Snare secrets

[Zeppelin4Life]

What is everyones secret for a good punchy rock snare? Do you usually record the drum with a muffle on the head or not?

[Kenny Gioia]

I never use the muffle.

I do use zero rings made from broken heads and cut to size.

I'll mic top and bottom but sometimes the sides.

When the snare sounds good when I hit it, than I mic it. Not before.

Good Luck.

[Riad]

Samples.

[Ted Nightshade]

Calfskin heads, gut snare, no muffling but the tuning and where the drum is hit.

Ferocious!

[bpatural]

hit it hard, make sure it's not tuned too high, use a little moon gel, and maybe a little distressor/transient designer for processing...instant punchy snare.

[~ufo~]

Geeeeeeeeeeezzzz how many times more will I have to repeat this ? ? ?

Rule 1: always put new strings on it a day or so before the session.
Rule 2: tune it in open E, G, B whatever's the key of the song.
Rule 3: hit it HARD ! ! !
Rule 4: Make sure it's not yours.

Rule 5: or mine.

Happy bashing

[Yutaka]

I've been using a drum stick to align the snare mic. One end would be at the centre of the snare, and the other end would be at the snare mic. I'd try to aim the centre at 45 degrees or so. I can get the ringy stuff to be much lower this way, and also the snare sounds punchier. I don't try to get the snare sound with snare mic alone, but I'd judge it with OHs and room mics.

[Jules]

Originally Posted by Produceher

When the snare sounds good when I hit it, than I mic it.

Ha!

Good one!

[max cooper]

I like the Zero ring deal, but I usually end up cutting parts of it away until I think it sounds good.

I really like the Master Destrukto plugin that Audio Damage makes. They have a free Fuzz plugin that's nice too. But I've used all kinds of distortion devices on snare drums.

I've tried adding white (or other color) noise to the snare, but I like distortion better.

[Jules]

Originally Posted by Produceher

When the snare sounds good when I hit it, than I mic it. Not before.

Ha! Good one

[Flora]

Originally Posted by ~ufo~

Geeeeeeeeeeezzzz how many times more will I have to repeat this ? ? ?

Rule 1: always put new strings on it a day or so before the session.

I ALWAYS change the strings on my snare before a session!

[pigpen]

57, tuned snare, distressor....sometimes a beta 57 on the top and a regular 57 on the bottom...other times, just 2- 57's...
Then there are times I just mic the stool hoping for some flatulence since it sounds better than his snare

[nukmusic]

Originally Posted by pigpen

57, tuned snare, distressor....sometimes a beta 57 on the top and a regular 57 on the bottom...other times, just 2- 57's...
Then there are times I just mic the stool hoping for some flatulence since it sounds better than his snare

I've wondered how the Beta57 compares to the SM57?

[pigpen]

A bit brighter really, somtimes it works, sometimes not. I don't like it at all on gtrs though.

[84K]

Snare Secrets?

Good Drummer
New Heads
Spend Time Tuning
Good Chain
Keep As Much HH Bleed Out As You Can (Without Gating)
Compress To Taste, But Tastefully
Mic Top And Bottom (Flip The Phase On The Bottom Mic)
EQ With The Overheads And Snare Mics Solo'd (Get Your Snare Sound From The Mixture Of The OHS And The Snare Mics **And Mono Room Mic If You Do It That Way*** I Do)
Hmmm. Let's See... Did I Say Good Drummer....

[Zeppelin4Life]

well my snares sound great live, but ive never liked using zero-rings or jell or whatever. I tried this today though, and I was very happy with the results. the lack of resonance makes it very easy to mix, and adding reverb makes it sound great. i think if i wanted a dry sound (no reverb, room mics) id definetly not using rings, but close micing it works.

[C/G]

I have never been a fan of the zero ring thingys. I found I got a way better snare sound the day I started using moon gels. They don't seem to choke the sound of the snare like the zero rings. I just use the gels on my snare, not on toms. If I could only find a nice set of snare wires. I tried the puresounds and I don't like the sound. Too dark. There are some out there that are not prone to any sympathetic vibrations but I am not sure of a brand name or how they sound.

[Kestral]

Originally Posted by Ted Nightshade

Calfskin heads, gut snare, no muffling but the tuning and where the drum is hit.

Ferocious!

Geez, why not just beat a baby cow? :D

[Doublehelix]

Been a SM57 on the top, and a Sennheiser MD441 on the bottom (phase-reversed, of course) man for a long time, but I am not really happy with the 57 sound, and I end up eq'ing the crap out of it to get the "snap" I am looking for.

I have finally decided to ditch the 57, and try some new mics so I can get the sound closer to what I am looking for at the source.

So far, I have tried an Audix I5 that was "ok", and a Beta 56 (just a re-packaged Beta 57), and that was still not "snappy" enough for me.

So now I am experimenting with possibly adding an SDC to the top head (like a KM184 that has a bit of sizzle), or possibly moving the 441 to the top head, and trying the SDC on the bottom...

Personally, I am still looking for that magic snap that doesn't require boatloads of EQ to get...maybe I'm just dreaming...

[wilcofan]

I find the O-ring (or zero-ring as you guys seem to call it) is overkill for muting the "ping" and takes a lot of other desirable tone away with it. Usually the ringing overtone can be tamed with one well placed tissue folded and gaff-taped. I think the snare sounds more lively and natural this way.

I just tune the snare (WHOLE other topic) first and ignore the ping. Then I hit and move my thumb around until the ping is muted. Sometimes a second is needed, same routine after the first is on there.

I used to 57 up and whatever condenser I didn't mind risking below. Now I just record room mics and add samples for the close sound!

[brownmouse]

[QUOTE=Doublehelix]

I have finally decided to ditch the 57, and try some new mics so I can get the sound closer to what I am looking for at the source.
QUOTE]
have you tried a beyer m-201?
joshua

[Zeppelin4Life]

Heres an example of what I got...how does that snare cut? Sounds good on this end http://www.mydocsonline.com/pub/Plat...west2intro.mp3

IMO the 57 is a great mic..once you learn it. it can be a pain in the ASS to EQ.

[dale116dot7]

Often I use a C451 on top for snare. But I like condensors - I use an Altec M11 as a kick mic...

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

Player

Snare

Neve/API/Wunder

57/ akg 414/ KM84

Mult off so i can have an eq/comp if needs be.

EQ or comp to taste

put feet up...

Wiggy

[max cooper]

I've tried different bottom mics on the snare, but I never end up using one in the final mix. I think I finally realized that it's not a very natural way to hear a snare drum. I keep trying, though!

[Moofie]

1. someone who can hit it
2. a great snare (deep with hide skins)
3. 4038 about 2 sticks straight over centre
4. through a TG2 or V76/80
5. done

[pieter k]

Originally Posted by dale116dot7

Often I use a C451 on top for snare.

Interesting; I tried that just last week in combination with an AEA R84 OH, AT4047 FOK and a Sennheiser e602 in the kick. During playback, I found myself mostly nixing the AKG (and the Sennheiser, FWIW). It didn't seem to be adding anything useful or interesting, it only reinforced a certain bandwidth that the OH was already representing very nicely, resulting in a slightly less balanced, somewhat more artificial sound. I swapped it with an SM7b, and that was better . Rounder, fuller sound; more tone, less attack; miles better than an SM57 to me.

But I ultimately still preferred just the AEA and AT, but I'm not really looking for a rock sound, so that may be of limited interest.

[kevinc]

Originally Posted by max cooper

I've tried different bottom mics on the snare, but I never end up using one in the final mix. I think I finally realized that it's not a very natural way to hear a snare drum. I keep trying, though!

I don`t really get into the bottom mic and as a matter of fact I don`t usually like one on top. It gets too y or bouncy sounding for me up there unless I back up quite a bit off the head.

I usually mic the side of the shell which sounds the most like a real snare drum in the room to me. Not sure why but it works.

[C/G]

Originally Posted by kevinc

I usually mic the side of the shell which sounds the most like a real snare drum in the room to me. Not sure why but it works.

Done that and I like it ( on that day, me as a drummer, ymmv ect ). Did it with a 451E. I think it picks up on the resonance of the shell rather than the sound of the snare wires. I find one gets enough of the snare wire sound bleeding into the top-o-the snare mic anyway. I have only done it on a maple snare not a metal one.

[beechstudio]

57 top and bottom+ BAE 312+ API 550+ 1176 = Snare heaven.