Darn snare buzz

I used to worry myself to death for years about how much buzz was coming from my snare, until one day about 6 months ago. I jammed with a band that had a set of Roland electronic drums setup. I sat down to play a song and throughout the song, I kept hearing a buzz every time I hit one of the toms. I was confused thinking something was actually buzzing or rubbing together on the rack. After the song, to my surprise after hitting the toms by themselves with no background noise, The "sampled" tom sound had buzz built into it. You could even program how much or little buzz the toms needed. A light went off in my head. That's just the nature of our instrument. Some prefer the sound of buzz, others not so much. That's the day that I quit concerning myself about it.
 
The "sampled" tom sound had buzz built into it. You could even program how much or little buzz the toms needed.
That's great.
A light went off in my head. That's just the nature of our instrument. Some prefer the sound of buzz, others not so much. That's the day that I quit concerning myself about it.
That's even greater!
 
I dislike snare buzz with a passion, but I realize that you're going to have to put up with it to a certain degree. I live with it at gigs because there's no real way to get rid of it completely with a bunch of amps sitting near by and usually much of the buzz gets lost during the performance. Where I absolutely cringe is hearing it through my snare drum microphone when being influenced my my high toms when close miking for a recording session. I try for the cleanest signal from each microphone as possible. This becomes a bigger problem when recording with larger kits. I usually end up with 8" and somewhat the 10" toms influencing this parasitic buzz. The despising frequencies that are responsible for snare buzz in your kit are always going to fall somewhere, depending on the tuning of your snare drum and more so your toms.

If you don't mind it and it's not driving you crazy, live with it. If you can't live with it, there are certain ways of tuning your drums and also by using equalized snare wires to help control this problem from within your kit. Acoustics and drum placement also plays a part in this.

Dennis
 
The "sampled" tom sound had buzz built into it. You could even program how much or little buzz the toms needed.

That's right, the more expensive modules and also a lot of VSTs have that option to make it sound more natural.

The despising frequencies that are responsible for snare buzz in your kit are always going to fall somewhere, depending on the tuning of your snare drum and more so your toms.

I've read that quit a lot: take the snare or the one tom causing the problem and tune it differently. However, I notice in my small home studio that it isn't a specific tom causing the most buzz, but all 4 toms (and even the kick) about equally.
I like how the kit is tuned, sounds great with nice intervals, and the snares also sound good. I can tune them up or a down a bit but it won't make the buzz disappear, just make it worse at certain tunings.
I think the shape, dimensions and gear standing in the room are the problem. Even thought I don't like it, I just accept it...for now in this studio.
 
sorry to beat this to death but I am curious about something. I have a digital drum "dial". On my floor tom I have a reading of 80 on all lugs (8 lug) except one lug which was reading 72. I go to tighten it and the lug is very tight already. quite hard to turn. my question is, with the lug being this tight, how is it even possible for the reading to be only 72? just being in close proximity to the other lugs shouldnt it be somewhat close to the others in tension? meanwhile most of the other lugs are pretty easy to turn. maybe half at tight as the 72 lug.

Checked all the lug. going around the perimeter, lugs 1, 3, 5, and 7 are extremely tight compared to 2,4,6,8 and its 1,3,5,7 that have a lower tone. weird
 
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you might have a bent hoop or stubborn threads, take the lug out and inspect the threads and put just one drop of wd-40 on it and see if that does not help. also make sure it is the same length as the other and maybe swap out the lug for another and see if the problem follows it.
 
Record your drumset as best you can and see if the buzz is really there or more in your head. See how much the buzz sound actually carries the further you move away from your kit.
 
Ok I check the hoop on a granite countertop and i was out a wee bit, not much. Being new to acoustic drums I am not sure how much is too much. For a new set of drums you wouldnt expect it to be out at all would you? But why is it ALWAYS the 2-4-6-8 lugs that are loose? I tighten them in accrodance to an 8 lug hoop....1-5-3-7-2-6-4-8. On my second round of tightening should I tighten 2-6-4-8 THEN 1-5-3-7? Thanks again guys, I really appreciate your help.
 
Ok I check the hoop on a granite countertop and i was out a wee bit, not much. Being new to acoustic drums I am not sure how much is too much. For a new set of drums you wouldnt expect it to be out at all would you? But why is it ALWAYS the 2-4-6-8 lugs that are loose? I tighten them in accrodance to an 8 lug hoop....1-5-3-7-2-6-4-8. On my second round of tightening should I tighten 2-6-4-8 THEN 1-5-3-7? Thanks again guys, I really appreciate your help.

If the hoops are deformed, then you really need to get them fixed, i.e. by new ones. I have messed with deformed hoops and they NEVER tune right, even a very slight bent in the hoop can throw everything off.

If I remember right, there might be a way to straighten out a crooked hoop. Let me try to find the video...
 
Yep seen that video. Thanks! I think the problem lies in the head. When i have to hoop off and just place the head on the bearing edge you can see in the 1 oclock position that the head looks stretched. So i placed the rim on, tighted the lugs finger tight and there sure is a loose area in the 1 oclock position. Lets say all around the edge you can press the head in about 1/4 to 1/2 inch, then at the 1 oclock position you could probably press it in about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Not being a professional or anything I am guessing this is a bad thing. Thoughts?
 
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