I tune mine high (I’ve got a Tama 14x6.5 and Ludwig 14x8), and prefer a Remo coated Ambassador batter and Remo Ambassador hazy reso on snareside...
Yeah, pretty much cranked ala Stewart... I prefer the way it sounds and feels. ??Hey, Al. When you refer to high snare tunings, how high do you like to climb -- Copeland cranked to the point of popping or somewhere well below that. I'm just curious. It's always fun to hear about snare preferences.
I tried this with the XPK snare for my kit, and man, it was ear splitting loud. Like insane. Best it's ever sounded, but I needed ear protection.Yeah, pretty much cranked
Yeah, pretty much cranked ala Stewart... I prefer the way it sounds and feels. ??
?I don’t know if I just dig that sound because Regatta de Blanc was the first album I ever owned as an impressionable 7 year old, and the tight brass snare sound was ingrained into my drumming dna?!! The beauty of it is that my playing style is nothing like Stewart Copeland’s (I think that’s why I love his playing so much!) but the sound has always done me proud playing hard rock; it cuts through! Will be interesting to see if you continue down the lower tunings route when playing out, or if the drum key comes out mid rehearsal!That's what I imagined. Anything less would be an insult to your Blue Bell Ride.
?I don’t know if I just dig that sound because Regatta de Blanc was the first album I ever owned as an impressionable 7 year old, and the tight brass snare sound was ingrained into my drumming dna?!! The beauty of it is that my playing style is nothing like Stewart Copeland’s (I think that’s why I love his playing so much!) but the sound has always done me proud playing hard rock; it cuts through! Will be interesting to see if you continue down the lower tunings route when playing out, or if the drum key comes out mid rehearsal!
I've owned a Black Beauty and a CB700 Free-floater (ultimately the same as a Pearl). They both had very different voices.how would u guys go about tuning brass snares? i own a mapex metallion and i think its great but having only a wood snare before im not sure how to go around working it, which head would you also recommend, thanks and stay safe!
I tune my brass snares (I have three) all over the place. Low and fat, with just a thud, or high & tight for a cracking sound. Some guys tune the reso head "cranked" tight and I've had mine every where from medium tight to tight, never "cranked". I find that there's a sweet spot with a reso head tune medium and batter head tuned medium-low that (at least with my snares) I get a great balance between a sharp crack and low punch. Also bear in mind that a tight snappy will choke the reso head and will also raise the pitch of the drum. As the reso head goes up in pitch/tension (using very small increments of tightening) the pitch changes and the stick response improves a bit. As the tension is raised on both heads, the pitch goes up and the rimshots can become harsh if not played well (e.g., too hard).how would u guys go about tuning brass snares?
I tune my brass snares (I have three) all over the place. Low and fat, with just a thud, or high & tight for a cracking sound. Some guys tune the reso head "cranked" tight and I've had mine every where from medium tight to tight, never "cranked". I find that there's a sweet spot with a reso head tune medium and batter head tuned medium-low that (at least with my snares) I get a great balance between a sharp crack and low punch. Also bear in mind that a tight snappy will choke the reso head and will also raise the pitch of the drum. As the reso head goes up in pitch/tension (using very small increments of tightening) the pitch changes and the stick response improves a bit. As the tension is raised on both heads, the pitch goes up and the rimshots can become harsh if not played well (e.g., too hard).
I would disagree and say a cranked brass snare is very much lively and beautiful sounding shell.That's good reso guidance, CB. There's a substantial difference between a tight reso and a cranked one. The first is sensitive and full of tone. The second is choked and lifeless. A fine line separates the two, but the consequences of crossing it are monumental.
I would disagree and say a cranked brass snare is very much lively and beautiful sounding shell.
It's the ONLY material that I would give the thumbs up to cranking.
I'm good with this, I agree, I don't think I have tuned to where one more turn couldn't happen.I think we might all harbor different definitions of "cranked." I'm all for tight reso heads on my snares. To me, cranked means tensioned until you can no longer turn the tuning rods, stretching the head to the extent that it can't resonate at all. When that occurs, the snare wires snap with less vigor, and the drum can't breathe. Of course, each drum has different tolerances, so what's choked on one might be lively on another. It's really more of a case-by-case consideration than a uniform law.