Ep. 50 Tuning a Power Piccolo Snare Drum

Support Sounds Like a Drum on Patreon: / soundslikeadrum
We've had quite a few requests for an episode dedicated to the sounds of the power piccolo (in this case, 12x7" Mapex Black Panther) snare drum. While this drum doesn't see much use these days, we had a blast tuning it up (way up!) and experimenting with different sounds and discussing the circumstances under which this is a great option to go with.
Hosted by: Cody Rahn
Production: Ben O'Brien Smith @ Cadence Independent Media
Can't get enough of Sounds Like a Drum? Want to show your support for the series? Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and MUCH more:
/ soundslikeadrum
👂🏼👉🏼🥁
Leave your questions, comments, suggestions, requests down below and don't forget to subscribe!
*NOTE: Troll comments will be deleted. You're welcome to disagree with whatever you like but let's keep the conversation civilized and focused on drums.
--------------------------
Sounds Like a Drum is a CADENCE INDEPENDENT MEDIA production
For more information, visit www.cadenceindependent.com
Follow us on Instagram: / soundslikeadrum
Like us on Facebook: / soundslikeadrum

[@yelltempus]

The wide open lower tuning would be SO usable in a live situation. Another great topic to cover.

[@DirtyJobsGuy1]

I loved the last section where you played them in all the different tunings! Thx for making this!

[@rhythmista7707]

12" snare drums are like 20" bass drums. They're tuning range is very dynamic and versatile. My current main snare is a 12x5.75 Sonor Force 3003 maple snare drum, and it's a great snare drum in all tuning ranges. I have it tuned just above medium range for its size and it works for almost all genres of music. The way i currently have it tuned sounds very much like medium high tuning range 14x5 snare drum. Furthermore, it's much easier to transport, and I keep it in my 6.5x14 snare drum case, with my drum throne seat, both packed together ! 12" snare drums are quickly becoming a main gigging snare for small clubs, bars, and cafes. .Awesome video guys, and great advice in regards to this size snare drum !

[@Rockin_Ross]

The “less gear” comment is spot on. When you have one thing that can do the work of many, it sure makes the gig great. Thanks for the awesome video. I have a PDP 805 10” popcorn and it can be soft and subtle or crack like a whip if need be.

[@slimterrorizer8636]

I have a 12" x 5,5" tuned kinda low and I love it ! It sounds killer in studio, and because it's smaller, it's perfect as a travelling snare as well when you just go to a gig by bus or subway, not too heavy and smaller than a 14". Mine is a custom made by Octopus Drums (french custom drums), inspired by both Ash Soan and Gavin Harrison. I never thought of using it as a 12" tom, thanks a lot for the idea !

[@TheGoldeneye1973]

I have a maple 12x5.5 black panther (transparent black with gold hardware) and it is just phenomenal. I love the small diameter and the versatility of it. To the point where I have a custom 12x7 come in. 12” snares are just so sweet

[@ianmuessig]

I had to add a second, separate comment because I posted my first comment before starting the video: That 12" snare sounds SO good, like so so good, right from the gate in that first groove you play.

[@samgreen8865]

Was just chilling with this on the in back, and as soon as you started playing, and I heard that snare, I pretty much ran over, because it sounds so damn incredible. All thanks to your playing of course though!

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Thanks so much!!! -Cody

[@samgreen8865]

@@SoundsLikeADrum thank you! For all the fantastic work you've done for the drumming community and for sound engineers! As a side note, I wouldn't say I'm really a mapex kinda guy, but I guess you should never rule out options!

[@underscoreisnotvalid]

I have used this exact 12x7 black panther snare as my snare in my band ever since 2009. We play funk/prog/metal kinda stuff. It’s a great snare for groovy music with lots of ghost notes and a strong backbeat. I love it. Tune it as high as possible, rim shot the hell out of it, and it sounds monstrous. If you don’t rim shot it, it sounds rubbish

[@gergosukosd8299]

I loved the last 2-3 second at the end of the video . That is a great conclusion.

[@heylad]

Very well done video! Thank you for this. I have a Pearl 12x7 soprano maple. After seeing/hearing Johnny Morgan, drummer the South London rock band, Moke (not the Dutch brit pop band by the same name), playing this drum at a 2001concert in Chicago, I immediately bought one and have been using it pretty much ever since. I honestly have never experimented much with different tunings and heads on it, but it's something I've been kicking around doing and I really appreciate the insight. Thanks! 👍

[@patrickfarley8036]

If that is the Cherry/ Maple Black Panther, I have the same drum for about 8 or 9 years now that I use with a Gretsch jazz kit. 18 BASS 10,12 RACKS,14 FLOOR and it'sounds brilliant! I don't tune it to a high pitch, I like my snare drums to sound fat and bluesy. The past few years I have run an Evens Dry genre head ( with the little air holes around the periphery and the mylar flap on the underside) on the batter side. I love this drum! I wish you could hear how good it sounds. But as you have shown it is quite versatile and worth having as a primary or secondary drum. I found mine for $135 new almost 10 years ago on ebay. I think they're going for about that used now. In my opinion worth every penny! Peace!

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Yep! That’s the one. Fun snare and grossly underpriced. I got it while I was working for a music store and paid so little for it I should have gotten three 😂 Definitely a nice range of tuning options available. The Genera Dry is a great head for a drum like this (even just the Genera is a great option without shortening the sustain). -Ben

[@leeasbury7273]

I just picked up a PDP maple 12X8 Dry Dark Walnut finish for under $200 and, WOOOW! Amazing. Really, amazing 👏 drum..that can even double as a tom on my PDP Concept Maple Classic 24",13, 16 Walnut kit. I was so impressed, I ordered a PDP 10x6 Black Wax snare, and it even comes with a tom mount if you so choose. Im so Impressed with PDP/DW's stuff. I'm a Ludwig, Tama kinda guy. And I lean into smaller kits that I can manipulate a fairly large tuning range with. The 24" Bass PDP Concept Maple kit is "Bananas" (perfectly ripened) though. Love it. Thanks for the content.

[@Stephanie-er2cd]

Cute stuff and real sound

[@Aleph_Null_Audio]

Had a 12×5 as my mane snare for years. Medium-low tuning was my favorite. Had some beef and tone, but still articulated like a smaller drum.

[@sccrash420]

I love these kinds of snare drums. Absolute pop without having to crank it. Personally, I do not like large, or even "standard" sized snare drums. Side note: nice Stone Brewing shirt!

[@The007Javiercito]

The 1st video that I saw dedicated to a small size snare drum. Thanks! Greetings from México City.

[@ianmuessig]

Fantastic topic! I have been blown away by the versatility of my Tama 12x5 Birch snare with Sound Arc hoops. I was always a metal snare guy until I played this drum. I do keep it tuned up pretty high however I've been using Evans calftone heads so they seem to keep a good amount of low end and not choke even at high tunings. I've found that even at high tunings it keeps it's "throat" so long as I'm not constantly rim-shotting.

[@secondsbeforelanding]

Simple. To The Point. And, very informative. Once again, a great video.

[@ledzeppelinfan12344]

You should do an episode on 15" snares! They never get the love they deserve

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Gonna have to get our hands on one but that would certainly be fun! -Ben

[@chromebull884]

I have always wanted to try a 16x10 snare.

[@davidperez5089]

Good luck finding 15^heads.

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

@@davidperez5089 Might be tougher to find in some smaller music stores that aren't focused on drums but they can order 15" heads quite easily. If all else fails, it's pretty simple to find them online.

[@ledzeppelinfan12344]

@@davidperez5089 I usually get my heads online and ive never had a problem with it

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

i love popcorns and firecrackers as aux\effect snares. i use my tama 10 as both a tom and 1 of 3 auxiliary snares on the church kit.

[@Marcus-wv6wm]

kodiak wild we meet again

[@riddmkidd]

Great video, I wish you had also played with the snares released to hear the tuning better.

[@ReverendGuyWallis]

great video! love to hear these different sounds. you sound like you really kno what youre doing as well :)

[@funkytomtom]

So much good info AND wisdom. Thanks again!

[@elbarto4815]

That's a cool plant table.

[@SpittinSquirell]

Great video. I dont have a small snare but if I ever get one its great to know these things.

[@georgemickel6608]

Swampige.. love your drummin' too!

[@richwilson3767]

I have same snare. Thinking of doing the sharp 45. To a full round over.

[@alparrott]

My 5x12 snare is now a timbale off to my left. But I do have a 7x13 I love to death. Great video again guys!

[@hiptoalieu]

I LOOOOOVEEEE tuning my 10'' snare drum really low, great for acoustic gigs where I want to simulate a fatter sound with compression!

[@faperito2389]

Nice idea man, thank you. That's exactly what it sounds like.

[@eugeivashchenko758]

Just curious, is that the 12x7 maple w/ cherry veneer? Also what head did you use? Sounds great!

[@mediumstudio]

I play a dw 5x12 - amazing how much body/tone it has - my main snare / beautifully articulate...

[@BuckAugust]

Fun little drum!

[@sidmarks265]

Great playing. Love the sound that you produced, with wonderful bass against the crack and bark from the snare. Pardon my inexperience, but what is 'second lining' please. Ash Soan mention is appreciated. I look forward to more from two of the best guys around.

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Thanks so much for watching! "second line" is a reference to the march music commonly found in New Orleans. That's the short excerpt demonstrated immediately after the reference. Look up drummers like Johnny Vidacovich and Stanton Moore for more examples (these guys are masters!). -Ben

[@sidmarks265]

Thanks for taking the time to answer. Very much appreciated.

[@BCSchmerker]

+soundslikeadrum *Thanks for confirming my estimates on smaller-diameter deep snare drums.* At OMS Japanese Christian, I don't need the projection of the current YAMAHA® MSD14AF; it's actually too loud for Shinoda Hall. Unfortunately, as of February 2019 Yamaha Corp. doesn't offer a φ12" snare drum of any depth.

[@Marcus-wv6wm]

Awesome grooves !

[@leeasbury7273]

Also, have a mountable 12x5 snare for hi-hat mountable portability for my small room kit. I'm looking through my heads and currently have a 12" G2 & UV1. Also I see a new Remo "Hazy" 300 snare side. Any opinions on head choices? I'm probably gonna change out the hardware with INDe stuff too, so time isn't a big deal...I can wait if I need to order heads that are suggested. Thanks.

[@bacobill]

I play a 13x7" snare and I am excited about the 'popcorn' idea as a 10" tom/snare.. Google here I come :)

[@dcp10200]

Chris Adler signature?

[@bacobill]

@@dcp10200 Not sure they make a 10.. I have my eye on a Ludwig for $50.. thanks

[@MalikEmmanuel]

I have a 10” ton I’ve been wanting to turn into a snare for a while, maybe now will be the time for that!

[@tuulofdstrxn]

13x7" is a great size, I used to have a stave shell snare in that size and it was the beezkneez. Really comfortable to tune, lots of pop but also very powerful. Pearl used to make the Firecracker snares in 10", I think they only make them in 12" these days but you might be able to find some still new in stores. They have steel and poplar shell variants.

[@bacobill]

@@tuulofdstrxn I predict that 13" will become the new 'normal' for many reasons.. evolution of the human ear for one.. And thank you.. 'Firecracker' was the word I forgot.

[@rhythmista7707]

I apoligize for my typo. I meant to say GREAT advice in regards to 12" snare drums, and not GET advice !🤣. My typo has since been corrected 😉

[@impulseproman]

I have that same snare and sound great in recording

[@Fab_Rice]

Check Chris Alder, he have a signature snare in 12" that sound so powerfull! ;)

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Yep! And Gavin Harrison as well (referenced in this episode). Starting to become a bit more common. -Ben

[@drummerdan95]

Chris' snare is awesome!! Always loved his snare sound on LoG records.

[@Eurodrummer666]

This video makes me want to buy a soprano snare!

[@THESLOWDEATHHOOKS]

great sound

[@romainb182]

Very interesting! I'd like to have your thought on the issue I have with my snare: no matter what I do to the batter and the resonant heads (I watched your other videos btw) , every time I hit the batter side (not with the tom) I have the snare wires ringing like crazy, though the tone of the snare would actually be really nice without that problem. I even tried to change the wires, still the same issue. Any suggestion on what I should do? Oh and my snare is a Mapex Saturn, and it allows you to tighten the snares wires on both sides, but I can't find anything on how I am supposed to deal with it? What would you recommend? keep the content coming, you guys are definitely one the best drum channel on youtube!

[@peterbull3955]

Could be the snare beds! I am dealing with a similar thing and haven't quite sorted it out yet but it sounds like it could be an issue with the snare beds or how you are tuning the bottom head

[@romainb182]

@@peterbull3955 thanks for your answer, I will check this out!

[@BeauManning]

I used your snare tuning video about measuring the hoop height and I sear my drum has never sounded better. I can get a great initial sound out of it, but once I start to play it and it detunes, I always have trouble getting it back to where it was. And I’ve never been sure the right way to do that. Would love to see a video addressing that at some point. Love your videos!

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Super! Glad that’s working for you. Regarding detuning, lug locks are the way to go in my opinion. They’re small, relatively inexpensive and reusable. Also, I usually just use them on the lugs directly under where I make contact for rimshots which means you only need 2-4 of them. -Cody

[@SpittinSquirell]

I imagine both you guys play a lot of gigs in different sized venues and for different functions. I am soon going to be looking to buy some new cymbals for my drum set at church. I was initially looking at the Zildjian K line but the Sabian FRX caught my attention because they say they are specifically made for smaller venues like churches. What is your opinion? Have you had any experience with either line? Or what would you suggest. The kit is completely enclosed in a drum room and there is one mic overhead for the cymbals. Thank you

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Hey there! Short answer is that for me, small rooms want thin cymbals. I like darker sounds but regardless of size and pitch just aim for thin. You can’t go wrong with K’s (the sweets in particular are lovely). -Cody

[@benfraser3528]

Heads suggestions for 10×6 anyone? For med/high tuning, thicker/dryer? Thinner/open? Dampened?

[@remygaron8311]

Very informative 👏👏🇨🇦🇨🇦🥁🥁

[@Brento44]

My favorite size snare! Since it's going to waste I would more then happy to take it off your hands! 😉

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

It’s been an excellent monitor stand...but it’s likely to see a little bit more use now that I’ve rediscovered it over the course of producing this episode. Keep your eyes out though- they can be found used for quite a deal. -Ben

[@mastermindstv7839]

I didnt realize how well of a drummer you are..

[@A3woodworks]

Sounds great! But the real question is: what's that ride cymbal in the background?

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Ha! I believe it's a modern Zildjian K ride (maybe a Pre-Aged Dry Light?) of Ben's that was modified by Jesse Simpson here in BK. -Cody

[@ryandudlicek6086]

Hey can you do a video on playing on the bottom side of a snare drum? (Using the reso side as the batter for scratching the wires). How can i get a good sound this way and also not sacrifice the life of the head?

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Yes! That's in the plans for Season 2. Looking forward to it. -Ben

[@chromebull884]

Great video! My favorite 12" snare is the one Chris Adler uses with Lamb Of God. I had an idea for a video. Could you make a video on the comparison of snare drum materials? You could do one video on wood like Maple vs. Birch vs. Mahogany vs. Oak and other woods. Next would be metal snares in another video like Steel vs. Brass vs. Copper vs. Aluminum.

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Thanks! Yep- we've got a lot of concepts for comparison videos lined up. That's going to be an additional series in Season 2! -Ben

[@nicbambamlewis6305]

What heads are yall using on this snare?

[@sevenlupo3186]

Ocdp 12x7 48 Play Wood Joey JJ 1

[@tylerspatafore9315]

Did you go to school for music? Do you only play drums? We need an episode on your story!

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Hey there! We both went to school for music. There’s a bit more information in our welcome video but we’re putting together some bios that will be up on our Instagram highlights soon.

[@Drunken_Hamster]

IDK what it is, but I don't seem to like high snare tunings in these videos. At least or especially in isolation without a groove or a mix going.

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

A few possible reasons: the minimalist microphone setup, absence of EQ/compression, not used to hearing high tuned snares demoed on their own in this manner.

[@Drunken_Hamster]

@@SoundsLikeADrum _shrugs_ Beats me. I just haven't heard a single video with a super high snare tuning that I liked. I'm sure there are songs out there with it that I like, but youtube drummer videos don't seem to do it justice. They just sound annoying.

[@DarthCiliatus]

How would you tune a 13x3 snare?

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

We'll do an episode on piccolo snares in the future but the tuning process doesn't change. Episode 1 outlines our recommended tuning process. Cheers! -Ben

[@DarthCiliatus]

@@SoundsLikeADrum Great. Thanks

[@emilienfalcimaigne8065]

Small snares rule! I have a 4-lug 10 by 5 inch 4-ply snare drum and it sounds dirty as fuck 🔥

[@Adiaf8oros]

I turn my adblock off for you :P

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

🙌🏼🥁❤️

[@mikeshouse2000]

Obviously get a thinner wallet.. nice drum