Snare Digging Revealed - what kind of snare for me

Grope

I'm going to learn how to play the drums this fall. I might buy a drum set for home practice purposes. Maybe just a snare.My best friend from high school is a professional drum player and I spent some time with him in his band's rehearsal room. I listenes to many drum sets. That old friend had about 5-6 snares. But I don't like modern snare sounds. I want a snare that sounds like the one Louis Bellson plays in the Mash Up video post. Is he playing a special snare? It sounds sooo tight. Is it just an old snare? Where do I find snares like that? I went to music stores and hit some snares. None of the modern snares sound like the one Louis Bellson is playing? Where could I find a snare that sounds like Bellson's???

progbeatz

You'll have to look for some vintage snares.Look for 1950's-60's Slingerland,Ludwig or Rogers brand.You have to consider the fact that drum heads were different back in the day.I recommend trying Remo Fiberskin drumheads.They're designed to emulate that vintage sound.Also try hitting a snare with a metal shell along side a wooden one;you'll hear a big difference.Tuning has a lot to do with overall sound too.When you get down to it every snare has it's own unigue sound.That snare is like your "voice".

One thing to consider.Most of those "tight" snare sounds are achieved by hitting "rim-shots" which is a totally different sound than just hitting the center of the head.

Grope

I've seen a 60s Ludwig snare drum at a flea market in Hamburg once. Was it a mistake to not buy it? Are old snares rare? How much would you spend on a vintage snare in very good condition?

progbeatz

Some vintage snares are very rare and expensive.It all depends on the specific make,model,year and condition.You can get a decent one for $100-200 if your lucky.And yeah if you see them at a flea market cheap grab 'em.On the other hand it's all about the sound...if it sounds sweet just buy it.I've heard cheap old snares that sound great.I've also played on $1000 snare drums that sound like shit.

Big_Stacks

Hey Grope,



The type of snare you should select depends on the type of sound you want. If you want a high-pitched, tight sounding snare you could go with one of those thin, metallic picolo snares (the drum's chamber has a very shallow depth). If you want the deep, power-rock snare sound, go with a very deep, wooden snare. In general, I prefer your average depth metallic snare, with the head tuned tightly. I can get that tight sound, but the snare has more versatility in the types of music with which it sounds compatible. Tuning your snare head (the bottom head) tightly adds to the crispiness of the snare. Also, you can get the ringy, "First Impressions LP" by the Ohio Players snare sound (on a metallic snare, especially), by not applying the damper (the pad that reduces drum "ring"). It gives your snare that nasty, 60's feel of funk songs. I hope this helps.



Peace,



Big Stacks from Kakalak

Shingaling

Is he playing a special snare? It sounds sooo tight.

Sounds like a piccolo snare.

awall

i have a 60s slingerland and it sounds more or less like any other mid-range priced new snare. it all depends on how you tighten it (both top and bottom, like stacks said) and how much you're willing to spend. nice heads make a big difference. if you want a "tighter" sound with less ring, there's also these deadening rings that you can put either under the head or on top (under is better) to kill the rings, but i think they make the snare sound a little dead and lifeless. a little ringing is good.

Hawkeye

The most important thing you have to think of is that you only know the sound of old snares because they were recorded once. So it is very hadr to say how that sanre sounded in reality because think of all the variables you have here now:

The snare itself.

The way you tune the head.

The portion of the head you hit (In the midle, more on the edge, the ring and the head at the same time which makes the snare do a metal PING like in old 60's funk songs)

The microphonse you use to record (Dynamic or condenser mics, unidirectional or not, how many mics, on which places you put the mic)

The medium you record on (Digital or analog)

The way you compress the sound (Compressors or analog tape compression)

An there are even more little details that come with the sound of a drum set. I asked myself the same question, how can I get a certain sound of a snare and why are there so many diffrent snare sounds ? Its beacuse of those variables. So it is hard to get the snare that fits the sound from begin.

If you place a microphone on top or under the snare is a difrence from day and night. On top you get a hard hit and a metal ring sound, under the snare you get more of washed sound that rattles like a snake because of the metal stribes that are under the snare.

I dont know what you want to do with the drumset, but if you want to record the stuff you are playing I would suggest that you get a dynamik 5 Euro mic from Conrad electronics, a karaoke microphone or any other very cheap mic and than look for snares and try to hear them through the mic. Place this cheap mic on diffrent spots. The mic got the possibiltiy to get on places you ear will never go.

If you want to record funk music I also would sugest to get the nr.5 issue of the Big Daddy magazine. Gabriel Roth from Daptone Records fame wrote an article in that issue about recording a funk 45 which helped me alot with my recordings. He is not giving away every secret but it is brilliant for starters.

Peace
Hawkeye

Grope

If you place a microphone on top or under the snare is a difrence from day and night. On top you get a hard hit and a metal ring sound, under the snare you get more of washed sound that rattles like a snake because of the metal stribes that are under the snare.

I dont know what you want to do with the drumset, but if you want to record the stuff you are playing I would suggest that you get a dynamik 5 Euro mic from Conrad electronics, a karaoke microphone or any other very cheap mic and than look for snares and try to hear them through the mic. Place this cheap mic on diffrent spots. The mic got the possibiltiy to get on places you ear will never go.

If you want to record funk music I also would sugest to get the nr.5 issue of the Big Daddy magazine. Gabriel Roth from Daptone Records fame wrote an article in that issue about recording a funk 45 which helped me alot with my recordings. He is not giving away every secret but it is brilliant for starters.

Peace
Hawkeye

I wanna practice playing the drums and simply enjoy the snare's natural sound. That's all.
I think I know how to tune snares for recordings. I know the deal about rim-shots and recording techniques. I'm just seeking info on what kind of drums I should look for. I should have bought that Ludwig snare I've seen. It looked nice.

Thank you anyhow!

PS: I'll never ever buy Big Daddy. No disrespect, but I ain't no

Dubious

I've got a late '60's slingerland kit with a Ludwig acrylite snare (metal).

if you shop smart vinage drums are dirst cheap. The only vintage kits that are ones that are immaculate and unchanged. Anything that's got the orignal finish or any hardware altered is gonna drop dramatically.. while still sounding the same.

i think my kit was about 200 bones at the drum center in indianapolis and the snare was 100. then you've got to get the stool, cymbal stands, snare stand and kick pedal. so figure in another few hundred for all those and then yer done. Mine was about 700bones all told.

you can buy cheap stands / cymbals from musicians friend / guitar center.

the biggest deal with drums hell ANY instrument is the PLAYER. you can try and recreate purdies drum sound and maybe even get it close but you will never get it EXACTLY. A real player balances his kit naturally, and brings out dynamics uniquue to that player. It's the same with guitar. You can get the same amp as anybody but it don't mean you're gonna sound the same. A large percent of the tone is in the players hands.

awall

I've got a late '60's slingerland kit with a Ludwig acrylite snare (metal).

if you shop smart vinage drums are dirst cheap. The only vintage kits that are ones that are immaculate and unchanged. Anything that's got the orignal finish or any hardware altered is gonna drop dramatically.. while still sounding the same.

yeah, i bought an incomplete slinderland set (just the kick, toms and snare) at a local store years ago for $75.

the biggest deal with drums hell ANY instrument is the PLAYER. you can try and recreate purdies drum sound and maybe even get it close but you will never get it EXACTLY. A real player balances his kit naturally, and brings out dynamics uniquue to that player. It's the same with guitar. You can get the same amp as anybody but it don't mean you're gonna sound the same. A large percent of the tone is in the players hands.

this is very true. not to mention trying to duplicate someone's sound is lame.

bonzaisk8

you didn't hear this from me but, i've heard that using regular rope as opposed to using a synthetic band to attach the snare to the bottom of the head makes a big difference in getting that 'vintage' sound.

And like my man from the start of the thread said, the 'rimshot' sound is muy different than just hitting the center head. Makes a big, and dope difference.

peas.

Dubious

trying to duplicate someone's sound is lame.

so true

i've noticed one of the biggest mistakes people writtign songs or producing make is they are so hung up on trying to get a certain sound EXACT that they don't even notice whether or not it's the right sound for hte song in question.

not to mention that people get so hung up on having things sound a certain way that they don't bother to explore the sounds they can come up with on their own.

volumen

Is he playing a special snare? It sounds sooo tight.

Sounds like a piccolo snare.

Looked like Louie was playing a regular snare, but I'm sure it was top of the line tuned to perfection and miked perfectly. For little dudes wanting a tight snapping snare I highly recomend a piccolo. I've been playing one for years and I'd never go back.