Quick Snare Tuning Query....

[jimmyz]

Hello all,

I have been experimenting with snare tunings and need a touch of advice.

I really like low, fat warm snare tones (found on AIR, Beck, Turin Brakes and any good record from the 70s!) and I am trying to tune my snare down low to achieve these.

Using a tuner against various recordings, it seems that some of these tones result from a snare tuned as low as "G' or 'A'. I have never had much luck with getting a snare to go that low. Any tips?

I know alot of folks tune to 'A' top and bottom and then raise the top from there. I find this results in me going far too high, not just for the low warm sound, but for anything that doesn't sound too brittle. I normally go G on the bottom and raise the top to be a 3rd, 4th or 5th from there. So far I've tried this extensively on two different snares (with all sorts of skins/dampening combos) but I'm not there yet.

Any tips/advice? On good starting points to dial in from to achieve these sounds.

Thanks
J

[TheArchitect]

Originally Posted by jimmyz

Hello all,

I have been experimenting with snare tunings and need a touch of advice.

I really like low, fat warm snare tones (found on AIR, Beck, Turin Brakes and any good record from the 70s!) and I am trying to tune my snare down low to achieve these.

Using a tuner against various recordings, it seems that some of these tones result from a snare tuned as low as "G' or 'A'. I have never had much luck with getting a snare to go that low. Any tips?

I know alot of folks tune to 'A' top and bottom and then raise the top from there. I find this results in me going far too high, not just for the low warm sound, but for anything that doesn't sound too brittle. I normally go G on the bottom and raise the top to be a 3rd, 4th or 5th from there. So far I've tried this extensively on two different snares (with all sorts of skins/dampening combos) but I'm not there yet.

Any tips/advice? On good starting points to dial in from to achieve these sounds.

Thanks
J

70's snares were heavily dampened. It was very common to tune the skin to where it was just above wrinkled and place a wallet or other significant muffling on the head.

[cortisol]

Tune the snare side head for snare response and tune the batter head for pitch. So the batter head is much lower in pitch than the snare side head.

Buy an old marching snare off ebay as the depth of the drum makes for lower pitch resonance.

Try placing a tom on your snare and give it a wollop to see why you should buy a snare with a good amount of depth.

Peace,
cortisol

[arizonadrum]

even though you want a lower pitched sound, don't hesitate to keep the bottom snare side tunes fairly high. muffle the top head liberally with tape or moon gels and start bringing down the head until you get the tone you like. make sure the snare wires aren't too tight on the bottom head.

as far as heads go, i use ambassador snare side on the bottom and a coated black dot on the top.

[HeavyG]

Some suggestions...

Use your ears instead of a pitch. Understand the relationship between the batter head and the resonant. Tune the batter head about half as tight as your resonant head as a starting point. Use the resonant head to manage decay...the batter to manage fundamental pitch and tone character. We all know that every drum has a certain tuning where it just SINGS (where diameter, depth, muffling and head type all come together). Find it. Lessen the tension on your snare strainer so you will get a more percussive tone. The wallet trick works...I just find it a little annoying as a player. Use a Ludwig snare (Supra/Black Beauty or Acrolite).

Bonus points...Encourage the drummer to use a rimshot strike (ala Bruford) if you want something unique...and more depth.