Drum Samples - Getting That '70s/Early '80s Punk/Metal Snare Sound.. Help!

largactyl · 26th February 2009

hi all,

For years i've been searching for a good set of snare samples... something that sounds like the old hard rock/punk/metal from the '70s and early '80s. Anything I can find, it's either too "clicky" modern, or too "ringy"/resonant and drawn out, or too thin and weak for what I'm looking for..

Here are a couple of very general pointers for the sort of snare sound I'm after:

- Phil Taylor on MOTORHEAD - "Ace of Spades"
- Bill Ward on BLACK SABBATH - "Paranoid"
- Lars Ulrich on METALLICA - "Kill Em All" (but not afterwards..)
- Kim Ruzz on MERCYFUL FATE - "Nuns Have No Fun" (it does sound drawn-out, but only because of the reverb I guess.. MASSIVE snare sound there)
- Tons and tons of NWOBHM and Punk albums from the later '70s, early '80s.... the early DISCHARGE stuff, IRON MAIDEN - "Killers", etc...

So, basically...... snare hits that sound very short, dry, and punchy. None of that "ringing" resonant sound, or drawn-out tails. Kinda like the "cardboard" sound as some people call it, maybe with a bit more power

I also like to inject a lot of dynamics in the drums, so I'd prefer a set that has a complete range from very quiet to very loud hits.

So to sum it up.... does anyone know of a good sample CD or collection, where I can find this sort of snare sound?

sdrr00 · 19th July 2010

this is exactly what im looking for.. hoping some one will know where to find one

Mylesh · 20th July 2010

I love metal, but i must say that early recordings have terrible boxey sounding snares. The worst is on killing is my business.

bkbirge · 21st July 2010

Don't know about where you'd get samples but I can tell you how to get that sound from a real drum, at least the punk 80's sound since I did some of those records. Use a tight medium to high pitched tuning but don't tune all the lugs to the same tone, i.e. badly tuned drum but not 'loose'. Top mic on drum only close as possible to stick hit so you avoid any semblance of tone, damp the crap out of it and put it through a symetrix 501 or Urei 1176 at maximum smash. The higher the pitch of the drum the more low mids you should crank during mix to get that thud. When you're done you shouldn't be able to tell that there were snares on the drum, lol, all thud and stick click. I always hated that sound.

26th February 2009	#1
largactyl Gear interested Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1 Thread Starter	Drum Samples - Getting That '70s/Early '80s Punk/Metal Snare Sound.. Help! hi all, For years i've been searching for a good set of snare samples... something that sounds like the old hard rock/punk/metal from the '70s and early '80s. Anything I can find, it's either too "clicky" modern, or too "ringy"/resonant and drawn out, or too thin and weak for what I'm looking for.. Here are a couple of very general pointers for the sort of snare sound I'm after: - Phil Taylor on MOTORHEAD - "Ace of Spades" - Bill Ward on BLACK SABBATH - "Paranoid" - Lars Ulrich on METALLICA - "Kill Em All" (but not afterwards..) - Kim Ruzz on MERCYFUL FATE - "Nuns Have No Fun" (it does sound drawn-out, but only because of the reverb I guess.. MASSIVE snare sound there) - Tons and tons of NWOBHM and Punk albums from the later '70s, early '80s.... the early DISCHARGE stuff, IRON MAIDEN - "Killers", etc... So, basically...... snare hits that sound very short, dry, and punchy. None of that "ringing" resonant sound, or drawn-out tails. Kinda like the "cardboard" sound as some people call it, maybe with a bit more power I also like to inject a lot of dynamics in the drums, so I'd prefer a set that has a complete range from very quiet to very loud hits. So to sum it up.... does anyone know of a good sample CD or collection, where I can find this sort of snare sound?

20th July 2010	#3
Mylesh Gear Head Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 39	Drum Samples - Getting That '70s/Early '80s Punk/Metal Snare Sound.. Help! I love metal, but i must say that early recordings have terrible boxey sounding snares. The worst is on killing is my business.

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19th July 2010	#2
sdrr00 Gear Head Join Date: May 2009 Location: miami Posts: 65	this is exactly what im looking for.. hoping some one will know where to find one

21st July 2010	#4
bkbirge Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Houston Posts: 1,233	Don't know about where you'd get samples but I can tell you how to get that sound from a real drum, at least the punk 80's sound since I did some of those records. Use a tight medium to high pitched tuning but don't tune all the lugs to the same tone, i.e. badly tuned drum but not 'loose'. Top mic on drum only close as possible to stick hit so you avoid any semblance of tone, damp the crap out of it and put it through a symetrix 501 or Urei 1176 at maximum smash. The higher the pitch of the drum the more low mids you should crank during mix to get that thud. When you're done you shouldn't be able to tell that there were snares on the drum, lol, all thud and stick click. I always hated that sound.