5 Ways to Optimize Your Snare Drum Sound
Finding your ideal snare drum sound can be easier said than done and sometimes, people just end up accepting a half-hearted sound or giving up altogether. Don't worry, though, as this article will dive into the many ways to improve your snare drum sound and really enhance your overall playing experience.
1. SHOCKET REDUCTION GEL
There are many types of damping products designed to reduce the resonance of the snare drum. This gives you a fast, crisp snare sound. Depending on the style of the muffler, you can get new tones you never imagined could come from your snare drum simply by reducing the resonance.
MOON GEL Shock Absorber Pads
A great product at reducing resonance are RTOM's MoonGel Damper Pads.
They are glued directly to the face of the drum via their own adhesive and absorb any unwanted resonances for a flexible, vibration-free response.
MoonGel is especially useful during recording where reverb and other effects can be applied manually later.
SNAREWEIGHT #5 SNARE Shock Absorption SYSTEM
Second, the excellent #5 Snareweight Damping System, used specifically to dampen snare heads. It's also easy to be applied directly to your snare face and instantly enhances the tone of your snare.
Using fully interchangeable leather pads, Snareweight allows you to customize the level of damping to suit your playing style and preference, thus improving the overall tone of the snare drum. .
EVANS MIN-EMAD EXTERNAL SUPPLY PACK
Another great damping product is the Evans Min-EMAD External Damping Package. It is applied slightly differently from previous products as it is attached to the rim of the snare drum. This greatly reduces facial movement, which not only allows for snappy feedback, but also crisp, fast sound. The true tones of the snare will shine through.
2. MOISTURIZER PACK/TOICH
Drum humidification isn't just about gels and weights – pads and towels do a good job, too. With super easy applications, they are the ideal accessories to change and improve your snare sound without any adhesives.
BIG FAT SNARE DRUM “STEVE'S DONUT”
Big Fat Snare Drum “Steve's Donut” lowers the base pitch of the snare, creating a powerful and low attack. It's also designed to tighten up the snare's original tone, while reducing unwanted overtones and resonances.
The real beauty of Big Fat Snare Drum “Steve's Donut” is that it doesn't require any adhesive tape or gel. It holds firmly under its own weight, making gluing super easy!
BIG FAT SNARE DRUM “THE SNARE-BOURINE DONUT” 14” PADING PAD
Another great example of a damper cushion is the Big Fat Snare Drum “The Snare-Bourine Donut” 14” Dampening Pad. Similar to “Steve's Donut,” it applies a thick, classic sound and enhances the response of your snare drum. In addition, it has four small rattle drums that are attached to the pad to produce a unique sound with each hit.
BIG FAT SNARE DRUM QUESADILLA 14”
Moving on to the empty towel, the Big Fat Snare Drum Quesadilla 14" not only has a catchy name, but also dramatically reduces the timbre of your snare. This delivers a deep 70s-inspired drum sound. Ideal for any snare, it's super easy to use by resting on the surface of the snare with a hook that hooks onto the top of the snare, holding it in place. fix it in the correct position.
Overall, the Quesadilla reduces the fundamental pitch frequency extremely quickly and easily.
3. SNARE WIRE
Snare strings can have a huge impact on your snare drum sound without being too expensive. For such a simple design, there are many different combinations of snare strings, all created to improve the sound of your snare.
Has a snare cord with fewer threads allowing for faster attack and reaction; this works extremely well with metal drums where the beat needs to be fast and precise in every hit. However, less rope can affect the drum's articulation – this is definitely worth considering.
More threaded snare strings deliver a thicker, deeper sound with significant resonance – ideal for smooth, fluid playing styles like jazz or reggae. Of course, this will sacrifice attack and punch from your overall snare sound.
PURESOUND CUSTOM SERIES SNARE WIRE 16 STRAND
A good example of a snare string for metal drumming is the PureSound 16 Yarn Custom Series Snare String. It delivers 16 medium-sized ropes, providing a versatile, short attack with super-fast response. Fusing between two copper plates, it also adds professional-grade durability to withstand any hard knocks. With its user-friendly design, it is an ideal device to upgrade the sound of your snare drum.
SABIAN BLEND HYBRID 42
Another great snare used with a softer playing style is the incredible Sabian Blend Hybrid 42 snare. With 42 strings, it's perfect for delivering the rich, deep bass as well as maintaining the attacking highs often desired in snare drums.
This snare has been carefully crafted with a combination of metals formulated to get the most out of any snare drum. It's great for a snare sound with lots of natural and sustained reverb.
WORLDMAX 14 strand SNARE PURE SOUND Isolator
Recently, there have been innovative new designs of snare strings that allow you to experiment with alternative sounds and tones. An example of this is the WorldMax 14 Strand Pure Tone Split Snare Wire, which has been made with a split middle section to create more natural tones for your snare drum.
Another huge benefit of this division is that when used in live performances, it reduces the hum that often occurs. The frequency is propagated further on the drum surface instead of the wire.
4. REPLACEMENT EYES
More than ever, different drumheads are being designed to deliver exciting sounds using ingenious technology.
REMO POWERSTROKE Drum Side 3
A special example of a drum head that changes the timbre of your snare is the Remo Powerstroke 3 Coated Drum Face. Its coated finish not only ensures maximum control, but also provides fine control over the natural tones of the snare drum.
Single-layer 10mm film delivers subtle assault along with focused mids and basses. With outstanding durability, you can count on Remo Powerstroke 3 Coated Heads to achieve your perfect snare sound.
EVANS HYDRAULIC RED DRUM HEAD, 14''
The second great drum head that will add more tonality to your snare drum is the Evans Hydraulic Pad, 14''. Its unique design – a thin layer of oil between the two films – suppresses overtones to deliver super clear feedback. Combined with this innovative construction, Evans Hydraulic Drumheads deliver a deep sound with short sustain, ideal for all styles and genres of play.
Available in a variety of colors, it's sure to enhance your snare sound with minimal tweaking and sound reduction.
REMO AMBASSADOR HAZY SNARE SIDE DRUM HEAD
Some drummers tend to forget the resonance side, which is often the cause of a bad drum timbre. Changing the resonant head, also known as the “snare face”, will awaken all the natural reverb needed to create the perfect snare sound.
The Remo Ambassador Hazy Snare Side Drum Head is a great example of a resonating snare drum face ideal for powerful timbre. Its 3mm single layer design is engineered to produce an open sound with a perfectly balanced frequency range suitable for all types of snare drums. Its easy to tune design really takes the stress out of finding your perfect snare sound.
EVANS SNARE SIDE GLASS Drum Side 500
Evans Snare Side Glass 500 Drum Head, incorporating Evans' Level 360 technology. This allows for maximum contact between the drumhead and the case, amplifying every possible timbre. Its 5mm single-layer design has been carefully crafted to deliver a deep, husky response that is ideal for heavier playing styles.
The Evans Snare Side Glass 500 drumhead also includes a super controlled durability, best suited for rock drumming where a little bit of reverberation is key. Durability is Evans' main focus and this resonant head won't let you down!
5. SMALL ADJUSTMENT
Tuning is arguably the most important way to change your overall snare sound. Ultimately, without the right tuning, any other form of tone change will not work to its full potential.
A good trick is to adjust the opposite lugs, tightening the skin and allowing it to sit snugly against your drum shell. This will always ensure the best attack from your snare drum. Another benefit of this method is that it ensures longevity of the face, giving you better tone for longer.
EVANS TUNEUP KIT, UV1 14”
If you're looking for a way to completely improve your snare timbre instead of changing individual parts, the Evans TuneUp Kit could be everything you need – and more!
Evans TuneUp Kit, UV1 14” is the ultimate package for easy tuning. It features an Evans UV1 Batter drumhead, an Evans Snare Side Hazy 300 head, a Pure Sound 20-strand snare string, a pair of special edition Barney Beats Promark 5A drumsticks and accessories for fine-tuning.
This tuner has been specially designed for you to find your own unique snare drum sound. If you still haven't found your perfect snare sound, the TuneUp set has everything you need to upgrade any snare drum. Simply add faces, adjust, apply EQ faders and you're on your way to some great sound.
EVANS TUNEUP KIT, CALFTONE
Looking for a snare head to play softly, but still require a unique sound? Evans TuneUp Kit, Calftone is the ideal choice for you.
With the same accessories and tools from the previous Evans TuneUp set, it's perfect to find your sound.
The Evans 56 Calftone 14" drum head is suitable for jazz drummers, providing a durable, open and warm sound.
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