holes in snare reso

[-tarek-]

So, last week I was tuning my snare and I decided to try something I've never heard of. I felt compelled to poke holes in my snare side head with a pin. I poked about 20 or so tiny holes around the edge and tuned it up a little higher. I noticed a very small loss in sensitivity, but a gain in tone. The drum sounds a little less choked now, and it has a nice airy tone to it with the same amount of sustain as before, but with a little less of the not-perfectly-in-tune overtones. Anyone else try this or have any thoughts on it? I like what it did for my snare, though I don't think I'd do it with a wood snare (I have a Yamaha Brass Nouveau 13x6.5).

[Deathmetalconga]

Wow! Sounds like a great idea. I have thought of doing this as my snare is unvented, but I never head of anyone doing it. Now I will try it. So you used a standard sewing pin?

[Ironcobra]

I did the same, but not on purpose, i was hitting the snare side when my batter was off, just for fun, it was really loud. but it put big holes and dents in it without me noticing. but once i put my batter back on, it sounded much better, i wouldn't on purpose, but if it happens to you by accident, don't be so upset hahaa

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

That's kind of like the Evans Genera HD Dry head, but for snare side! Interesting idea. I may try it with an old head when I replace my current snare side one.

Sounds like a good idea, although wouldn't think compromise the strength of the head if you did it yourself? I'd think that vented heads are specially made and there may be a reason why companies haven't done this with resos yet.

[-tarek-]

Originally Posted by Deathmetalconga

Wow! Sounds like a great idea. I have thought of doing this as my snare is unvented, but I never head of anyone doing it. Now I will try it. So you used a standard sewing pin?

Actually, I used the end of a snare wire that had snagged on something and snapped. haha. The holes are uneven and one tore a little from using a coiled poker, but it sounds good... or at least on my brass snare.

[-tarek-]

Originally Posted by fourstringdrums

Sounds like a good idea, although wouldn't think compromise the strength of the head if you did it yourself? I'd think that vented heads are specially made and there may be a reason why companies haven't done this with resos yet.

I'm sure it does compromise the strength, undoubtedly, but how strong do you need a snare reso to be? I've been playing on it for a little over a week and it's still holding up, but then again, a little over a week is only a little over a week. But also, some of the air pressure is being released through all of these vents, so there is less air impact on the head itself. I would think that the loss of air pressure against the head is nearly as great as the weakening done by the holes, therefore it shouldn't make much difference in strength realistically, because the holes diminish some of the need for strength. Either way, it sounds better than it did before, but it wasn't tuned great before either.

[Les Ismore]

You run the risk of the head tearing the head if its thin (Diplomat, Ambass weight) when you tune up. All your accomplishing is 'venting' some air. A 'dime' sized hole placed midway from edge to wires around center works well, less chance of a blowout.

Heating an ice pick, sharp nail etc, and melting your way through for small holes is best. The dime sized can be melted with a heated washer held with needle nose pliers 'reverse' griped through the washers center hole.

[-tarek-]

Originally Posted by Les Ismore

You run the risk of the head tearing the head if its thin (Diplomat, Ambass weight) when you tune up. All your accomplishing is 'venting' some air. A 'dime' sized hole placed midway from edge to wires around center works well, less chance of a blowout.

Heating an ice pick, sharp nail etc, and melting your way through for small holes is best. The dime sized can be melted with a heated washer held with needle nose pliers 'reverse' griped through the washers center hole.

A hole the size of a dime anywhere but in the center, it seems, would drastically compromise even tension in a head that thin, thus misshaping pitches by different amounts depending on how hard you hit and giving you some nasty overtones and ugly ring no matter the tuning. Or so it seems to me. Maybe with a dampening head tuned up a bit this wouldn't happen. Anyway, mine seems strong enough, I don't think it will tear unless I crank it down, but it's already pretty high. I probably won't do this again when I rehead, I just wanted to experiment.

[Les Ismore]

A hole the size of a dime anywhere but in the center, it seems, would drastically compromise even tension in a head that thin, thus misshaping pitches by different amounts depending on how hard you hit and giving you some nasty overtones and ugly ring no matter the tuning.

No, it won't compromise tuning and its most difficult to get ring out of a bottom head when there's a wire set against it.

[-tarek-]

Originally Posted by Les Ismore

A hole the size of a dime anywhere but in the center, it seems, would drastically compromise even tension in a head that thin, thus misshaping pitches by different amounts depending on how hard you hit and giving you some nasty overtones and ugly ring no matter the tuning.

No, it won't compromise tuning and its most difficult to get ring out of a bottom head when there's a wire set against it.

I play with my snares of quite a bit and when they are on, they are pretty loose. Either way, it doesn't matter, but I would think it to be more logical to have small holes evenly distributed rather than one larger hole. Like the Evans ST Dry head or whatever it's called.

[Les Ismore]

....but I would think it to be more logical to have small holes evenly distributed rather than one larger hole. Like the Evans ST Dry head or whatever it's called.


Really... why would you think that, b/c Evans does it that way?


The only reason Evan's came up with putting the holes near the rim was they couldn't have heads splitting from stick hits, its really the 'only way' they could do it on a batter head, forget logical. When your talking snare reso, the whole head is 'in bounds'. Why weaken a thin snare reso head with a buncha holes near the bearing edge?

[-tarek-]

No, I don't think that because evans does it. I think that because on a ported bass reso, the head always sounds different and uneven near the hole, regardless of tuning. But it really doesn't matter. There is no way in hell my snare head is weak enough to tear unless I crank it down really tight, and I have about 50 little holes in it now, about an inch from the bearing edge. There is nothing more pathetic than an internet forum arguement over poking holes in drumheads... except for an internet forum arguement about poking holes in drumheads with Gary Busy.

Peace and happy drumming.

[Class A Drummer]

Sounds like a really cool idea. The sound you described is the sound i love out of a snare. Im definitley going to try this some time soon.

[Les Ismore]

I think that because on a ported bass reso, the head always sounds different and uneven near the hole, regardless of tuning.

Bass drum not a good comparison. Keep in mind, we're taking a hole the size of a dime (about 18mm across). Convert that from a 14 to a 22" head and the hole is about the size of a .50 piece (near 30mm).

So you would have to imagine a hole in a 22" bass reso the size of a .50 piece (30mm btw is about an inch and a quarter).

[-tarek-]

Originally Posted by Les Ismore

I think that because on a ported bass reso, the head always sounds different and uneven near the hole, regardless of tuning.

Bass drum not a good comparison. Keep in mind, we're taking a hole the size of a dime (about 18mm across). Convert that from a 14 to a 22" head and the hole is about the size of a .50 piece (near 30mm).

So you would have to imagine a hole in a 22" bass reso the size of a .50 piece (30mm btw is about an inch and a quarter).

The point is, holes offset the tention of the head. Evenly placed, tiny holes surrounding the head will even the tention better than one larger hole would. It doesn't matter, I'm done with this, haha. It hardly changed the sound anyway.