Lively snare?

Volux

Volux

Junior Member
How can I get my snare to not sound so... dead?

I don't think it is my snare. I have a stewart copeland signature snare. I want it to sound like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VezA8XDBf4E

Instead, mine sounds very dead. I had the remo emperor head (sounded dead), and now the evans powercenter reverse dot. I have evans hazy 300 as the resonant. I've experimented with different tunings, but that just changes the tone. It still sounds FLAT!

How can I make it sound more lively? Which heads do you recommend, how to tune the batter/resonant, etc.

Thanks in advance!

another examples of what I am trying to achieve:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M-Id5VSVdc

P.S. Sorry if you guys get this kind of thread a lot.... lol
 
images

Because I need help with this!
 
Try out an Ambassador, G1, or if you're feeling like you want a ton of tone: a Diplomat.
Those heads are thinner, and more open sounding. Lots of people find they have more tone, resonance and sustain than thicker heads.

But heads only account for like 30%. Try tuning the drum up and down and find out where it resonates at its fullest.
 
I would go with a thinner batter head. A Remo coated Ambassador. Tighten the snare reso head almost as tight as it will go. Do it carefully and gradually; you don't want to break the head. If the drum sounds choked, back off the tension slightly. Make sure the head is in tune with itself by very lightly tapping the head near each rod. Adjust as needed. For the batter, for the sound you want, its going to be pretty tight as well. Once the reso is set, you can play with the batter and get it where you want it.

The snare in the 2nd video you have looks like a 12", so its a different animal than your snare.
 
BGH said:
Tighten the snare reso head almost as tight as it will go. Do it carefully and gradually; you don't want to break the head.
Click to expand...


This is exactly what I am afraid of. I have broken at least 3 reso heads in the last year on my snare. I even changed the wire (I thought the first wire might have poked a hole in the heads).
 
What kind of snare is it. You broke 3 snare reso heads? How? If this is a wood snare you need some sandpaper on the bearing edge, at least. The heads you've mentioned are all going to be dead. 2 ply heads, thick head with an Evan power dot, don't know about others but I don't use anything but single ply coated heads on my snares (Coated G1, Coated Ambassador). They will give you an open sound. The other heads you mentioned are not going to be open.
 
Batter head ..Ambassador or a G1.The 300 hazy is fine on the bottom,but you have to tune it gradually..quarter turns,and make sure you have even tension.Copeland tunes his reso heads really tight,and any mistake in tuning technique,will be amplified,resulting in a poorly tuned drum.Tap on the head,to make sure you are getting the same note out of each lug,and keep the snares off the head.Follow Gatzens,instructions like Mike said and you should be golden.

Steve B
 
Volux said:
This is exactly what I am afraid of. I have broken at least 3 reso heads in the last year on my snare. I even changed the wire (I thought the first wire might have poked a hole in the heads).
Click to expand...

Drum tuning is as much an art as it is a science. You have to get a feel for it. I tune my reso's tight but I've never broken a head doing so. You are probably turning the key too much each time, so to bring the other rods up to that tension, you are overtightening and something has to give. I would start with two to three 1/4 turns on each rod, going across the head each time. Check the tension at each and adjust to equal pitch. At that point, the head should be in tune with itself. Then, if you think you need more tension, try a 1/8 turn on ONE rod. BY FEEL, you can tell if you can go tighter or not. If it feels like the lug is starting to bind, then I wouldn't go any tighter. If the rods still turn freely, then you may still have some ways to go, but ONLY GO UP 1/8 TURN on each lug. Do it very gradually, and you'll develop a feel for it. You are probably turning too much with each turn. If at any point, you feel resistance from the lug, back off.

As mentioned, Stewart likes his snare tight and that's what you're looking for. Just do it gradually, with lots of patience.
 
I've got one of these SC's. To me, it's one of the brass snares where you can keep the ambassador on it and not have too much ring or overtone. It's got a thicker shell and also comes with the die cast batter hoop.

Now, this is just my opnion. The tone of the snare in the video sounded dry, with a great crack and short sustain. I think everyone else mentioned single ply heads, but perhaps consider an Evans HD Dry? I use that on my other snare, and it's got a nice crack to it - tightened down....
 
I tuned things, checked my drum, and I think I've found the culprits....

1.The evans power center is making it sound dead, and

2.(more importantly), I examined my snare wire, and it appears crooked, and twisted! Not sure when that happened! That is probably what is choking the sound. Plus, it is a 24 wire.

I'm planning on getting an ambassador, with a 16 or 18 strand snare wire.
 
Volux said:
I tuned things, checked my drum, and I think I've found the culprits....

1.The evans power center is making it sound dead, and

2.(more importantly), I examined my snare wire, and it appears crooked, and twisted! Not sure when that happened! That is probably what is choking the sound. Plus, it is a 24 wire.

I'm planning on getting an ambassador, with a 16 or 18 strand snare wire.
Click to expand...

Coated Ambass. for sure that 24 strand snare shouldn't. choke that snare out.

Put a hazy diplomat snare side head also on it & make sure your snare wires are dead center on the head that will effect the snare sound also.

Good Luck,
Bonzolead
 
Are you suggesting I keep the 24 strand or resize the wires?

Also: having trouble deciding between the ambassador and HD dry!
 
Volux said:
Are you suggesting I keep the 24 strand or resize the wires?

Also: having trouble deciding between the ambassador and HD dry!
Click to expand...

If you place the wires dead center, and they aren't broken/warped/twisted or whatever it should not choke the drum.

Also, I believe the HD dry has muffling built into it, which won't make your drum extremely lively. I'd recommend going with the ambassador, and if you feel like you want dryer and tighter, you can then add moongels/o-ring.

My point is that you can't extract the muffling out of a premuffled drum head. However, you CAN add as much muffling as you like to a fully open drum head.
 
Mr.L said:
If you place the wires dead center, and they aren't broken/warped/twisted or whatever it should not choke the drum.

Also, I believe the HD dry has muffling built into it, which won't make your drum extremely lively. I'd recommend going with the ambassador, and if you feel like you want dryer and tighter, you can then add moongels/o-ring.

My point is that you can't extract the muffling out of a premuffled drum head. However, you CAN add as much muffling as you like to a fully open drum head.
Click to expand...

Yeah, like I said I think the wires are twisted.... my snare is much less sensitive than before, and I haven't changed anything.

Oh well! Ordering an ambassador and a new snare wire now.
 
BGH said:
I would go with a thinner batter head. A Remo coated Ambassador. Tighten the snare reso head almost as tight as it will go. Do it carefully and gradually; you don't want to break the head. If the drum sounds choked, back off the tension slightly. Make sure the head is in tune with itself by very lightly tapping the head near each rod. Adjust as needed. For the batter, for the sound you want, its going to be pretty tight as well. Once the reso is set, you can play with the batter and get it where you want it.

The snare in the 2nd video you have looks like a 12", so its a different animal than your snare.
Click to expand...

Great advice, I second and agree with this post.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top