Very true, you will never be able to completly eliminate it if you want that specific sound. By the way, I envy you playing in a band like that, I don't even know any other jazz mucisians.
Very true, you will never be able to completly eliminate it if you want that specific sound. By the way, I envy you playing in a band like that, I don't even know any other jazz mucisians.
Shaggy Alonso
Member
I'd use an Evans Power Centre Reverse Dot, probably my favorite all around drum head. The dot gives it focus but it doesnt choke the overtones, which to me is exactly what that sort of drum should sound like (i.e. that's what Chad Smith sounds like).
Professor Sound who made the drum tuning bible, strongly recommends the thinner of the resonant heads for the snare (Remo Snare Diplomant or Evans Hazy 200), no matter what type of music you play. Supposedly it improves articulation but also has a shorter sustain than thicker heads because there's less mass to reverberate. It also cuts down on buzzing according to him.
Dunno about snare wires tbh.
Anyone seen Bob Gatzen's technique for tuning drums? Basicly, instead of just going around tightening each offensive lug, he actually would tighten or loosen the lug opposite it as it will change the tone much more. Amazingly, it really works. I just tuned my snare with that technique for the first time and it's honestly the purest sound I've ever gotten from any of my drums.
Ok he's an annoying weirdo, but a genius for coming up with this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLUkDXSfPCc
Mr. Pasquini
Gold Member
How do I tune my snare to get the snare sound that Phil Ehart gets on the song "Carry on my Wayward Son"? I was listening to it the other day and really found myself loving the sound...
catchmydrift
Junior Member
Ludwig supraphonics or acrolites with a remo ambassador tuned up pretty high with a slight turn on the internal muffler get that great classic rock sound much like Phil Ehart's.
The Keith Moon
Member
Honestly I am not getting any fun out of tuning my drums. I just dont want to go through that pain. Even if I tune them right, they will be bad after my kind of play. So... I know it is a crime but...... what I have found out that if I put a thin towel on my drums, I get the heavy fat sound that I want.
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Elvis
Silver Member
The Keith Moon,
Assuming for the moment that you aren't kidding (because you may be), there's nothing wrong with what you're doing.
That was Ringo's trick for recording his drums in his Beatle days.
He used, what the English call, "Tea Towels", but the principle is basically the same.
Rock on, dude.
Elvis
Assuming for the moment that you aren't kidding (because you may be), there's nothing wrong with what you're doing.
That was Ringo's trick for recording his drums in his Beatle days.
He used, what the English call, "Tea Towels", but the principle is basically the same.
Rock on, dude.
Elvis
Has any one tried cutting down their snare wires, like Gavin Harrison does?
I was trying to make my (copper) Roy Haynes sig. snare sound a little like Gavin Harrison's snare in 'Futile'...
...so I cut down a 25 stand set of snare wires to just 5 wires!! (two outer wires on each side and one wire in the middle)
Then I tuned the snare batter (coated emperor) about medium loose tightness, the snare resonant (clear snare side ambassador) about medium tightness, made the snare wire tension fairly tight (because there are so few snare wires the drum seems not to choke as easily), and put two strips of narrow double-sided tape at the twelve and six o'clock positions on the batter (because I don't have an O ring) - and whaddayou know, I got pretty close to that really dead and articulate sound he has on that recording - though obviously the (dark and dry) character of my copper drum lends it's own tonality to that basic sound.
note: the Roy Haynes sig. snare does have an internal mute for the batter side, but for this sound - I leave it disengaged.
I was trying to make my (copper) Roy Haynes sig. snare sound a little like Gavin Harrison's snare in 'Futile'...
...so I cut down a 25 stand set of snare wires to just 5 wires!! (two outer wires on each side and one wire in the middle)
Then I tuned the snare batter (coated emperor) about medium loose tightness, the snare resonant (clear snare side ambassador) about medium tightness, made the snare wire tension fairly tight (because there are so few snare wires the drum seems not to choke as easily), and put two strips of narrow double-sided tape at the twelve and six o'clock positions on the batter (because I don't have an O ring) - and whaddayou know, I got pretty close to that really dead and articulate sound he has on that recording - though obviously the (dark and dry) character of my copper drum lends it's own tonality to that basic sound.
note: the Roy Haynes sig. snare does have an internal mute for the batter side, but for this sound - I leave it disengaged.
Elvis
Silver Member
T-1000,
That's an old trick.
Its mostly attributed to Steve Gadd, but other drummers have done it as well.
At one time, snare selection was kinda limited, so Gadd was "tuning" the snare sound by cutting off the wires.
I think "50 way to leave your lover" was recorded using a snare drum whose snare only had 10 or 12 wires.
Nowadays, there's a lot more different types of snares on the market, so cutting off snare wires is kind of a thing of the past.
Off-hand, I know Puresound Percussion makes snares with as few as 8 strands.
My own 13x3 Ludwig snare drum came from the factory with only 12 strands.
The fewer the wires, the drier the snare sound (doesn't make a drier sounding drum, only the sound of the snare reacting against the head).
It also makes the snares less sensitive.
I call it "the wrapping paper sound", because it reminds me of the sound of my finger flicking against a sheet of the brown or white paper that's waxed on one side that butchers use to wrap meat with at deli's.
Don Brewer, of Grand Funk Railroad fame, had a similar sound from his snare drum on all those albums that band did back in the 60's and 70's, although I'm not sure if he actually cut strands off his snare, or that was just how his snare drum came out on those recordings.
Elvis
That's an old trick.
Its mostly attributed to Steve Gadd, but other drummers have done it as well.
At one time, snare selection was kinda limited, so Gadd was "tuning" the snare sound by cutting off the wires.
I think "50 way to leave your lover" was recorded using a snare drum whose snare only had 10 or 12 wires.
Nowadays, there's a lot more different types of snares on the market, so cutting off snare wires is kind of a thing of the past.
Off-hand, I know Puresound Percussion makes snares with as few as 8 strands.
My own 13x3 Ludwig snare drum came from the factory with only 12 strands.
The fewer the wires, the drier the snare sound (doesn't make a drier sounding drum, only the sound of the snare reacting against the head).
It also makes the snares less sensitive.
I call it "the wrapping paper sound", because it reminds me of the sound of my finger flicking against a sheet of the brown or white paper that's waxed on one side that butchers use to wrap meat with at deli's.
Don Brewer, of Grand Funk Railroad fame, had a similar sound from his snare drum on all those albums that band did back in the 60's and 70's, although I'm not sure if he actually cut strands off his snare, or that was just how his snare drum came out on those recordings.
Elvis
Elvis
Silver Member
Oh yeah, btw...
Ok, so that's 2+2+1=5.
5= the number of wires you cut off the snare.
25-5=20
According to your description, you should have 20 strands left on your snare (standard strand count for any snare).
What about the other 15 wires?
Elvis
Ok, so that's 2+2+1=5.
5= the number of wires you cut off the snare.
25-5=20
According to your description, you should have 20 strands left on your snare (standard strand count for any snare).
What about the other 15 wires?
Elvis
riddle
Member
TUNING UP MY SNARE DRUM
Hey guys, i just bought a TAMA swingstar kit and they sound okay.
my snare isnt the metal type and im nt exactly a pro.
but anyway ive heard yamaha steel snares before and i loved them,
is there any way to tune my snare to make it sound crispy, crunchy and err metal like?
I really like remo heads (love the logo) so any suggestions that aint too costly? also tell me how i should tune my toms to perfect sound too.
i want my kick to sound deep and thuddy(lol)
help me out thanks guys!
Hey guys, i just bought a TAMA swingstar kit and they sound okay.
my snare isnt the metal type and im nt exactly a pro.
but anyway ive heard yamaha steel snares before and i loved them,
is there any way to tune my snare to make it sound crispy, crunchy and err metal like?
I really like remo heads (love the logo) so any suggestions that aint too costly? also tell me how i should tune my toms to perfect sound too.
i want my kick to sound deep and thuddy(lol)
help me out thanks guys!
Snare tunning isue
Hello. My name is Andrew, and i wish to ask you something about snare drum tunning. I have birch wood, 14"x7" snare drum, and i can't tune it the way i like it. I'm trying to achieve resonant, warm sound, with lots of body to it. I'm able to tune it that way, but when i turn the snares on, they totally dry out the sound. I tried various tunning, especially with bottom head, but, what ever i did, i couldn't get that open sound when snares turned on. They just dry the drum out. I'm capable of tunning the rest of my set very well. I don't really mind in what pitch my drum is, as long as i get its full capability in resonance. So, i'm not trying to achieve something that can't be achieved.
Well, if any of you guys and girls think you can help me out, please do. Any comment on this may help me solve my problem.
Thank you all.
Hello. My name is Andrew, and i wish to ask you something about snare drum tunning. I have birch wood, 14"x7" snare drum, and i can't tune it the way i like it. I'm trying to achieve resonant, warm sound, with lots of body to it. I'm able to tune it that way, but when i turn the snares on, they totally dry out the sound. I tried various tunning, especially with bottom head, but, what ever i did, i couldn't get that open sound when snares turned on. They just dry the drum out. I'm capable of tunning the rest of my set very well. I don't really mind in what pitch my drum is, as long as i get its full capability in resonance. So, i'm not trying to achieve something that can't be achieved.
Well, if any of you guys and girls think you can help me out, please do. Any comment on this may help me solve my problem.
Thank you all.
Re: Snare tunning isue
Hi That Guy. Thanks for the welcome.
I use remo ambassador coated head on top, and remo ambassador snare side hazy on bottom. I know that is natural to snares somewhat dampen the bottom head, but in my case, they totally dry it out! There's just no "body" to the sound. I know that i'm doing something wrong, but i can't tell what.
Hi That Guy. Thanks for the welcome.
I use remo ambassador coated head on top, and remo ambassador snare side hazy on bottom. I know that is natural to snares somewhat dampen the bottom head, but in my case, they totally dry it out! There's just no "body" to the sound. I know that i'm doing something wrong, but i can't tell what.
Re: Snare tunning isue
I tried all sorts of things, so i guess i tried that, too. Since i can tune the snare drum worm and resonant without the snares on, I think something is wrong with the snares... Well, not with them because they are new, but with the adjustment. I have adjustable but-end, and i just red on one site that it's important to have same tension on both ends... Does that make any sense?
I don't know... i'll keep on trying things. Thanks
I tried all sorts of things, so i guess i tried that, too. Since i can tune the snare drum worm and resonant without the snares on, I think something is wrong with the snares... Well, not with them because they are new, but with the adjustment. I have adjustable but-end, and i just red on one site that it's important to have same tension on both ends... Does that make any sense?
I don't know... i'll keep on trying things. Thanks
what worked for me was tuning the bottom head different from the toms.
the thing is that if the tone that your toms have is the same or close to the tone on the bottom head they will vibrate at the same time every time you hit them so try tuning them with at least a 2 note difference.
the thing is that if the tone that your toms have is the same or close to the tone on the bottom head they will vibrate at the same time every time you hit them so try tuning them with at least a 2 note difference.