Need some help tuning my snare.

TBBucs · #1 (**permalink**) 04-14-2009, 01:54 PM

Hey everyone. I'm not satisfied with my snare sound, so I plan on spending some time retuning it (finally) and getting it exactly where I want it. I don't know exactly how to go about doing it, though. I want to emulate the sound of Aaron Harris of Isis. Of course, there's no way I would ever be able to get his sound, even if I had all of the same equipment, but it's a reference point that I'm working towards.

For those who haven't heard of Aaron Harris, his snare has a woody, crack kind of a sound and he most often plays with his snares off.

Here's a video that demonstrates his sound pretty well:

http://www.tothestage.com/MediaDetai...=2&MediaId=153

So how would I go about getting a similar sound out of my snare? Should the batter head be tuned higher or lower (or the same as) the resonance head?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

don11817 · #2 (**permalink**) 04-14-2009, 11:10 PM

OK note he has a Brass shell. This has a fundamental sound/tone of its own... He is using a Evans HD Dry head on top (batter side) to eliminate overtones and I am sure he is using a less sensitive snare wire to eliminate buzz.

The batter head is usually tuned pretty darn tight but the snare side is usually tuned pretty tight as well. I usually take the batter side off while I tune the snare side, as the sound you hear most distinctively is the snare side (after all, the snares popping against this head are what you hear most, so this is the fundamental sound of the snare drum). I try to get the pitch I want, making sure the sound is consistent around the drum at each lug. I then replace the batter side and tune it up tight till I get the stick response I like... The finished sound is based on a lot of things: snares off, it sounds about a 5th above the 12" rack tom; the batter ad snare-side heads are resonant to each other; moon gel or studio rings can help dampen any unwanted overtones etc....

From this point on it's all about personal taste-- I like my snare warm, dry and medium-hi pitched, but I want a little thump in there too so it doesn't sound like a piccolo snare. I have a 14X6.5 inch snare to add a little of that lower-end punch and it's mahogany so it has a warm fundamental tone.

Here's a link to the best site I've ever seen on drum tuning. I have developed my own way of tuning over the years, but have still found this information valuable in helping me to select the tuning for my newest drum kit:
Drum Tuning Bible

Hope I've helped in some way....

**skinslapper** · #3 (**permalink**) 04-15-2009, 04:49 AM

Look at that, someone beat me to the punch of adding the drum tuning bible. I owe you a beer friend.

Yeah check that dude out. He's got an awesome tuning method and great advice on head selection. I can recomend the ST dry from evans to increase crack. I'm using one right now and I love it.

TBBucs · #4 (**permalink**) 04-16-2009, 11:33 AM

Wow, that's a lot of info to sort through

That website has everything you'd ever want to know and then some. Thanks man!

At this point I'm really thinking that it's the brass snare that makes Aaron's sound. Unfortunately, I don't really have the money to go out and buy a new snare at the moment. I suppose I could always just go test some out at the music store just to see if that really is what I need.

luke141 · #5 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 04:15 PM

hi i got a tama superstar hyperdrive custom desert sunburst i think is the colour, ive got everything else tuned up how i want it apart from the snare. i find that if i dont hit my snare in the middle the snare rings and ive made sure im not hitting the rim aswell. so is there any tips for me

elementxdemo · #6 (**permalink**) 04-21-2009, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luke141

hi i got a tama superstar hyperdrive custom desert sunburst i think is the colour, ive got everything else tuned up how i want it apart from the snare. i find that if i dont hit my snare in the middle the snare rings and ive made sure im not hitting the rim aswell. so is there any tips for me

what kind of sound do you want?

**Tainojim** · #7 (**permalink**) 04-21-2009, 04:14 PM

The tuning bible doesn't say much about improve. I've been using a drum dial for 25 years, it helps me tune up to different a spectrum as far as tuning the Batter vs the Resonator.

The dial comes with a chart to measure the pressure on the heads, no matter what type heads are used. The head is always tuned higher the resonator. Adjusting the snares can also be a task trying to get that sound you want to mimic.

Besides the wooden Gretsch 14x16, I also like the sound of my 14x4 Gretsch steel snare. My sons favorate and he plays industrial Rock. It produces a similar sound to the brass type.

Good luck on your quest.