Replace my DW maple snare?

[lantern]

Hi,

I've been playing a DW collector series 5x14 maple snare for a few years now, and I'm still struggling to get the sound out of it that I'm looking for. I play mostly rock/funk and the sound I like is a loud high-pitched *pop* with a slight ring. Jon Fishman in Phish had this sound live, for those of you familiar.

I've played around with different tunings for my DW but haven't found it yet. When I listen to my live recordings I hear a low "duh" instead of a high "pop" ... not what I want.

I know a lot of drummers swear by my DW. Can anybody recommend a tuning that might do the trick, or am I just limited with a maple drum and I should get myself a Black Beauty?

Thanks!
lantern

[stasz]

What heads are you running on the snare and are you using any muffling? As long as there's no problems with your snare, it is a high quality instrument and should be able to generally acheive the sound you're looking for. I'm pretty sure fish used a wood ayotte and my guess would be that he used a 14-incher. But I could never find information about his drums, only guess from pictures...

EDIT: On second guess, it looks like on fish's drummerworld page that he used some metal snares. However you should still be able to get a nice "pop" sound with a wooden 14x5.

http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Jon_Fishman.html

[larryace]

Is your reso head cranked tight? If you want that pop, you gotta tighten that reso. Also the way you lay the stick on the drum has a large effect. For the pop, I'm thinking tight drumheads, tight snares, and use your rimshot with the tip an inch or 2 off center, the more off center, the more ring.

[lantern]

What heads are you running on the snare and are you using any muffling?

Top is a coated Remo Weatherking Emperor X. Bottom is a clear DW Ambassador Snare head. No muffling.

[Chonson]

Top is a coated Remo Weatherking Emperor X. Bottom is a clear DW Ambassador Snare head. No muffling.

Go with an Ambassador batter or a coated CS. Crank it. Snare side tighter though.

[caddywumpus]

Maybe try a 13" snare???

[Wavelength]

Top is a coated Remo Weatherking Emperor X.

Well duh! :-) That head will turn any snare into a soggy cardboard box. Do yourself a favor and put a coated Ambassador on. There's nothing wrong with your snare.

[lantern]

Ok. Ambassador head on top and crank the reso. I'll give it a shot and let y'all know. Thanks!

[Chonson]

Ok. Ambassador head on top and crank the reso. I'll give it a shot and let y'all know. Thanks!

Just listened to a couple live tracks to get the tone back in mind - you absolutely should be able to do it with this combo.

[diosdude]

Hi,

I've been playing a DW collector series 5x14 maple snare for a few years now, and I'm still struggling to get the sound out of it that I'm looking for. I play mostly rock/funk and the sound I like is a loud high-pitched *pop* with a slight ring. Jon Fishman in Phish had this sound live, for those of you familiar.

I've played around with different tunings for my DW but haven't found it yet. When I listen to my live recordings I hear a low "duh" instead of a high "pop" ... not what I want.

I know a lot of drummers swear by my DW. Can anybody recommend a tuning that might do the trick, or am I just limited with a maple drum and I should get myself a Black Beauty?

Thanks!
lantern


I dunno? What kind of snare does john fishman use? Balck Beauty? If i was very picky about my sound, i'd start by getting the exact same model snare and the exact same drumheads that he uses. We're on the information superhighway, somewhere here is the information.

[larryace]

I was gonna say if the Ambassador doesn't do the trick, try a coated emperor. That's what I use and it dries the snare right out. I switched it to an Ambassador for my last gig, and as soon as I got home I switched back to the Emperor, apparently it's my preference. Get a Drum Dial and crank that reso in the 90's and the top head a little lower. That drum definitely has the sound you're looking for hidden somewhere in it, you just have to find it.

[Nodiggie]

That drum definitely has the sound you're looking for hidden somewhere in it, you just have to find it.

lol....yes, the snare drum she is a fickle mistress....

[Shedboyxx]

Since I'm unfamiliar with Phish, I spent a minute listening to some Phish samples on iTunes.

What I heard on most of the samples (at least over my computer speakers) seems very doable with a good maple 5 x 14 snare. DW makes a good general maple snare so if there are no problems (edges need help, out of round - neither are likely) you have the right starting point.

I also agree with trying a single ply coated head on top (I use Aquarian or sometimes Evans) and a thin clear snare side reso.

Like another poster. whenever I hear of a search for a 'high pitched pop' I have to ask whether you are playing rim shots for getting that sound. Although there are some circumstances where the drum is cranked that can get that pop played dead center, I find playing a consistent rim shot insures that you get a pop of some kind.

If you combine all of the above with little to no muffling, you should be able to get the sound you're after.

HTH

Jim

[cornelius]

Collector's snares are known for holding their own in higher tunings. As already mentioned, try a reverse dot single ply coated head on top, and change out the reso head - they get stale after a year or so... Try cranking up the heads...

[Skitch]

Hi,

I've been playing a DW collector series 5x14 maple snare for a few years now, and I'm still struggling to get the sound out of it that I'm looking for. I play mostly rock/funk and the sound I like is a loud high-pitched *pop* with a slight ring. Jon Fishman in Phish had this sound live, for those of you familiar.

I've played around with different tunings for my DW but haven't found it yet. When I listen to my live recordings I hear a low "duh" instead of a high "pop" ... not what I want.

I know a lot of drummers swear by my DW. Can anybody recommend a tuning that might do the trick, or am I just limited with a maple drum and I should get myself a Black Beauty?

Thanks!
lantern
I got to this discussion a little late but a Black Beauty isn't going to automatically sound any different than what you have. The best starting point is to go back and retune your drum. If that doesn't help, you may need to rethink your head combination. If it is crack you want, you need to look no further than a Coated Ambassador as a starting place.
Keep what you have and work with it until you just can get what you are looking for after exhausting all possibilities.


Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com

http://www.youtube.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.myspace.com/drummermikemccraw

[fusssion]

Well, ...yes,....go single ply,...Coated Ambassador, Aquarian Texture Coated, etc.....and yes, ..tighten up the reso to your liking....that DW should be able to do ANYTHING you want!