How to get that really SHARP and SNAPPY 60's/70's snare sound

AnalogDimitri said:
I've always loved that super tight and snappy snare sound found on the old classic albums.
I guess if I were to narrow it down to one song I'd say https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bk9c63d_u0&spfreload=10
It's 21st century schizoid man by King Crimson.
You can really hear the snare at 4:35

So my question is how do I get this?
Is it a mix of mic placement and EQ?
Any help would be appreciated.
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Dampen the batter head, or use a very heavy center-dot batter head, and mic the top and bottom. Done. Instant 70s snare sound.
 
Greg_L said:
Dampen the batter head, or use a very heavy center-dot batter head, and mic the top and bottom. Done. Instant 70s snare sound.
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And don't overprocess. I'm pretty sure that in the 60/70s engineers didn't use multiple EQ's and compressors on one drum (as is possible with a DAW). Keep it simple and take time making the snare sound 'tight and snappy' in the room before hitting record - a bit of tape on the resonant head can work wonders.
 
Right. Good point. 60s/70s snare recordings sound nothing like modern snare recordings, so don't go all DAW crazy with it.
 
a few important elements to getting a classic 60s snare and/or drum sound:

1. good mic (neumann U47) into a simple well designed mic preamp (UA 610)

(overheads into coles STC 4038, kick into akg d20, )

2. a good EQ (EMI modular)

3. a good compressor/limiter (Fairchild 660 or 670 tube limiter)

4. a good classic plate reverb sound (UAD EMT)

5. a drummer that KNOWS that he cannot play as loud as he wants to.

6. a good kit (zildjian, ludwig, slingerland, gretsch, remo coated amassadors, snare tuned to a pitch that approximates a lot of 60's recordings)
 
#6 is a very good point :)

But assuming we don't all have £££££ to spend, careful mic placement and a bit of drum tuning will get you 90% of the way.
 
Just a little update, I was messing around with the tuning of my snare and I pretty much just went super tight on both the beater and resonant head and I GOT THE SOUND!

It's a particularly "dead" sound, not a lot of resonance. But it can totally work so some old school songs!
Thanks for input guys!
 
Raz Klinghoffer said:
Find a decent sample there are tons to choose from these days
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He wants to RECORD a snare. That's what this site is called - "Home Recording". Not "Home sample-triggering". That's the epitome of laziness, using a sample that a talented and skilled recording engineer has made.

By the way, how's it going with your atrocious spamming of Pensado's Place at the moment? Got any work out of it, yet?
 
AnalogDimitri said:
Just a little update, I was messing around with the tuning of my snare and I pretty much just went super tight on both the beater and resonant head and I GOT THE SOUND!
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Great stuff! Glad you've found it.

90% of 'how to get that sound' questions can be answered with 'get it right at souce' IMO...
 
Bubba po said:
By the way, how's it going with your atrocious spamming of Pensado's Place at the moment? Got any work out of it, yet?
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ive noticed some spamming by that guy too around youtube .. might get some short time work outta it but in the long run the people that matter will ignore him ...
 
Bubba po said:
He wants to RECORD a snare. That's what this site is called - "Home Recording". Not "Home sample-triggering". That's the epitome of laziness, using a sample that a talented and skilled recording engineer has made.

By the way, how's it going with your atrocious spamming of Pensado's Place at the moment? Got any work out of it, yet?
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Yup, this. ^^^^^^^

Raz is a spaz.
 
GONZO-X said:
1. good mic (neumann U47)
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What's a realistic equivalent of this mic nowadays? I doubt that OP has 3-10 grand to spare.
I know a guy that has one at his studio but he says he'd never use it because it's so expensive and most artists don't know what they've got in front of them :D
 
Schwarzenyaeger said:
What's a realistic equivalent of this mic nowadays? I doubt that OP has 3-10 grand to spare.
I know a guy that has one at his studio but he says he'd never use it because it's so expensive and most artists don't know what they've got in front of them :D
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gosh,
i have a fairly cheap ADK Hamburg, that is real close to the vibe of that mic..
there are lots of clones that are affordable,
just google
 
Schwarzenyaeger said:
What's a realistic equivalent of this mic nowadays? I doubt that OP has 3-10 grand to spare.
I know a guy that has one at his studio but he says he'd never use it because it's so expensive and most artists don't know what they've got in front of them :D
Click to expand...

I think the U47 FET is a better choice lol it takes high SPL well
 
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