Not enough rebound from snare drum

[hitman050]

Hi guys

I have intensively working on my hand technique on my HQ practice pad. However, I find that I don't get anywhere near enough rebound from my snare drum. It's a Mapex QR snare, with Evans Power Center on it. Whenever I try the free stroke, the stick just doesn't come up, but eventually falls down on the head. What is the problem? Do I need to tighten the batter head?

[Bob Smith]

How tight is your batter right now?

If it's loose then tighten it. But to keep your pitch the same loosen the res head the same ammount as the batter.
For instance if you tighten the batter a quarter turn the loosen the res head a quarter turn.

I have a mapex m-birch and i have the batter pretty tight but i have the res head pretty loose, this way i get a nice even middle pitch not to high not too low.

[T.Underhill]

I've found you really don't get the same rebound from both practice pad and real head, with more bounce coming from the pad. When my batter is feeling a lil flat I just tighten it up some.

[mrchattr]

How old is the head, and how stretched out/beat up is it? That can cause lack of rebound, if what these other guys have said doesn't fix it.

[hitman050]

I've tightened the batter by 2 quarter turns, and loosened the reso by the same. The problem is, there's a very, very high pitched ring after I hit the batter. And it's still not as responsive as a practice pad.

[mrchattr]

I've tightened the batter by 2 quarter turns, and loosened the reso by the same. The problem is, there's a very, very high pitched ring after I hit the batter. And it's still not as responsive as a practice pad.

Dude, odds are it'll never be AS responsive as a practice pad. A lot of the pads today, such as the RealFeels, are more in line with the rebound you'll get off a marching snare with a kevlar head than on a drum set's snare drum. The only thing I can think of that is usually close to that much responsiveness is mesh head electric kits.

Pads usually create more rebound. If you don't like that, because it affects you on the kit, get one of the slightly louder pads that doesn't have the same rebound...or get something like a RealFeel, where you can flip it over and use a side with less rebound.

[Bob Smith]

Also what head do you have on it?
If it is not predampend then i can usually fix that ring with one moongel.

[Ironcobra]

I've been having problems with bounce lately as well, I think it's because my Genera Dry is getting old. I also find that good rebound is much easier to come across on higher end snares. Some of the cheaper models just don't play as well, I guess it has something to with how well the shell can transfer the sound.

[Jeff Almeyda]

Play for a day or two on a firm pillow and then go back to the snare. You'll feel as if the snare has tons of rebound.

The fact is, you only need 1 bounce. Stop thinking that the problem is with the snare because it isn't. You simply need to work on your hands.

[trysthedrummer]

I have a few HQ practice pads, you get a little more rebound than a natural hit on a snare. What I do is put a cloth over the top, (tea towel for example) you can double fold it for less rebound for what your after. Work on this.

Next time you go on a kit just work on the snare and toms and see how they feel.

[Sardaukar]

You can get plenty of rebound out of any snare with any head. You are just afraid of breaking the head because it makes odd noises when tightened, am I right? If im not, then it's your technique that causes the stick not to come back up. I have my bottom head about 5 rounds tight (I mean every screw's turned 5 rounds, god I suck in english) and the upper head 1 round. You get a nice tight groovy sound with a good controlled rebound - not too much but of it but not too little. I've got one of those pearl's mmx snare drums.

[blade123]

My drum teacher has taught me that you should be able to do a double stroke roll on ANY surface; snare, cymbal, toms, leg, pillow. If you can't do a double stroke roll on a pillow, you are relying WAY too much on bounce.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJU563e7tsI
Go to 3 minutes.

[maddrummr]

My drum teacher has taught me that you should be able to do a double stroke roll on ANY surface; snare, cymbal, toms, leg, pillow. If you can't do a double stroke roll on a pillow, you are relying WAY too much on bounce.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJU563e7tsI
Go to 3 minutes.

Tis true, doubles should be worked on with mostly the wrist, until of course you get to the higher speeds.

But I also used that head before on my Pacific snare and i found that the "power center" gave me more power but stole some of my bounce.