Snappy Snares posted by PorpoiseMuffins

Noize2u
Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 17, 2004 09:39 pm

How far back from the edge is the mic? What kind of shell does the snare have, or what make, size is it? Also what drum head do you use, and are you using a heavy, or light stik?

I usually have the mic about 1" above the snare head and about 1.5" back from the shell at about a 45 degree angle or so. This helps pick up the shell a bit which gives the ring.

And yes, a cheap snare will ot have the big present smack that you are talking about, unless you get some rim in there with the hit.

josh hates you
punk rock @$$hole
Member
Since: Feb 29, 2004

Mar 18, 2004 11:56 am

i agree with noise to get a good smnare sound you need a good snare, drums being my first instrument.

hmm i can think of 2 definitins for "crack" of a snare drum one is deep and crisp for rock and one is high and snappy like hip hop.

try a maple shell 10 ply or better at least 6 inches deep if not 8. i love EVANS g1 coated heads. wood hoops on the drums help too.

if i am micing a cheap snare (or any snare actually) i get much more "crack" if i mic both sides of the drum top head sm57, bottom try that oktav mc012 (i love those things) --in the mix use the top mic for main tone and sound and just raise the bottom mic signal enough to be heard and add the cracking presence of the snare but not enough to take way fron the sound of the top head and shell my .02

Johnny Hero
Member
Since: Apr 26, 2002

Mar 18, 2004 12:51 pm

This really doesn't help you much, but the drummer from Ann Beretta www.annberetta.com has the best sounding snare I've ever heard... anyone know how to get THAT sound?

flame
...bringing sexy back
Member
Since: Jul 01, 2002

Mar 18, 2004 01:04 pm

get the drummer from ann beretta to play it?

sorry, couldnt help it...

PorpoiseMuffins
a.k.a. Porp & Mr. Muffins
Member
Since: Oct 09, 2002

Mar 18, 2004 02:02 pm

Haha-- Well, I have a maple shell Pacific snare drum with a remo head-- 5" deep and 14" in diameter. It's got a lot of ring when you tighten it up though, and only sounds good when you smack it exactly in the center of the drum head.

Noize-- It's cool that you mention that mic placement because that is just about exactly what I find sounds best as well.
I usually play hard with light sticks.

Oh-- And I'm looking for that "deep crisp" rock sound :)

Dan
Member
Since: Nov 21, 2002

Mar 18, 2004 05:42 pm

My drummer has a good snare for the high snappy sounds, is not very deep, almost picallo(spelling) snare, maple shell, all gold metal-stuffs (hah dont know the drum lingo), the head is fairly high tuned, and when the snare is turned off its got a great timbale sound... i think its a "Mapex"

MinkusMaz
Bane of All Existence
Member
Since: Mar 27, 2003

Mar 18, 2004 07:05 pm

johnny hero...if you like that ann beretta sound, perhaps check out a vented snare. here's a track that i've been working on for my friend's band:
www.minkusmaz.com/makeyourmove.mp3

just one SM57 right in front of the vent hole. using digitalfishphones' blockfish as a compressor, giving it some EQ to bring out what's cool about the snare. the vent makes it VERY dry, which it sounds like might be what you like about ann beretta's snare sound.

but most key to awesome snare is TUNING. learn to tune your snare!

scrump775
Member
Since: Aug 30, 2003

Mar 18, 2004 07:15 pm

Porp,
Don't know how it happened but I am really pleased with the sound I get from my snare. All I can tell you is sm57 1.5 inches above head, 2 inches from rim, pointed at center of head. Nylon tip pro mark sticks, (medium), evans white snare head, medium tight, (not too), going thru beringer mixer to motu 828mkII and then adobe audition. Fader at O, gain right to edge of clip. Got to be disciplined on equivelent strikes volume. Hardly have to put any fx on it, sounds crackin great. Combined with the overheads, it's about the only sound i am completely pleased with my whole kit right now, (except maybe the hats)...

PorpoiseMuffins
a.k.a. Porp & Mr. Muffins
Member
Since: Oct 09, 2002

Mar 18, 2004 07:17 pm

Gotta love Blockfish :)

Well-- I spent about 3 hours today trying to tune my snare. I finally got it to sound better, at least (Victory!). Not to say that the snare in my recordings sounds terrible (when I mix it in it's alright), but it's just not standing out like I want it to. It's definately the drum and/or tuning that's the problem. I did have someone else (The real drummer for my band) tune it once but without much luck (He said it was the only part of my set he didn't really like). I tend to like piccalo snares, myself. I may jump for a Pearl. We'll see.

Scrump-- Cool- you must have a nice snare (I basically do what you do except adding some eq and compression. My snare is the only part of my recorded kit I DON'T like, though :(

Johnny Hero
Member
Since: Apr 26, 2002

Mar 18, 2004 07:24 pm

Minkus... thanks for the info... I'll have to look into that and pass that info onto my drummer...

The overall sound of your track is a little to... I don't really know how to describe it... spacy? Yeah... a little to spacy for my taste I guess... but I can definitly hear how that snare would sound in my band and I like it...

PorpoiseMuffins
a.k.a. Porp & Mr. Muffins
Member
Since: Oct 09, 2002

Mar 18, 2004 07:30 pm

That sounds sweet, Minkus. The whole drum sound sounds nice on that song (cymbals sound nice and crisp, too -- reminds me I need a decent hi-hat...). I'm really sick of recording my own drumset-- I want to try miking some others! I've never heard of a vented snare before. I like the sound, though. I've heard the sound before.

MinkusMaz
Bane of All Existence
Member
Since: Mar 27, 2003

Mar 18, 2004 11:32 pm

thanks guys. basically, this vent in the snare is just a hole with 2-3" diameter drilled into the shell.

yeah JH, i know what you mean with the spaciness. i don't know why, but i felt compelled to throw tons of reverb and delay on various tracks, and the flanger on the vocals is there for a specific reason.

good luck with your drum recordings guys.

coolo
Frisco's Most Underrated
Member
Since: Jan 28, 2003

Mar 19, 2004 02:26 am

Been mastering a bunch of other people's tracks lately, and I notice that when I compress a track that has a snare with a bunch of reverb on it, the snare gets softer (less crack). The reason is that the reverb gets relatively louder in relation to the initial snare hit. So, after much experimenting, it seems that you need to have a quick attack and release on the compression, so the reverb doesn't get boosted in relation to the initial crack, but you should still be able to hear the reverb. Not sure if this helps or not, but I thought I would throw it out there in the off chance that it does.

Noize2u
Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 19, 2004 11:07 pm

Hey Porp, the 5X14 might be the limit there. I know I try to get a deeper snare for that big wallup sound. Even a 6" will get a bit deeper but have gone to a 7 to get real big. The drum sound like a good shell though so I dont think for its size it is a crappy sound, just not what you want. I know the Drum Workshop snares seem to have a littel bigger sound with thier shorter drums. I would try one of those before the Pearl, although Pearl is excellant as well. My first good kit was big double bass Pearl with 6 toms.

And yep coolo I never put reverb on untill after the comp for that exact reason. And if someone send me a verbed snare track it gets replaced if it stinks.

PorpoiseMuffins
a.k.a. Porp & Mr. Muffins
Member
Since: Oct 09, 2002

Mar 20, 2004 04:56 pm

Well, I managed to get a pretty good crack out of it-- finally. I'll post the tune when I'm done. It's shaping up to be my best mixing job-- and this time it's an original :) Thanks guys.