Clear Heads on the batter side of the snare...

h3r3tic

Silver Member
Hey guys!

I've been drumming for some time now, and I've always played with coated heads on the batter side of my snare drum (s).

Now I'm thinking in trying out some clear heads on the batter side of the snare drums.
Has anyone done this? what do you think?

Could you please share some thoughts on this one?
Thanks! :D
 
My thoughts are, you go through phases. You try something different and it's cool for awhile. But you always go back to the tried and true, coated batters for the snare.
 
Now I'm thinking in trying out some clear heads on the batter side of the snare drums.
Has anyone done this? what do you think?

I've tried it. I liked it more on wood snares than metal ones, but overall I liked the sound of coated heads much better. The clear head made the snare sound almost "boingy". I guess the coating muffles the right overtones to dry out those frequencies.

Try it out. You've got nothing to lose (except the cost of a head, unless you can recycle it onto a tom).
 
I don't really like clear heads on the batter side of any drum as much as I like coated heads. I don't play fusion, so I like my heads coated.
 
Keep in mind if you have to do any brush work the clears will not work for that!
 
wow im freaking out...

i thought the thread title was saying "Clear Heads on the snare side..." and everyone was preferring a coated reso. i was super confused. especially when konaboy brought up brushes...

wow...

anyway, yea coated batter all the way. i did see wyclef jeans drummer using a clear batter a while back and it sounded really good, but it sounded like it could have been reproduced easily with coated.

all in all, i prefer the feel of coated. it feels heavier, thicker, and less bouncy. theres still good rebound but its... well... controlled. i can go back and forth (coated to clear) on toms, but thats very foreign to me on the snare.

EDIT: plus seeing that i crank the hell out of my snare, it would sound really weird and open with WAY too much ring if i went clear. it my sound really good tuned low... could put a little more slap than boom (think rick allen... very 80s deep snare sound)
 
I use a Clear Remo CS Black Dot on an old 5.5 x 14" Ludwig Jazz Master. That snare is used for alot of classic rock stuff. I loosen the tension of the snares and i have that classic E.L.O snare sound. I've only liked the black dot on wood snare drums.

I have never used a totally clear head on a snare.........don't know why.
 
I don't really like clear heads on the batter side of any drum as much as I like coated heads. I don't play fusion, so I like my heads coated.

What is that supposed to mean?
 
that was the most prejudice thing against fusion drummers i have ever seen.

I know right?

Just for that I am going to buy some clear g2's.

I was actually thinking about doing that....
 
hey, interpret it as you will.... but I think you got it right the first time anyway.
Coated Ambassadors on both sides of everything (excluding snare side head) for me works in any setting... just tune and muffle as desired.
 
Since snare sounds vary so much (ELO's Bev Bevan's sound was mentioned...contrast that with a cranked drum corp snare or Bill Bruford's Yes era pop) there are no hard and fast rules for snare batters.

There is the general wisdom of using a coated head if you play in a variety of styles that may include brushwork. That's an overriding reason why I will always use a coated head on all of my snares - although I do like the sound of coated heads on all of my tom batters as well. Having said that, coated singly ply heads (mostly Remo Ambassadors) are the most recorded drum head solution by a landslide. There may be some tradition or even superstition in this approach but I think this is a combination that will just work in general.

I've heard a great sounding rock snare with the clear Remo CS Dot on it. I normally don't use Remo heads but I have made an exception for possibly using a coated CS underside dot on one of my metal snares (brass or Acro). I think the clear version would be just a tad different timbre wise.

I also have observed one of my favorite rock drummers, Tommy Aldridge, use clear batters pretty much every time I've seen him and have gotten a peek at his snare. He's been doing that for years.

What you could also do is go for a recently released Evans head that is sort of a cross between the two. The EC Coated Reverse Dot head is translucent - although not completely clear. The EC coated heads in general have more of a 'frosting' than a coating. I think that head would have a great sound on a metal snare (brass, steel, copper, bronze, etc) yet the frosted coating would give a brush player plenty of texture.

Having a (ahem) few years of experience, I can remember when I started out in junior high and there was maybe 1/10th of the head choices we have today. Maybe. Therefore, have fun with all of the possibilities and experiment. It does cost a few bucks but pays off in 'ears' and tuning experience and growth.

"Really explore the space" - Christopher Walken as Bruce Dickinson on SNL.

Jim
 
Yea I tried it, 3 words, don't go there. Hahahaha it felt way to smooth for me, it was less crisp and ghost notes feel weird on them to me, but it can still get the sound of a good snare drum, the feel is just a bit different.
 
I'm currently using a clear Remo CS on my gigging snare - 6.5x13" Yamaha Brass. It sounds fantastic. It's a very straightforward sound, and it has a great crack without sacrificing body.
 
There is definitely a difference in sound. Coated sounds warmer, while clear I've always thought has kind of "plastic" sound to it that I just don't like. So, yeah, another vote for coated batters, on everything. The only question for me is: one or two ply?

EXCEPT of course on Vistalites. There you need clear top and bottom for the esthetics. You gotta be able to see through the whole drum!
 
I've used clear Emps on the snare a few times.

Very bright and attack-y sound, not as much "body" sound as the coated has.
Kinda cool for some stuff though.

I like the Remo CS Black (or Clear) Dot on the snare too.

The clear dot has a slightly 'softer' attack sound.

The CS sounds better on a wood snare, but it can sound cool on some metal shells like Bronze.

Yeah, I've seen Tommy Aldridge use a clear Emp, or a Clear Pinstripe for years too....I can't remember NOT seeing a clear on his snare in concert actually....I'm sure he has, but on dvd's and an watching him live when he comes around here, I've seen a clear head on the snare.
 
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