Choosing The Sound of Your Snare Drum | Season Six, Episode 16

Sure, every snare drum is capable of a multitude of sounds but what’s your default, go-to, reliable sound and setup for a particular snare? How do you even go about making those decisions based on the drum? We’ll go into our methodology with three different snare drum examples.

PATREON:

PRODUCTION PARTNERS:

Signal chain:
Mics - Focusrite Clarett 8Pre USB- Mac Studio w/Pro Tools 2022.5
Recorded at 48kHz / 24bit

Acoustic Treatment:

Drums:
Pearl Masters Maple Custom Extra with matching snare, 60’s Ludwig Acrolite, ddrum NOB Vintone
Cymbals:
22” Jesse Simpson clone of old Zildjian A, 15" Zildjian Kerope Hihats

Drumheads:
Snare: Evans G12 coated / Snare Side 300
Snare Wires: PureSound Custom Pro Steel 20-strand
Toms: N/A
Kick Drum: Evans UV EQ4/ EQ3 Coated White Reso

Hosted by: Cody Rahn
Production & Consulting: Ben O'Brien Smith @ Cadence Independent Media

Click for different colors, sizes, etc.
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Leave your questions, comments, suggestions, requests down below and don't forget to subscribe!

*NOTE: Troll comments will be deleted. You're welcome to disagree with whatever you like but let's keep the conversation civilized and focused on drums.
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Sounds Like a Drum is a CADENCE INDEPENDENT MEDIA production

[SoundsLikeADrum]

Watching people get riled up in the comments over the statement regarding shell material not being nearly as impactful as industry marketing has lead people to believe... 🍿😂

[williamfotiou]

Every time I bought another snare, it was solely because when I hit it, it inspired me to play something new, or differently. Let's face it, inspiration comes in many ways but nothing like you hit it for the first time!!!

[TsunamiBeefPies]

I thought I wasn't going to comment on this video. Goodness knows you've heard me drone on and on about my Super Sensitive, to the point where you've probably had enough of it. But then, Cody, you said "Every drum that you have has a hundred drums inside it, " and I literally got chills and a big grin busted out on my face. I know people who own lots (and I mean LOTS) of drum kits, but I've happily had the same kit and the same snare now for time out of mind. I've played around with it, and experimented with different sounds and tunings, and found tons of versatility in just the things I have. I've also found what the limitations of my stuff are, and how to get almost any sound that I can imagine from my kit. That's why I love it so damn much.

As always, thanks, guys. You're one of the reasons that I love Tuesdays.

[davidkean]

good work Cody. educational & entertaining

[johnreardon]

The house snare at my blues venue, a 5x14 nickel over brass Sensitone Classic II with zinc die cast hoops, has been experimented on extensively thanks to this channel. Every time we try new things and dial it in, Cory here gets me to change it again! Haha! It's fun!

Lately we've been tuning it down a little. We're looking for a more blended sound, but don't want to lose too much crack.

This video taught me exactly how I might achieve that goal and why. Thanks! Perfect timing this week!

[arthurazoubel]

Funny fact, every time I watch your videos I end up with more questions than answers 😅

Don’t worry, that’s a compliment. Great job as always!

[johnnymb]

Every drummer needs to watch this. 16 minutes that will change the way you look at and choose snares for the rest of your drumming career. Thank you for saying what many will not admit.

[DrummerRIP]

Incredible wisdom - it's amazing how tied up we can get with simple materials: Copper, COB, Steel, Maple.... It does make a difference but NOT an earthshattering difference like I once thought... Playing under a live microphone for years at church helped me to slowly see this. 10 out of 10! TY

[Joethedrummer]

I love these latest videos in particular. Sounds Like An Anti BS Warrior 😀

[alsdrumhang]

Excellent video! I've gravitated to setting my various snares to certain tunings and head combos that work great for them and choosing a snare to get a certain sound on demand. I found it interesting that you chose three of the sounds I currently have in three of my snares 😂 keep up the great work!

[jndmoto]

I'm a bit late watching some of these videos but im finding myself seriously impressed by all of them. Top Quality information. 👍

[supacrispy]

Tama metalworks 13" x 4" piccolo. Thats my snare and i love it. I have others, but that little firecracker really pops the way i like

[edsterling]

Great video. The Ludwig Acrolite is amazingly good at recording. I have maybe 15+ snares and my 1970s acro is the "run back into the burning building to grab" snare.

[Stanleytone-]

My 1964 Slingerland wood shell 5.5 x14 sounds just perfect or just like Gene. Same thing 👌

[andybrown]

Great stuff as always! I find myself very conscious with different snare sounds for different gigs.

[jimflys]

My main take away, " Having a huge Rolodex of info to use." Love it !

[TylerOath]

I used to have a few metal snares, now I’m down to two. A 90s acrolite with the black galaxy finish, and a Joey jordison signature. All of my other drums are wood of various depths. I am also stubborn when it comes to finishes, if it doesn’t have a good looking finish, I am not enticed enough to play it. No matter the sound! I used to own a black beauty, but I sold it because I never played it lol.

[marty]

My favorite snare is a one of a kind. I'd heard that Buddy Rich played a fiberglass snare for years and I like his snare sound, so I found a unique shell to build out. It's a 15x4.5" fiberglass with shallow beds. I use a heavy batter rim and a medium weight snare side rim, tight, but not ridiculous reso and pretty tight batter. The overall pitch is about what you'd get from a mid range tension 14" snare, but the 15" head is tighter so better stick response, and the fiberglass shell gives you that crisp, articulate sound that Buddy Rich was famous for. That said, my COB 60's Slingerland is great as is my collectors edition Tama I've discovered, yes you can have too many snare drums !!!

[Funkybassuk]

I wanted a Clyde Stubblefield sound so I got a Ludwig Supraphonic, experimented with tuning and muffling over the course of a few weeks, changed the snare wires and finally swapped out the cheap plastic snare straps for a different type of cheap Mylar snare strap. I’m very happy with it now and wouldn’t change it at all.

I have a DW snare for all other experimentation.

[lungching]

For me after 27 years
1-aluminiun 14× 5, 5 all purpose
2-maple snare for more acoustic gigs
3-heavy beech funk and latin
4- brass rock and heavy playing
But I 'm playing much more the first one
Just my personnal vient

By the way, thanks for your amazing work