Highest decibel snare hit

Thanks to Uncle Sam, I have fired many weapons.
Some of them big, but this snare, Gretsch 6.5 x 14 mahogany was very loud.
 
There's also a point, somewhere around 160 something, where you just can't get any louder in air as the density of air won't support the soundwaves. You can go louder in water. Which is why the redneck fisherman with the dynamite works. Tom Danley did some work for the government where they made these huge air horns to see if they could make destructo rays. Didn't work out. But they made some really loud noises.

If you were to have such a contest, it should be in the free field so you are only getting the wavefront off the drum. That would make the results comparable to results from elsewhere. A sound level meter wouldn't react fast enough. You'd have to use a time based computer measurement system like Smaart to pick off the transient.
 
I'm with Boomka on this one. I'd be more interested in The WQBR - The World's Quietest Buzz Roll.

Not at all keen on loud, clattering RATATATATAT snare playing. It's ugly to my ear.
 
I'm with Boomka on this one. I'd be more interested in The WQBR - The World's Quietest Buzz Roll.

It'd be a room full of angry aging jazz drummers. Sounds like fun actually...

This reminds me, my girlfriends and I have joked about having a "Who's louder" contest. We'd have to get out hands on a 30 pack and a decibel meter and drive out to the desert. We'd then see who's really the loudest between us two. Not to brag but so far I'm the favored one.
 
We measured my snare volume at my ear, it was 118db.

But that was before I started playing hard.

Bermuda
 
I'm with Boomka on this one. I'd be more interested in The WQBR - The World's Quietest Buzz Roll.

Not at all keen on loud, clattering RATATATATAT snare playing. It's ugly to my ear.

Good call. A WQBR competition sounds much more musical than the World's Fastest Drummer.
In fact, I'm going to nominate myself as 'World's Slowest Drummer'. To cinch my victory, I plan on showing up late to the competition...

As far as the highest decibel snare hit, does anyone know Ian Paice? He might be in the running. Deep Purple were once credited as the World's Loudest Band. The only one I've heard officially designated so. Interesting note about Deep Purple..."3 of their audience members were rendered unconscious". Now THAT's rock & roll!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudest_band_in_the_world
 
In fact, I'm going to nominate myself as 'World's Slowest Drummer'. To cinch my victory, I plan on showing up late to the competition...

lol ... you may have competition there, Brady. My victory will be complete when I get lost on the way and arrive as everyone's packing up ...

I like this quote:

From fingers, to wrists to elbow to shoulders, we should be able to make our drums sound like rats pissing on cotton wool to elephants diving into swimming pools.


Interesting note about Deep Purple..."3 of their audience members were rendered unconscious". Now THAT's rock & roll!!!

i.e. consensual assault :)


Always liked that vid, BD. Just found this one, that I like even more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDtX62PAdzQ
 
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