How to get a deep sounding snare

KSEfan

Member
My snare is 5.5x14, but i wanna get the sound of one of those deep sounding snare sounds like Joey Jordinson(Slipknot) or like Jimmy Chamberlin(Smashing Pumpkins). Is there any heads i should get or a certain way to tune to get that sound?
 
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When I was younger I always wished I could get a deeper tone out of my 14x5 Supra. Tuning it down a notch helped some, but not enough for my taste. The only way to get a deeper sound was to buy a deeper snare. I think you're in the same boat. Deeper snares can be tuned right up to more resemble a shallower snare, but I've never thought it works as well in reverse.

Try tuning it down a shade as a 5.5" deep snare is hardly a piccolo. You might get some good results if you play around with your tuning but I think in reality a deeper sound is best acheived by a deeper snare.
 
Jimmy Chamberlain played for the Smashing Pumpkins and Joey Jordinson doesn't actually exist...
 
The other day I saw Benny Greb who demonstrated a trick he uses on his snare - detune two lugs (two next to each other) by maybe two turns and it just sounded like a different drum! (lower of course, and sounded deeper). He was using his signature snare which is a 13 x 5.75 (!). Not sure if it works for all drums, but might be worth a try...
 
In my experience different drums go deep better then others... I could get a saturn 5.5" to sound pretty deep by tuning both heads down and some light muffling..A 6.5 Supra can go deep with no problem.. but like it was said a deep snare goes deep better then a shallow one.. Tune both heads down use reverse dot or 2 ply head for batter and then stand 10-15ft away while someone else hits it...you might be suprised how deep it is.. I know I searched for a certain deep sound for a long time and though I can get close with my Supra I found the perfect sound I was looking for on my Roland set...go figure..
 
There are so many studio tricks, that it is hard to say "I want that snare sound" and normally solve it by buying that particular snare of the artists you are hearing. But I agree with a few others here - if you want that deep snare sound, get a 6.5" Supra. It has a wonderful deep sound.
 
What brand of snare is your drum?Shell material,heads,ply count,shell thickness,Are your rims die cast or triple flanged 1.6 or 2.3 mm? All have a lot to do with pitch,tone,projection.Detuning 2 lugs works as long as you're not a heavy hitter,because you will break that drum head if you are.Try using a Remo Emperor coated batter side,ambassador snare side and tune the snare side just very slightly lower than your batter head.I f your miking the drums..back off the snare batter head about a couple of inches.That will fatten up the sound and reduce ring that the mice hears also.If you can though..borrow a Supra 6 1/2x14 Ludwig LM 402 or an 7-8 x14 wood shelled snare like an 80's Superstar birch shell drum...talk about fat.

Steve B
 
Hard to get a much deeper or fatter sound than Phil Rudd, and he uses a fairly shallow snare.

http://youtu.be/HQswvKRTiyM

The key, I believe, is in tuning the snare side quite loose, with the batter just slightly higher in pitch. When you play the drum with the snares off, it should have quite a lot of sustain and sound a lot like a tom. Also, don't choke the drum with snares that are too tight.

Give that a try and see what you can do with the drum you have now.
 
I always like Fleetwood Mac- Rumours sound and Eagles -The Long Run album sound as well

I think the engineers have a big role in it as well.

Myself , who does have that much fun in "tuning" the snare but only playing, would rather put a thin cloth on the snare and try


Heavy!!
 
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What brand of snare is your drum?Shell material,heads,ply count,shell thickness,Are your rims die cast or triple flanged 1.6 or 2.3 mm? All have a lot to do with pitch,tone,projection.Detuning 2 lugs works as long as you're not a heavy hitter,because you will break that drum head if you are.Try using a Remo Emperor coated batter side,ambassador snare side and tune the snare side just very slightly lower than your batter head.I f your miking the drums..back off the snare batter head about a couple of inches.That will fatten up the sound and reduce ring that the mice hears also.If you can though..borrow a Supra 6 1/2x14 Ludwig LM 402 or an 7-8 x14 wood shelled snare like an 80's Superstar birch shell drum...talk about fat.

Steve B

I got an 8 ply(i believe) poplar shell, 5.5x14. The rims are diecast 2.3mm. I have a Remo Ambassador X batter head, with a stock clear reso head, and stock snares. Thanks for the advice, ill give that a try
 
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