Figthing a bad overtone on my snare

[konaboy]

DW Performance snare. My go to setup that has been "money" for me is a coated PS3 over snare side ambassador. Have that on 3 other snares and love it. Just bought a zoom L12 and started playing around with recording and my Performance snare has a horrible mid tone ring to it. I've been up and down the tuning spectrum on both heads. (Tuning for me is not normally an issue, pretty good at it) Went out and bought a new snare side ambassador (was probably due for a change) and decided to pick up a PS77 and Evans HD dry (have used the HD Dry on a yamaha stage custom snare and it sounded good.) Put the new snare side on tuned it up, put the ps77 on, it's better but there is still a ring in the 500hz range. I know a little moon gel or gaffe tape will solve the issue but I'm stubborn and like to not use external damping on my drums. Just never had an annoying overtone like this that I couldn't get rid of. Haven't seated the Evans head yet, figured before I put it on I'd see if anyone had any suggestions on what I might be missing. I don't think it will be much different that the 77 but could be wrong. Toms and bass sound great.

 

[AudioWonderland]

Get used to it.. It's very common in the studio

 

[Push pull stroke]

Switch drums. LOL

20202020

 

[drumming sort of person]

Is this a new snare for you? Maybe that's just how it sounds.

 

[Spud Crowley]

Check the rims. May have a slight warp.

 

[JustJames]

I don't claim any special tuning skills, and I know zero about recording techniques, so take this question whence it comes...

Have you tried the snare in a full mix? Those annoying overtones may cease to be an issue.

 

[Morrisman]

First - nothing wrong with a moongel or two correctly placed, especially when picked up by a close microphone.

Second - is the bottom head of your rack tom making the snare resonate? Take the toms away and see if that fixes it.

 

[konaboy]

Is this a new snare for you? Maybe that's just how it sounds.

No I've had it for about 7 years. Something I've never really noticed as I've not recorded it before.

I don't claim any special tuning skills, and I know zero about recording techniques, so take this question whence it comes...

Have you tried the snare in a full mix? Those annoying overtones may cease to be an issue.

I have and you can still hear it. Recording is new to me so this is all new.

First - nothing wrong with a moongel or two correctly placed, especially when picked up by a close microphone.

Second - is the bottom head of your rack tom making the snare resonate? Take the toms away and see if that fixes it.

I'll give that a shot and see if it's a sympathetic harmonic causing it. Good idea.

 

[konaboy]

Found some small sticky hands that I had gotten for my niece and nephew that I never gave them. Probably not much bigger than a quarter and overtone gone. Knew that would work just wanted to try and fix it without. For live probably never would have heard it. Close mic'd it was ugly.

 

[brentcn]

Found some small sticky hands that I had gotten for my niece and nephew that I never gave them. Probably not much bigger than a quarter and overtone gone. Knew that would work just wanted to try and fix it without. For live probably never would have heard it. Close mic'd it was ugly.

Back the snare mic away from the snare head a bit, an inch or a few inches. You know how when you get real close to a mic with your voice, the lows and low-mids become excessive? This is called proximity effect, and it's probably happening with your snare.

And yes, the added distance from the snare will get you more "bleed" from the other drums and hi-hat. There's always a trade-off.

 

[mrfingers]

Put the Evans head on, then let us know how that sounds.
Here’s an experiment that I have tried that works a little bit: with the head in place, drill thru it with 4 or 5 evenly spaced holes about 1/8” diam. , about 1-1/2” in from the hoop.

 

[beyondbetrayal]

I'm a fan of a pretty dry snare... I just changed the heads on 4 of my snares, I have been really working at getting a bigger deeper snare, still pretty dry with lots of crack and rebound for a long time.

I find on one I REALLY have to crank that bottom head to dry it out and get rid of some overtones... If that doesn't work you could try tightening up your snare wires a bit more instead but There is a balance between the two of those.

I tune my top head pretty consistant on most snares for rebound. The bottom head/wires I use to adjust for ring, overtones, and snare buzz. That being said, some snares DO ring more than others.

When the hoops are off, get a mirror, or piece of glass and put your snare in it and shine a flashlight under to make sure the bearing edges are good. you can do the same with the hoops to make sure no light gets under them.

No one says you need a full moongel or two.. I cut them in half often, sometimes in 1/4's even. It's amazing how good a snare sounds to my ears with two 1/4 moon gels on it. They have clear moongel now too so it doesn't have that big blue dot on it.


Next stop you could try getting the evans HD dry with the vent holes in it. dual ply heads with the muffling rings inside help too. My one snare fights me but those are several ways I can combat overtones I don't want. sometimes the batter head needs to get a bit looser too.

It's often the opposite of what you think in regards to what head etc.