Best snare heads for sharp/cutting sound?

rpt50

Member
Hi all. Newbie Non-drummer here, posting for my son. I've noticed that his snare does not "cut" through the mix as well as the snares of other drummers when playing shows/festivals with other bands. I'm sure a big part of the issue is that he is just a kid (<100lbs), and he does not hit the drums as hard as adult players. But is there any kind of head that I can put on his snare to get a little more pop given his limited strength? The snare he uses is a Mapex black panther that he won in a drumming contest. It is wood (maybe maple?), and 13" in diameter. Or should we be looking for a different kind of snare (like a metal snare?)? Thanks!
 
I own a 5 1/2"x13" Black Panther maple snare and it cracks like a whip with any head that I put on it. It is a cutting drum with a lot of Pop! I have played it at large venues and it was heard real well in the recordings.

I like Aquarian Focus-X coated
Evans G1 coated
Remo Ambassador and Ambassador X coated.
Those are my go to heads for all of my snares.

A heavy Chrome Over Brass snare with die cast hoops will have more bite than a wooden snare as a rule.
 
Try tuning both heads a little tighter. Crank it up to just below where the drums starts to choke. From the audience perspective it should cut thru. And any of the heads Bob mentioned should work well.
 
I own a 5 1/2"x13" Black Panther maple snare and it cracks like a whip with any head that I put on it. It is a cutting drum with a lot of Pop! I have played it at large venues and it was heard real well in the recordings.

I like Aquarian Focus-X coated
Evans G1 coated
Remo Ambassador and Ambassador X coated.
Those are my go to heads for all of my snares.

A heavy Chrome Over Brass snare with die cast hoops will have more bite than a wooden snare as a rule.

. .
 

Attachments

  • small Facebook-Like-Button.jpg
    small Facebook-Like-Button.jpg
    13.1 KB · Views: 816
A thick brass shell with ambassadors/g1's or the equivalent, tuned as tight as common sense allows... You literally cannot get more cutting than that without mics
 
Remo Coated Ambassador will give a very sharp, and cutting sound when tuned tightly on most snares.
 
I've found that the remo renaissance or evans j1 etched is an extremely sharp sounding head. I get a nice crack from it and a nice sustain (but i enjoy the sustain, some others don't)

It's a nice mid point between the tone of a coated head, and the attack of a clear head, pretty sensitive too!

Hope ALL OF YOU will try out these heads! I want more people to know the potential that they've got even outsize the jazz setting
 
Save your money and teach him how to do a rimshot. It won't matter if he's <100.
 
Don't know if your son is taking lessons but learning how to do a consistent rim shot would help quite a bit.

Often times I feel players are trying to get a rim shotted snare sound out of hitting a batter dead center. When you use a rim shot (hitting the rim and the head simultaneously) you introduce another measure of cut that doesn't have to be hit hard to project (although using a rim shot and hitting hard happens often too.)

If he hasn't done a rim shot before he'll need to have someone show him how and then practice it over and over until it becomes natural.

As others have said a brass or even steel drum will give more cut. Steel cuts especially well except I personally don't care for the sound of steel snares on most drum models. Brass gives a sweeter sound with more presence than a wood snare. I have maple bronze and Ludalloy (aluminum based) snares and like all of them quite a bit. I would recommend bronze except that it's a warmer sound than brass. Bronze snares are often described as having the characteristics of wood and metal which is why I have (2). :)

The above and the single ply heads others have recommended should help,

HTH

Jim
 
Save your money and teach him how to do a rimshot. It won't matter if he's <100.

Yes, this should be one of the 10 commandments.. Am i allowed to say that?

Rim shots will give an amazing cut and plus they just sound awesome!

I'd say a majority of the time i use rimshots, at least when playing heavier stuff... And i tend to do fairly well unmiced
 
At least he has a Mapex snare. That solves 80% of the issue right there.

I'm kidding....I'm kidding...... ;)

I agree with Larry, this is a technique thing. I've played low tuned snares and my ability to crack a good consistent rimshot every time is essential to making the snare bark through the din of the other instruments. In fact, I would go so far as saying that being able to do good rimshots on a snare tuned any way (high or low) will crank the perceived pitch of the drum up. So it's probably not the drum, nor the heads, nor the tuning. Unfortunately, learning how to do consistent rimshots is just a matter of putting in the time on the drum. It's great that you encourage him to play - I know alot of players whose parents were not so encouraging - and it's a shame when I see kids really latch on to playing and the parents aren't quite as into it.
 
the 2.3 mm power hoops on my mapex snare make it super super easy for rim shots. I don't think a steel snare is necessary
 
the 2.3 mm power hoops on my mapex snare make it super super easy for rim shots. I don't think a steel snare is necessary

Could you explain why this is true? I stink at rim shots. I only do them for accents and not for consistent backbeats because I don't have the consistency to pull it off, and I don't put in the time to practice them. But if what you are saying is accurate, I might just buy these to see what happens. I play traditional grip all the time as well.
 
Could you explain why this is true? I stink at rim shots. I only do them for accents and not for consistent backbeats because I don't have the consistency to pull it off, and I don't put in the time to practice them. But if what you are saying is accurate, I might just buy these to see what happens. I play traditional grip all the time as well.

Perhaps these power hoops are just taller? Personally, it shouldn't matter what kind of rim it is. You learn how to do a rim shot on what you have and then put the time in playing them. I've played all kinds of drums with all kinds of rims and making rim shots on any has never been an issue. Perfect practice makes perfect!
 
Perhaps these power hoops are just taller? Personally, it shouldn't matter what kind of rim it is. You learn how to do a rim shot on what you have and then put the time in playing them. I've played all kinds of drums with all kinds of rims and making rim shots on any has never been an issue. Perfect practice makes perfect!

Bummer! I knew it was too good to be true. Waaaah!
 
Just keep trying. In time it'll come. You won't know when or how, but it'll come and it'll be revolutionary...

but i have definitely found traditional rim shots to be more difficult for me, then again i haven't spent very much time trying to perfect them with trad grip. Just put time in buddy
 
Back
Top