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i need help tuning my snare

Maganoo732	Date: December 27, 2004 @ 1:04 PM i just started playing the drums and i was wondering if any one could tell me how i can get more of a snap sound for my snare. i love hip hop music so its kinda hard playing a beat without a snap to it cause it changes the whole sound to it.
Vipercussionist	Date: March 31, 2005 @ 9:42 PM Try tuning it up kind high, a smaller/thinner drum might get more accurate reproduction of the sound you're looking for. The sound will rip yer head off when you've got it right!! Good Luck!!
davidpartay	Date: April 5, 2005 @ 9:02 AM If you're playing hiphop, a 13" or 14" brass piccolo snaredrum would do quite well. The key to tuning a snaredrum is to tune the resonant head (ie. the bottom) as high as you can - without tearing it of course, and without forcing it tighter than it's made to go. You should be able to feel when you're pushing its limits. To get the best crack out of a snaredrum, used an unmuffled coated two-ply head such as the Remo Weather King Emperor batter head. Tune it as high as you can. You will then notice that the drum sounds choked. Tune each lug down about half a turn (when tuning down, turn further than you want to and then turn the lug back UP to where you want it). The drum should have some life come back into it. This point will approximately be the best point for the sound you're after. It will vary between snaredrums, but don't rely on us telling you how to tune it - experiment a bit! Just remember the snaredrum sounds the best when the resonant head is very tight. If you're not confident then get an experienced friend to help you.
Vipercussionist	Date: April 9, 2005 @ 8:28 PM davidpartay!! I must disagree that the "KEY" to tuning a snare drum is with the resonant head tuned up high, wouldn't it be the drummers choice, wouldn't it depend on the type of music you were gonna play?? Isn't that what gives each drummer his or her "signature tone??" Just 'cause you or I like a particular tuning doesn't necessarily mean it's the ONLY way to go, such as playing a a rock ballad in the studio, you might tune the snare down quite low to get that big synthetic low end kinda thing like on a Chicago album, a looser resonant head would really get the snares kickin'!! You might NOT wan't a high pitched drum that cuts your head off, it might take over the song rather than enhance it. I'm not saying that it's the sound I'd use for everything but there are so many cool tunings to experiment with that it would be a shame to rule out ANY of them don't you think?? Just look at the radical difference, let's say between the heavy deep sound of an early Def Leppard album (pre-accident) and the drum tone on an early album by The Police!! Surely some individual and unique tones there! And I doubt they would have opted for the others tone for a million bucks! Just as long as the head(s) are in tune with themselves and it's a decent drum to begin with you might get SCADS of great and different tones from just one drum!
davidpartay	Date: April 19, 2005 @ 6:46 AM That's true, but if you want a generally versatile sound that doesn't sound like a $20 snaredrum which you can use in different situations, the best way to get a good, versatile sound out of your snaredrum is by having the resonant head high. Doing so increases the sensitivity of the snare wires and makes the drum sound more 'open', so to speak. I also don't necessarily agree that the heads being in tune with each other on a snaredrum is the best case, because as you said - there's a LOT of different ways snaredrums can be tuned . But you're right that it's important to have the sound YOU want. It's just a good starting point to have the resonant head tuned high and work from there, unless you know EXACTLY what sound you're after. It is certainly possible to have the batter head tuned low and have the resonant head tuned high, I have played around with all the snaredrums I've owned. I'm not a big fan at all of the good old 'fat' sounding low-tuned snaredrum. When I go for a lower pitched sound, I like it to still have a nice solid crack to it, but generally I have a higher pitched sounding snaredrum. In other news, I'm getting a 14"x7" 6 ply Jarrah Sleishman snaredrum . It's gonna be FANTASTIC.

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