Eureka! Stop what you're doing and read up!

Bo Eder

Platinum Member
So, there are all kinds of threads here asking how to get a certain snare drum sound, and we all pitch in and have a theoretical discussion on what type of heads or tunings would be necessary to get the said effect.

Well, I've learned another new thing (for an old guy) and finally tried this after I watched the Benny Greb DVD, so I won't even take credit for it, but you all must try this.

First off, let me start by saying that snares usually fall into two flavors: tight and high, or loose and phat. Yes, there are infinite degrees between the two, but come on, we're playing music, so let's just say you only notice a difference when one is tight and cranked (Bill Bruford, or Stewart Copeland), or low, phat, and thuddy (Don Henley or Phil Rudd).

So, take your favorite snare (or your only snare), and tune it how you normally would. usually snare drums sound normal with medium to high tuning, right? OK - so now you have your normal snare drum sound. Now, go buy a 13" white ambassador head (if you use a 14" snare - most likely) or a 12" if you play a 13" - you get the idea - and just drop it on your snare drum upside and play it. The additional muffling head will give you that low phat thuddy Eagles sound from your regularly tuned snare drum.

When I saw the Benny Greb DVD the idea blew me away. I've been practicing on how smoothly I can put the head on and take it off while I'm playing, and it's not that hard at all. I can groove, do a fill while I take the extra head off or on, and continue grooving with the new snare sound.

Of course, if you're a Jojo Mayer fan, or a Thomas Lang fan (or anybody who uses two snares to create different backbeat textures), you'd probably be more comfortable with having more than one snare drum to carry around. However, if you're not, and you need to change your backbeat sound in a hurry, just add an additional head! It really couldn't be simpler! In fact, this idea seemed so simple, I'm angry at myself for not coming up with it on my own.

Another example of my close-mindedness getting the best of me. But at least now I know I don't need to carry around that phat 8x14 wood snare with the wallet taped to it....

I hope this helps you on your quest for having the appropriate snare sound for whatever you're doing. It's gonna help me tremendously ;) Go try it. Right now!
 
I prefer giving it the title, "Stevie Wonder" snare sound, but it is an age-old studio trick.

I much prefer when Benny Greb puts the 12" Vinyl on his 12" snare drum, and then explains how vinyl sounds better than CD, which sounds better than MP3 (after putting a CD and an iPod on the snare drum).

I wonder what else can be put on top of the head to give it some way different sounds.
 
Bermuda posted this tip a while back, and I've been having fun with it when I'm in the mood for that super fat snare sound.
 
Never occurred to me, but I'm also a 2-snare-er. One for dry, one for wet, and also as an insurance policy. It's never happened to me, but what if I put a stick through the snare head during a gig? a lot of people carry an extra snare with them, but it's off in the corner, you have to stop the song, go get it, put it on, and start back up again. With a second snare, you can just start hitting it instead, and make due until the end of the song.
 
I'm sure everyone will reply here telling me that they've been doing this for a long time now. That'll just make me feel more like a dumba$$ ;)

Not at all! It was new to me, too, and I bet it is to most drummers here. A great idea, no matter where it first came from. I'm gonna go try it right now....
 
Never occurred to me, but I'm also a 2-snare-er. One for dry, one for wet, and also as an insurance policy. It's never happened to me, but what if I put a stick through the snare head during a gig? a lot of people carry an extra snare with them, but it's off in the corner, you have to stop the song, go get it, put it on, and start back up again. With a second snare, you can just start hitting it instead, and make due until the end of the song.

I've always had a spare snare, but I gotta admit, I've never broken one mid-song. To me it gets pretty obvious when its going to go, and I hardly break heads anyway. But I think if you're thinking about carrying a second snare around, then that means you should also have a second bass drum to jump to as well ;)

And every drummer should own a van for all the spares.....
 
I'm sure everyone will reply here telling me that they've been doing this for a long time now. That'll just make me feel more like a dumba$$ ;)

Nah, it's a cool thing that works quick.

I did this for a couple of songs on my bands CD last summer. On one, I used sticks, and the other I used those hard VF stick mallets.
Works great, and sounds cool.

You are right though, a snare is usually either tight, or thuddy, and the one's that get noticed are the one's that are different like Bruford, AVH, Copleand (etc...) that are different than what ever else is on the radio (or whatever).
 
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