HOW-TO: Tuning a Snare to produce a low thud sound ?

[Softwaremaker]

Dear experts,

Assuming this:
1) Limited Budget
2) No Shell to play with
3) With only budget for a top batter head

Of course, nothing is perfect and I dont have the budget or luxury to play with top quality wood/metal shell.

How does one get a 14" wood snare to produce a low thud sound that seems to be the sound I hear in most professional recordings ? As opposed to those loud, crisp, pingy snare tones that is usually heard in school marching bands.

1) What kind of batter skin should one get ? 1-ply ? 2-ply ?
2) Special skins - Reverse Dot, Hydraulic ?
3) How does one tune the tension of both the batter and snare heads to produce that low thud sound ?
3) Will dampening help ? How?

I appreciate any sort of advice to help me achieve that type of sound with my constraints.

 

[plainsman]

im not sure which "thud" you might be talking about.... but if it might be the "che", "chish" or "doosh" then go check out steve jordan dvd the groove is here

he seems to have made a stack of something (tissue paper + masking tape??) and dumped it on top of a typical coated... then pointed a shure 57 at it.... check out the screen cap below:

don't be afraid to experiment !!... other than gear.. play around wif processing and other diy or low cost methods.... some of the classic recordings were achieved with really spartan gear (maybe thats why everybody has a good ol' steel snare of some sort)

if u end up with a thud with a slight twist but something that really hooks you... stay on it man... cos its your own


cheers

 

[Denosha]

You mean the "maxi-pad"? That's for muting the overtones which is especially useful if you're playing in a confined area. I've been doing that for all my toms and my snare like ever since i started playing.

I like to use 1 piece of paper towel (the big, thick type) then put in 2 sheets of normal tissue paper, wrap it up into 1 rectangle shaped "pad" and stick it directly on the skin (don't touch the hoop) at the edge with masking tape. Works for me but YMMV.

Back when i started drumming i thought this method of drum muting was pretty popular?

 

[Composer of Requiems]

You mean the "maxi-pad"? That's for muting the overtones which is especially useful if you're playing in a confined area. I've been doing that for all my toms and my snare like ever since i started playing.

I like to use 1 piece of paper towel (the big, thick type) then put in 2 sheets of normal tissue paper, wrap it up into 1 rectangle shaped "pad" and stick it directly on the skin (don't touch the hoop) at the edge with masking tape. Works for me but YMMV.

Back when i started drumming i thought this method of drum muting was pretty popular?

I've tried this on bass drum after I saw someone do it. At first I put it in the center where the beater hits, I found that way it really dampens the sound and has no power behind the hit. So I shifted it to the edge, and it sounded good. "Focused" the sound more. The bass head was a crappy stock head that came with the Pearl Target drumset, so I guess it's like low-budget method. After changing the head to Remo Powerstroke3, then I didn't have to do that anymore.

Comparing the bass to the snare, I think the concept is the same. Putting the heavy weight at the side just focuses and dampens the sound since it shifts the oscillation of the skin more towards a single-point oscillation model, so the frequencies are more harmonic. And it prevents the high frequency oscillations from the edges. Like this, you might as well just use the "wallet" method.

For a low thud, you'll probably want to get a heavier skin and tune low, like I mentioned in the other topic. Maybe the two topics should be merged?

 

[drumyoung]

I've tried this on bass drum after I saw someone do it. At first I put it in the center where the beater hits, I found that way it really dampens the sound and has no power behind the hit. So I shifted it to the edge, and it sounded good. "Focused" the sound more. The bass head was a crappy stock head that came with the Pearl Target drumset, so I guess it's like low-budget method. After changing the head to Remo Powerstroke3, then I didn't have to do that anymore.

Comparing the bass to the snare, I think the concept is the same. Putting the heavy weight at the side just focuses and dampens the sound since it shifts the oscillation of the skin more towards a single-point oscillation model, so the frequencies are more harmonic. And it prevents the high frequency oscillations from the edges. Like this, you might as well just use the "wallet" method.

For a low thud, you'll probably want to get a heavier skin and tune low, like I mentioned in the other topic. Maybe the two topics should be merged?

Nick you totally said everything that I wanted to say when i read this hahaha.

SCIENCE A+!!!

 

[Composer of Requiems]

Nick you totally said everything that I wanted to say when i read this hahaha.

SCIENCE A+!!!

=O

Do I know you? How do you know my name?? *SHOCK*

EDIT: You're LI YOUNG right. Why never pm me when you join this forum. Anyway the correct term is "Nic" not "Nick"

 

[drumyoung]

I'm Liyoung, your ex-junior before i moved to your old school (Raffles) so i was kinda your ex-ex-junior i think.