Secret of a great snare sound

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Bulls Hit

Well-known member
I've been tracking drums at home for around 4 years now.



In the search for that great snare drum sound I've EQ'd, compressed, multibanded, limited, distorted, delayed, reverb'd, doubled, enveloped, triggered and phase aligned countless snare tracks. Not to mention different heads, different tunings, different mics, different mic positions, different preamps.



And the secret to that great sound? Hit the fuggin snare properly!



Thank you, that's all. Leave your donation at the door on the way out
 
I am not a very good drummer, but I will keep that in mind...thank you very much. My donation has been left at your door. It needs to be fed three times a day.... :eek: :D
 
Poor grip and angle are the most common mistakes. Pick a grip and stick with it! Set your stand up properly.

I use a german grip for snare/drumset since it is pretty interchangable with 2 mallet marimba grip (I use a Steven's grip for 4 mallet work).
 
Bulls Hit said:
And the secret to that great sound? Hit the fuggin snare properly!
Click to expand...
YES!!! Couldn't agree with you more!!!
 
i third that. great sounding drum tones come from the drums being played propperly. the best way to get a deep sounding cracky snare...is to hit it really hard =)
 
Yea I've seen drummers hit the snare like they were trying to strike a match.
 
I think you left out the part about starting with a great sounding snare...
 
Bulls Hit said:
...And the secret to that great sound? Hit the fuggin snare properly!...
Click to expand...

So, what exactly do you mean by "properly"? How do I know what's proper or improper? Do you mean only hit the top of the drum and not the sides or bottom? :D
 
"well hello my name is emkay and I am a drummer".........

Everybody!! ....."Hello Emkay!@!!"........anyways here's my 2 cents after many years in the "session wars". This is the recipe that I have found works, and it's really not much of a secret--

-a snare drum that is true (round)
-bearing edges where the heads "sit" should also be "true"and cut in the case of wood, or "pressed" in the case of metal at the proper angle
-the snare bed, the part of the bottom (batter side0 of the shell where the "snares" span, should be the optimal angle and width depending on the number of "strands" of the snares
-make sure the cord or nylon strips that support the snares are properly seated, tensioned and connected to both the "butt" and the "throw off"
-in my experience, I have found that coated ambassadors on top and clear diplomats on the bottom (Remo) seem to be the magic combo heads, but don't last as long as the "thicker" heads, but they don't "choke" the drum as much as thicker heads do, ofcourse proper tuning of both heads is also very important
-in my experience, I have been surprised how much "bigger", smaller drums sound in the studio
-if a drum gets a little "out of control", just a "rolled up" piece of gaffers, or "moon gel", or the old wallet trick works, if you like the more "dry" snare sound
-whether the shell is wood, metal, composite or whatever, most of the above holds true

-with a "good" drum played by a "good" drummer in a "good" room, the rest is easy----add mics ,pres etc. to taste!
-this all might be alot for a non drummer, so here is what I suggest. Most drum shops are pretty friendly places. I'm sure if you went with your snare or snares and voiced your concerns, they should be able to check to first of all make sure the drums are physically "correct' for recording. If not, they will tell you how much it will cost, if they're worth the expense to make the drum(s) recording ready. If the drum(s) are fine, then just new heads are in order. Let them put the heads on for you, watch and ask questions, that'll help alot! If your drum sucks, let them recommend one good workhorse snare for you that fits your budget. Make sure you go to a shop that's not part of a franchise like Guitar Center etc., you'll get better more friendly service at a drum specialty shop.....good luck....hope this helps....I'm sure other drummers here at GS will gladly share their secrets, advice and insight......peace,,
 
marvkan said:
Everybody!! ....."Hello Emkay!@!!"........anyways here's my 2 cents after many years in the "session wars". This is the recipe that I have found works, and it's really not much of a secret--

-a snare drum that is true (round)
-bearing edges where the heads "sit" should also be "true"and cut in the case of wood, or "pressed" in the case of metal at the proper angle
-the snare bed, the part of the bottom (batter side0 of the shell where the "snares" span, should be the optimal angle and width depending on the number of "strands" of the snares
-make sure the cord or nylon strips that support the snares are properly seated, tensioned and connected to both the "butt" and the "throw off"
-in my experience, I have found that coated ambassadors on top and clear diplomats on the bottom (Remo) seem to be the magic combo heads, but don't last as long as the "thicker" heads, but they don't "choke" the drum as much as thicker heads do, ofcourse proper tuning of both heads is also very important
-in my experience, I have been surprised how much "bigger", smaller drums sound in the studio
-if a drum gets a little "out of control", just a "rolled up" piece of gaffers, or "moon gel", or the old wallet trick works, if you like the more "dry" snare sound
-whether the shell is wood, metal, composite or whatever, most of the above holds true

-with a "good" drum played by a "good" drummer in a "good" room, the rest is easy----add mics ,pres etc. to taste!
-this all might be alot for a non drummer, so here is what I suggest. Most drum shops are pretty friendly places. I'm sure if you went with your snare or snares and voiced your concerns, they should be able to check to first of all make sure the drums are physically "correct' for recording. If not, they will tell you how much it will cost, if they're worth the expense to make the drum(s) recording ready. If the drum(s) are fine, then just new heads are in order. Let them put the heads on for you, watch and ask questions, that'll help alot! If your drum sucks, let them recommend one good workhorse snare for you that fits your budget. Make sure you go to a shop that's not part of a franchise like Guitar Center etc., you'll get better more friendly service at a drum specialty shop.....good luck....hope this helps....I'm sure other drummers here at GS will gladly share their secrets, advice and insight......peace,,
Click to expand...
-------------------oops!! sorry guys!! meant Home Recording.......not GS---really I did! i bounce back and forth alot. you know what I mean........cheers.....
 
marvkan said:
-------------------oops!! sorry guys!! meant Home Recording.......not GS---really I did! i bounce back and forth alot. you know what I mean........cheers.....
Click to expand...


This is THE LAST apology--I swear!! Godammitt, "Bulls Hit" wasn't asking for advice, he was sharing his secret!! Man!! i was up pretty much all night "mixing" and editing, so didn't quite absorb the original post.. Sorry again....I need an "effing" drink....what a "shmuck" I am......later.......
 
RawDepth said:
So, what exactly do you mean by "properly"? How do I know what's proper or improper? Do you mean only hit the top of the drum and not the sides or bottom? :D
Click to expand...

Heh you want a definition of properly. OK, well by properly I mean consistently. Nail that rim shot every beat, not 3 out of 4..
 
Bulls Hit said:
I've been tracking drums at home for around 4 years now.

And the secret to that great sound? Hit the fuggin snare properly!
Click to expand...
That is very true, but you need a great sounding snare to get a great sounding snare recording. Some average OHs and 2 SM57s, 1 at the top 1 at the bottom, then you cant really go wrong in getting a great snare sound.

Eck
 
As a drummer, I've got to agree 110% with Marvkan. In order of importance:

1. Consistent drummer with proper technique
2. Fresh heads tuned appropriately to sound sought
3. Level and consistent bearing edges (sharp or round) and snare bed
4. Material of shell / hoops / etc.

For me the drummer is most important, followed by the tuning of the drum, which relies HEAVILY upon the quality of the bearing edges and snare bed, and the rest of it is all for color.

Personally, I like thicker shelled snares, maple, with sharp edges and a SLIGHT rounding (just knocked down lightly with some 400 grit sandpaper). I also like flanged hoops as I can tune them to have more ring and sustain than cast hoops. If I want less ring, I can get some moongel. Less sustain, thicker heads. Granted I've been playing for 12 years, but I can take a mic and place it a foot from the side of the snare and get my sound. The whole thing operates as a unit and I manipulate however I want to get the different colors out of it.
 
hitting it properly helps indeed

I think an education involving un-mic'd kits & loud backline is in order for all the unexperienced drum ppl

:D also having a good drum helps enormously :D
 
marvkan said:
Everybody!! ....."Hello Emkay!@!!"........anyways here's my 2 cents after many years in the "session wars". This is the recipe that I have found works, and it's really not much of a secret--

-a snare drum that is true (round)
-bearing edges where the heads "sit" should also be "true"and cut in the case of wood, or "pressed" in the case of metal at the proper angle
-the snare bed, the part of the bottom (batter side0 of the shell where the "snares" span, should be the optimal angle and width depending on the number of "strands" of the snares
-make sure the cord or nylon strips that support the snares are properly seated, tensioned and connected to both the "butt" and the "throw off"
-in my experience, I have found that coated ambassadors on top and clear diplomats on the bottom (Remo) seem to be the magic combo heads, but don't last as long as the "thicker" heads, but they don't "choke" the drum as much as thicker heads do, ofcourse proper tuning of both heads is also very important
-in my experience, I have been surprised how much "bigger", smaller drums sound in the studio
-if a drum gets a little "out of control", just a "rolled up" piece of gaffers, or "moon gel", or the old wallet trick works, if you like the more "dry" snare sound
-whether the shell is wood, metal, composite or whatever, most of the above holds true

-with a "good" drum played by a "good" drummer in a "good" room, the rest is easy----add mics ,pres etc. to taste!
-this all might be alot for a non drummer, so here is what I suggest. Most drum shops are pretty friendly places. I'm sure if you went with your snare or snares and voiced your concerns, they should be able to check to first of all make sure the drums are physically "correct' for recording. If not, they will tell you how much it will cost, if they're worth the expense to make the drum(s) recording ready. If the drum(s) are fine, then just new heads are in order. Let them put the heads on for you, watch and ask questions, that'll help alot! If your drum sucks, let them recommend one good workhorse snare for you that fits your budget. Make sure you go to a shop that's not part of a franchise like Guitar Center etc., you'll get better more friendly service at a drum specialty shop.....good luck....hope this helps....I'm sure other drummers here at GS will gladly share their secrets, advice and insight......peace,,
Click to expand...

Wow..I think that's nearly word-for-word what the Drum Doctor says in his interview for "The Recording Engineer's Handbook," starting at about page 86 you can pic out lines word for word that were posted here. While it's good knowledge, I think it would be proper to cite the source rather than act like you're a professional drum tech.
 
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