Just follow Bob step by step in the video... perfect snare drum every time.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxm3QunDjUs[/ame]

John

Try 1.5 turns on top, 2 turns on bottom, above finger tight. Go up a quarter turn on all rods if you dont like that. Go up another quarter turn if you dont like that. A Dynasonic COB loves 2 top, 2.5 on bottom. Single ply coated batter, ambassador snare side. My Ludwigs like it at about 1.5 and 2, top and bottom.

I have used Bob's trick of raising the snares off the snare head with a stick ever since I saw this video. While probably obvious, do not use a chewed up stick as it will certainly foul the snares when you insert it. Also, be gentle when doing that so as not to damage any snare strands.

Slingerland, I have never used a drum dial and instead, just match the pitch. I am sure the drum dial works great as a lot of guys swear by them, but I prefer the pitch method as it works for me. If a drummer cannot "match pitch" (i.e. if you hear an A can you sing an A or at least know when you hear another A?), then tuning by pitch will be more or less impossible. There is no shame in it, but there are drummers that are tone deaf.

Anyway, if I am starting from scratch on snare drum I know nothing about, I generally take the reso about as tight as I can get it. Make sure the head is in tune with itself. Also, make sure the snares center on the head and that you don't have a straggler or two in the bunch. The snare mechanism should pull the snares evenly across the head. Any issues here will have a negative impact on snare response. Once all of that is sorted out, you should be able to produce a wide range of suitable snare sounds by the tensioning of the batter head, from loose and sloppy to tight and crisp.

Every drum is different so it may take a while to get to know it. Unlike other drums, one thing you do not want is a resonant snare head. If it is resonating, then that would be a sustained snare buzz with each stroke. Ugh. That is why I start REALLY tight. One downside to starting really tight is that, due to thinness of that head, it may not tune down for you very well as it has been stretched out. I would still start there though.

If you have a lot of snare buzz then double check the quality of your snares and also try adjusting the tension of the four lugs on either side of the snare bed. Quite often, poor snare performance is due to poor snares. If you feel like you have too much sympathetic vibration between your toms and snare, then you may try retuning the toms or the snare a bit so they are not on the same note or a note that sets off the sympathetic vibration. I think some guys get a little too hung up on this as the snares resonating with the toms is actually part of the natural ensemble sound of a drum kit.

Hope this helps. It's my iPhone and I'll have typos when it wants me to.

It is VERY important to know what it is you are looking for in a snare sound. It is also critical to have an idea, when you get suggestions, as to what kind of results those suggestions will yield. If your ideal snare sound is similar to that of Stewart Copeland on Synchronicity II and someone gives you advice for their favorite Don Henley snare sound, then you will be sadly disappointed with the results.

Over and over I find guys that don't know what sound they are trying to achieve in the first place, or they might be trying to create a sound for which their particular snare is not well suited. Don't forget that the sounds you hear on recordings and at major concerts are the result of far more than just a drum, head selection, tuning and technique. Mic selection, placement, eq, compression, shelving, room ambience, etc. all contribute to that sound. Likewise, a lot of guys really want to hear the "finished" sound directly from their drum when played in an isolated situation. In reality there is probably additional sustain and overtones in that sound. It's those characteristics that help the sound travel through all of the other audio information in stage.

Think of it this way, when you hit a crash cymbal, you hear it sustain for a very long time. Now go out front with a full band and that crash cymbal sustain is only heard for 3-4 seconds.

Lastly, remember you are the only person that hears you drums from directly above. They sound quite different out front.

Slingerland, I dont see where you state what heads you're using.

Are you using a proper snare reso head vs. a standard clear reso?

Are your wires in good shape and aligned, etc.

Where in IL are you?

Shawn

I'm in roselle, 2o miles west of downtown. I have what appears to be an original slingerland bottom snare head, (perfect shape, also wires look original also) I put one of those new Aquarian Triple Thread heads on batter, been reading about those heads on their web site, 3 ply. here are some pics

do you think the wires and bottom heads should be replaced?

Hey Slingerland, that's a heavy head (Aquarian triplethreat) maybe switching to a coated batter like a REMO or an Evans EC II will improve the sound of that drum. I have the identical drum, minus the chrome plating, and it is one of the best sounding snare drums I own. Swap out that thick/heavy Aquarian for something thinner.

[IMG]http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n632/PurdieShuffle/slingybrass.jpg[/IMG]

John

I agree with Purdie. Single ply coated or a single ply coated with some dampening like the Remo inverted black dot. I also occaionally use the Evans HD genera dry heads with the vents. There are just some drums that those sound really good on. All if that to say, stay with a thinner head.

As to reso heads and snares, some guys swear by whatever has been on there since LBJ was president. Personnaly, I think that is an overlooked item. Eventually that thin snare head will get tired of being stretched that tight. Same thing with snares. If they still sound good to great then leave them alone. If not then they might need replacing. Other than the $$ spent, you cannot hardly go wrong with new heads and snares.

Now all the guys that love old, beat up heads can start piling on.

> Now all the guys that love old, beat up heads can start piling on.

"You effeminate son of a window dresser! I blow a fahrt in your general direction!"

LOL

John