?uestlove's Snare Tuning

RobertM

Platinum Member
Any fans of The Roots are familiar with ?uestlove's very tight snare sound. He usually plays a 4x14 Yamaha brass or wood snare.

Does anyone know how to go about tuning a snare to get this kind of tight, ringless sound? It is almost reminiscent of Stewart Copeland's snare sound. Would both heads be tuned very high and to the same amount? Or, would the resonant head be tuned tighter than the batter?
 
Lots of piccolo snares. 13x3, 13x3.5, 14x3.5, 14x4, etc. He uses full sized snare drums as well. Cranks both heads. He gets a lot of different sounds, so sometimes the top will be a little tighter. He definitely makes great use of tape for muffling. Sometimes he'll get the highest pitch yet driest crack through tuning and tape use.
 
I was just noticing yesterday how "dry" my Copeland was for a metal snare. I have it tuned pretty darn tight, with the reso slightly tighter. It would probably explode if you took a needle to it. Now these things come with Die Cast hoops (batter side), so that also keeps things dry. All that along with tightened snare wires seem to dry it out, even with an Evans ST Head on it. Really nice, sharp, dry crack to it, with a higher pitch. No moon gel or tape....
 
Bear in mind that his sound also involved the way he plays it. I read an interview where he said his sticks are a bit longer than usual because he plays towards the top of the snare drum rather than the centre.
 
Bear in mind that his sound also involved the way he plays it. I read an interview where he said his sticks are a bit longer than usual because he plays towards the top of the snare drum rather than the centre.

I would expect that to make it LESS dry and introduce more ring/overtones... Weird.
 
Haven't he been using a Supraphonic snare on Jimmy Fallon, and other occasions, for years by now?
 
What works for me is to tune the reso snare as tight as possible and than experiment with the head. If your reso is tight enough even a bit lower pitched head will give you a dry sound. I never had to use moongel yet, which is due to the fact i use pinstriped heads. When you play them in the middle with your left hand high, the sound you are about to hear is certainly dry! (And if it ain't i sure as hell don't know why)
 
Haven't he been using a Supraphonic snare on Jimmy Fallon, and other occasions, for years by now?


Well if he didn't in the past,he certainly will now.He recently dropped Yamaha,and he now endorces Ludwig,so he actually will HAVE to use a Ludwig snare.

More OT.His heads sound relativley tight,but not uber tight,since his snare sound has some body to it.A little moon gel or a small piece of gaff tape should get you there.It's tough to get all the ring out of a metal drum,and I'm sure if you were sitting where he is,you would hear at least some ring.Remember,drums sound different to the audience,than they do to you,and the recorded sound you hear is not at all like a live drum.

Metal drums,especially brass ring,its what they do.:)

Steve B
 
I have to say, I use his signature sticks for certain songs and when I play in church, and those sticks actually change my snare sound quite a bit.
 
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