Snare tuning for small but loud venue

[Dignan]

I've been hitting this open mic night with my band occasionally and the snare they have there is pretty sorry. Last time another guy brought his own so I thought I would do the same next time. I've never gigged either of my snares out before, just played them in my practice room and occasional brought them to band practice (also a practice room).

Any advice on the best way to tune it? Tight and cracky or low and throaty? What cuts best in a bar with competing guitar amps? We are playing classic rock and blues (you don't say!!!!) at this place and it's a pretty small dive bar.

 

[Ghostnote]

If you want it to cut then you definitely want to crank it up nice and tight.

 

[Andy]

Mic'd or unmic'd ?

 

[opentune]

if not mic'ed, the higher the frequency the longer the distance you can transfer. tune higher and you will be heard more. try it in your practice room. mind you, to my ears blues does not call for a ultra-high tuned snare.

 

[Dignan]

if not mic'ed, the higher the frequency the longer the distance you can transfer. tune higher and you will be heard more. try it in your practice room. mind you, to my ears blues does not call for a ultra-high tuned snare.

It's unmic'd. I agree that Blues usually sounds better with a fat tuning.

 

[Heavy Edge]

Unmic'd against guitar amps? Tight and cracky. When you get bodies into the room, anything low is going to get lost. Lower might sound better on a record, but you need to be heard to keep the time.