Setting up very late at a recent gig (I had about a minute to spare before the first tune kicked in!), I didn't have time to tighten my snare basket properly, so I just sat the drum on the three plastic grips, snug but not clamped, assuming I'd manage for one song then tighten it during the pause before the second one. In the event, not only did the drum not shift at all (my snare is always exactly horizontal, which may help) but I'm convinced it sounded much better for not having the basket tightened against it.
I'd always assumed that the idea was to tighten the basket up - certainly every other kit I've seen looks as though that's the case - I think... but I plan to deliberately set up my snare without tightening the basket to the grip point from now on. The only other example I've knowingly seen is an orchestral percussionist who switched drums between pieces by just lifting the drum out of the basket, so obviously it wasn't clamped in place.
My question is: is it just me? Do you clamp your SD tight or just let it sit there? Or is it common or even normal and I've just not noticed it before?
I'd always assumed that the idea was to tighten the basket up - certainly every other kit I've seen looks as though that's the case - I think... but I plan to deliberately set up my snare without tightening the basket to the grip point from now on. The only other example I've knowingly seen is an orchestral percussionist who switched drums between pieces by just lifting the drum out of the basket, so obviously it wasn't clamped in place.
My question is: is it just me? Do you clamp your SD tight or just let it sit there? Or is it common or even normal and I've just not noticed it before?