close the wires are to the reso. Also, I think i stripped a lug. One of them that holds the strip of plastic in place wont tighten all the way.

PLEASE HELP!!
 
Post a pic of your snare bottom and the stripped retainer. You have to fix the broken retainer screw. If the snares slip, They won't work.
 
It could be a number of things make sure the snare is tightening up and make sure the snare wires are not backwards those two things alone will make you're snare sound like a high tom for sure. I can't. really say without seeing it.

Good Luck,
Bonzolead
 
The screw was working fine when I put it on the first time. I thought they might have been backwards and that was my final thought because I found the lug to be stripped. It was tightening fine when I put it on the first time.
 
Ok, I bought a new lug. It is now tightening up but It still sounds like a tom.
Make sure you're snare wires are centered,the soldered side of the wires are against the head, general rule the snare side head should be looser than the batter side head. take pic's of the snare from the wires side, would help determining what's wrong even a sound bit might help.

Bonzolead
 
Just an idea, but did you have your throw off in the off position when you replaced the wires? If the throw off was on, you wouldn't be able to tighten the snares enough afterwards to get the correct sound.

Dennis
 
My best guess would be the snares are not mounted correctly. There should be a round knob on your throw off, Loosen it up all the way, Then tighten the straps/cables that hold the snares onto the drum with the throw off in the off position. Adjust the straps so the snares do not engage the head. The drum should sound like a tom.

Raise the snares against the head using the throw offs lever/handle, and then tighten the knob until you get the sound you're looking for.

HTH
 
Alright, I got it. Thanks guys. But, does the snare side have to be looser? I read somewhere it should be tighter so I made it tighter.
 
But, does the snare side have to be looser? I read somewhere it should be tighter so I made it tighter.

That really depends on what kind of a sound you want. The popular sound these days is for both heads to cranked way up with the bottom head tighter, than the batter head. That type of tuning produces a high pitched pop sound.

For a fatter sound the bottom head is tuned lower that the batter head. You just have to experiment and understand how different tunings affect your drum.
 
Make sure you're snare wires are centered,the soldered side of the wires are against the head, general rule the snare side head should be looser than the batter side head. take pic's of the snare from the wires side, would help determining what's wrong even a sound bit might help.

Bonzolead

Since when is it a general rule to have the snare side looser than the batter? First of all, there are no rules, not even general ones. Second, if anything it should be tighter than the batter for better snare response.
 
I have my snare side tighter than my batter head on all my snares. The rule is, there are no rules, do what your ears want.

Dennis
 
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