Snare drums and air vents - finishing a project

[EddieRich]

Hi folks,

Was hoping for some guidance here.

I bought a snare shell from a nice man named "Carrera" here in the UK and have duly drilled all my lug holes and got it all fitted up nice with heads and a snare to check the sound and make sure all sits sweet, which is does. I used the parts from an old metal snare I had lying around so they're not top notch but hey, it's a first project to see how I go.

I need to drill the air vent next.

The question is, what size/position/number and what effect do various combinations have on the sound? I have no idea.

I was thinking of doing something different like several small holes around the shell (1mm or 2mm for example) rather than one larger hole. Or even making a pattern of them around the shell and making them a feature.

Can anyone offer any advice??

Thanks!

2 rubbish piccies:

[uniongoon]

A very common topic to disagree on. Some say the vents do very little, some say the bigger the hole, the greater the projection, volume, no real "correct" answer, it is quite experimental. Personally, I see them as just a device to equalize the air quality and humidity from the inside to the outside, letting the drum "breathe". I saw one guy doing shells from solid tree trunks drill a whack of holes through the re-ring through to where the head metal ring sits making the vents nearly invisible. Then there is the butt ugly 4 inch holes in some snares, (pork pie? or Ddrum?)