Three Snare Drums

Stroman

Diamond Member
I had a little time at the library recording studio yesterday, and I took three snare drums to tinker with. I rarely get a chance to play at normal volume so it was a rare treat!

The Rogers has been the snare I usually use for gigs. It seems to handle most tunings pretty well, and I ended up with a tuning similar to what I'd gig with. Pretty middle of the road. The Slingerland is one I bought from @BobC, and this was the first time I'd really put it through it's paces. It is less versatile IMO, but it's perfect for the application I intended. That's where it's sitting in the video. Last was the Pearl, which is the real workhorse (along with my Rogers). It sounded good and responded well at every tuning. I ended up with it tuned high mostly because it handled that tuning better than the other two. They were all usable up high, but I liked the Pearl best.

Phone audio only.

No metronome, no planned parts. Just grooving and getting a feel for the drums. :)

 
Library recording studio???

I liked your playing a lot, and my favorites are reverse order. In this particular setting, that is. It could easily change depending on the tunes.
 
Last edited:
Library recording studio???

I liked your playing a lot, and my favorites are reverse order. In this particular setting, that is. It could easily change depending on the tunes.
Yeah! I bitch about where I live a fair amount, but I have to give credit to the public library system here. They have a full-on recording studio with acoustic drums, a high-end Roland e-kit, various instruments, two isolation booths, and a complete control room with recording gear. Free for residents to use. It just takes a long time to get a reservation. Still, what an amazing resource!

And thanks for the comments. So far the Pearl (or that tuning) is the most popular. Ironic, because I almost never play a snare tuned that high. It does sound cool, though.
 
Yeah! I bitch about where I live a fair amount, but I have to give credit to the public library system here. They have a full-on recording studio with acoustic drums, a high-end Roland e-kit, various instruments, two isolation booths, and a complete control room with recording gear. Free for residents to use. It just takes a long time to get a reservation. Still, what an amazing resource!

And thanks for the comments. So far the Pearl (or that tuning) is the most popular. Ironic, because I almost never play a snare tuned that high. It does sound cool, though.
Oh, and they have books, too! 😁 I use those much more often than the recording studio.
 
Love it! I agree that the pearl sounded fantastic.
 
I'd have to pick the Pearl in this context. It cuts well without overpowering the ride or hats and fits well with the rest of the tubs. Speaking of rides, is that yours or the library's?

My local library is small and they also have books - lots of local history from local writers and historians (Rogers City, MI, USA - pop. 2900). Neato! Mrs Smoke visits often to restock and/or donate historical romances (I call 'em 'smut books' and will leave that to your imagination ;) ).
 
I'd have to pick the Pearl in this context. It cuts well without overpowering the ride or hats and fits well with the rest of the tubs. Speaking of rides, is that yours or the library's?

My local library is small and they also have books - lots of local history from local writers and historians (Rogers City, MI, USA - pop. 2900). Neato! Mrs Smoke visits often to restock and/or donate historical romances (I call 'em 'smut books' and will leave that to your imagination ;) ).
Nice! I'm a big fan of libraries, large or small.

The ride and hats are mine. It's the 2002 flat ride. 😊
 
Yeah! I bitch about where I live a fair amount, but I have to give credit to the public library system here. They have a full-on recording studio with acoustic drums, a high-end Roland e-kit, various instruments, two isolation booths, and a complete control room with recording gear. Free for residents to use. It just takes a long time to get a reservation. Still, what an amazing resource!

And thanks for the comments. So far the Pearl (or that tuning) is the most popular. Ironic, because I almost never play a snare tuned that high. It does sound cool, though.
In that context, I think the higher tuning works and that may well be what others are liking.

That’s really cool they put in a studio that’s got so much on the ball.
 
in my order of 60s Motown funkiness overtone-use age
1) Rogers
2) Slingerland
3) Pierl
you even slowed down when it got to the "pearl" : )
 
in my order of Motown funkiness overtone-use age
1) Rogers
2) Slingerland
3) Pierl
you even slowed down when it got to the "pearl" : )
Yeah, I was tinkering with some different ghost note patterns with the pearl.

I was amazed that the tempo for the Rogers and Slingie patterns was as close as it was, because those were recorded about an hour apart, with a lot of other stuff in between. 🤣
 
I had a little time at the library recording studio yesterday, and I took three snare drums to tinker with. I rarely get a chance to play at normal volume so it was a rare treat!

The Rogers has been the snare I usually use for gigs. It seems to handle most tunings pretty well, and I ended up with a tuning similar to what I'd gig with. Pretty middle of the road. The Slingerland is one I bought from @BobC, and this was the first time I'd really put it through it's paces. It is less versatile IMO, but it's perfect for the application I intended. That's where it's sitting in the video. Last was the Pearl, which is the real workhorse (along with my Rogers). It sounded good and responded well at every tuning. I ended up with it tuned high mostly because it handled that tuning better than the other two. They were all usable up high, but I liked the Pearl best.

Phone audio only.

No metronome, no planned parts. Just grooving and getting a feel for the drums. :)

That Rogers is a handsome drum.
 
Stroman, that's just the way I remember that Slingerland snare sounding. It was interesting to hear it played by someone else. It's not a real versatile drum, but it does what it does very well. I would try tuning it higher and see what you get. With The Kootz, the leader was constantly asking me to lower the tuning on it. Personally, I thought it sounded better cranked up, but that wasn't the sound he wanted. That's why I bought a 6.5 x 14 DW. No more complaints. BTW, I like the Rogers best. The Pearl snare sounded very dry.
 
Stroman, that's just the way I remember that Slingerland snare sounding. It was interesting to hear it played by someone else. It's not a real versatile drum, but it does what it does very well. I would try tuning it higher and see what you get. With The Kootz, the leader was constantly asking me to lower the tuning on it. Personally, I thought it sounded better cranked up, but that wasn't the sound he wanted. That's why I bought a 6.5 x 14 DW. No more complaints. BTW, I like the Rogers best. The Pearl snare sounded very dry.
Where I have the Slingie tuned in the video is about as low as I really liked it. Maybe just a touch lower was okay too, but then it started to get unruly. It sounded okay tuned higher, too. Cranked quite a bit, it had a very old-school jazz sound. I like it where it's tuned in the video, up to a smidge higher, for most of the gigs I do. 😊

As for the Rogers, it has been my main gig snare since I got it. It just sits so nicely with a band. Smooth without getting lost.

What shell is on your DW? I can imagine some of their shells would handle low tunings nicely.
 
Where I have the Slingie tuned in the video is about as low as I really liked it. Maybe just a touch lower was okay too, but then it started to get unruly. It sounded okay tuned higher, too. Cranked quite a bit, it had a very old-school jazz sound. I like it where it's tuned in the video, up to a smidge higher, for most of the gigs I do. 😊

As for the Rogers, it has been my main gig snare since I got it. It just sits so nicely with a band. Smooth without getting lost.

What shell is on your DW? I can imagine some of their shells would handle low tunings nicely.
Maple ply shell. I have it dialed in really well at this point. In the beginning, it took some experimentation, and the snare wires were slipping, but all I had to do was tighten the screws holding them. I really like the adjustable butt plate, but I rarely use it, to be honest, as the drum holds wire tension very well now.
 
Maple ply shell. I have it dialed in really well at this point. In the beginning, it took some experimentation, and the snare wires were slipping, but all I had to do was tighten the screws holding them. I really like the adjustable butt plate, but I rarely use it, to be honest, as the drum holds wire tension very well now.
It's always fun, getting to know a new drum! I'm sure it sounds fantastic. 😊
 
Of the three, the Pearl is the one I'd add to my collection, if I had to pick. (y)
Funny story - I kinda got the Pearl by accident. Music and Arts had purchased a local music store, and apparently they didn't carry that model of Pearl, so they had it marked as some super cheap model, about half the price of the Sensitone. I took it up to the counter and said, "I'm sure this is priced wrong, but if you'll sell it at that price, I'll take it right now." That's when they told me about not carrying it, etc. So I got a good deal.

I don't love the look - it's fine, just not really my aesthetic - but I sure can't argue with the sound, sensitivity, and versatility.
 
Funny story - I kinda got the Pearl by accident. Music and Arts had purchased a local music store, and apparently they didn't carry that model of Pearl, so they had it marked as some super cheap model, about half the price of the Sensitone. I took it up to the counter and said, "I'm sure this is priced wrong, but if you'll sell it at that price, I'll take it right now." That's when they told me about not carrying it, etc. So I got a good deal.

I don't love the look - it's fine, just not really my aesthetic - but I sure can't argue with the sound, sensitivity, and versatility.
Killer if you got it for close to 50% off. I could certainly live with the look. I could easily swap out my Supra for this(y)

As much as I'm a Yamaha fanboy, my Pearl Omar Hakim 13x5 is one of my favorite snares. Also from Pearl, I've got a Chad Smith 14x5 ..... and a Ltd. Ed. 13x9 birch.
 
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