Gaff Tape Snare Side Hacks | Season Three, Episode 2

[@davidsuprenant893]

The snare with no tape right out of the gate is perfect.The way you got that snare tunned is absolutely fantastic. Man that drum sounds good,makes me wonder why I own so many expensive drums and all I really need is a Ludwig like you have right there.

[@davidmcaninch4714]

I hope you guys are safe during this pandemic.

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Thanks! You too!

[@DiedrichSeth]

At 4:31 into the video I thought his snare tone and beat was exactly that song "One Headlight!" Awesome video fixed the crappy overtones I was getting with my Pork Pie Black Pig Snare (Black Beauty Knockoff).

[@3interestingfactsandtips]

I can’t thank you enough for everything you teach on this channel! My sound has improved so much it’s unbelievable! 🙏🙏🙏

[@peterlamear]

I've only used gaff on the snare-side head doing ultra low tunings, and it works well. For a while, I actually taped a half of a moongel inside of the drum on the snare side right near the edge 90 degrees from the wires on a DW Collectors Maple 5x14 that lived in a really low tuning. I liked having both heads really low, but I found that the drum got so resonant it was just out of control. Since I didn't want to over-muffle to top head--the overtones were a big part of the sound I was going for--that little gel cut the sustain just enough to make the drum great for a real notey low pitched sound.

[@echosierra1790]

Putting tape on the snare side is a common practice in marching ensembles, especially DCI and WGI groups. Most use electrical tape instead of gaff tape, because it's the same tape used on sticks and is commonly available. I've seen everything from no tape to corps like the Cadets and Boston Crusaders who have multiple kleenex patches and multiple pieces of tape on only five snare wires!

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Yep! That’s where I first saw this being done. Makes quite a difference in cutting out the snare side tone at those higher tensions. Cheers! -Ben

[@ggndrums]

@@SoundsLikeADrum Yes! This is the application in which I have also used it. Definitely more common in drumlines and marching ensembles (especially at Boston and Cadets - it could be a Colin McNutt preference.) I kinda like it in this application too.

[@jordankozelka9000]

I've seen a couple of guys use tape under the end plates in live situations where the snare is close-mic'd. I liked the sound of it in the video too. Definitely gonna check that out.

[@danielcutting2796]

You are consistently good.

[@pyroeuropa]

The face on 5:55 has a great potential to become a meme The third one im totally gonna try out!

[@klemb.8877]

Hey guys. First of all BIG THANKS for all your work on that channel. It's just one of the best drum channel on YT for the drum sound tip. I would like to ask you guys if in the future you could make a video on the different thickness of 1) different snare side heads, 2) bearing edge, 3) shell thickness with wood and metal. Keep going 🔥🔥🔥🔥👌👌👌

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Thanks for the kind words! Please consider joining our Patreon ( www.patreon.com/soundslikeadrum ) to support our efforts and allow us to continuing creating new videos. This is exactly what will make it possible for us a to launch a comparison series that will address the three topics you listed above along with countless others that we've been planning out for the last year now. Cheers! -Ben

[@klemb.8877]

@@SoundsLikeADrum alright Ben. Super nice. Can't wait for the next episode. Cheers!

[@danp420]

I'm going to start using some tape under the snare wire plates, it sounded pretty good and it will protect the head too, I love your videos btw!

[@davidbrown9395]

I like #3 I think i will give it a try on my acrolite

[@RorRiiZzLE]

Happy new season!! Stay healthy everyone.

[@Quartiano]

I had a successful gaff tape experiment. My snare was buzzing a lot while I was using an 18” kick drum. I put two thin strips of gaff tape off each side of my snare wires just barley touching the head. Buzz was gone. Sound was a tad dryer but the snare was a 6.5 so the body kind of made up for that I think.

[@frankfertier34]

I used a custom hack on a 6,5" Slingerland COW "spitfire", w/o snare beds: kind of Dynasonic-y feeling device: a pad of short hair fur sliding along two rubber strings across the snare wires; worked a charm.

[@funkymonks]

Ive done #3 in the past to reduce some snare buzz and also save the head from the wires, I was inspired by the Aquarian snare head that is similar

[@vistalite-ph4zw]

I've done the #3 method as well and for snare buzz. Didn't really work for me so I taped a dollar bill perpendicular to the snare wires and under the wires with gaffers tape. Works great, love the sound and no more snare buzz. I'm going to try the Kleenex method...🤔

[@bluemorpho4941]

I kind of like the dollar bill idea more haha. Looks cleaner to me then a piece of Kleenex :/

[@MrMateogaguilar]

I've been in a studio that had a nice Yamaha Brass, super tight top head and the snare side taped like this. Articulation wise, it was really helpful. No for every scenario, but definetly worth trying

[@The_Other_Ghost]

Post a video of the snare.

[@elliotthughes2382]

I've used tape under the snare wires before, not to change the sound like in this video, but to help quick fix a damaged wire that was buzzing.

[@constantinecymbalsusa]

I often put gaff under my wire plates to help reduce sympathetic vibes without sacrificing much snare sound. That with slightly reduced tension on the head at the ends of both ends of the wires seems to help.

[@drumcovers]

Thanx for all your videos!!

[@allancueto22]

5:55 that face you do when you can't bring your drums to the gig and hits the house kit the first time 😂

[@jordansobolew1661]

I put a small piece of tape on the wires just where the wires are soldered on to the end plates because this is where they tend to puncture the head and I just want to cover the sharp edges. I like this more than having a big piece of tape on the head like you tried here because there is less tape on the head altering the sound.

[@joebisbey4521]

I said once before, I've always enjoyed your snare sound. I've been having a little trouble in the snare department as my old Acrolite is a little out of shape (literally), and when I found a great deal online for a "new old stock" Tama artwood, i jumped on it... and as you may expect, moving to a 6" deep wood snare from the Acro was a bit of a shock, and I've been struggling to get the right sound, weird rings and buzzy snare response etc. I think my top mic sound has been a bit mushy and the bottom either loose or choked with no happy medium ground. I've been considering a different set of strands, either a much wider set for more crispness on the deeper snare, or PureSound twisted series. Anyway, I'll let you know how it progresses if you like, and I appreciate your information!

[@curtishill109]

Totally, awesome!

[@robclaytondrums531]

Thanks guys. Brilliant information always, stay safe.

[@PatrikVrazba]

Love all your series, continue, it's great!

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Thanks! Made possible by the supporters of our Patreon.

[@bowdenmcallister993]

I’ll try this next time I play drums

[@MakoAoyama]

It helps that I have a Supraphonic just like that, so I get to preview how it will sound before actually trying it myself.

[@Pro1938ftc3ch]

When you were talking about putting gaff tape under the snare.....I have been doing some other type of creative things to it...Just simply put 1 or 2 cards like the cards you use to play goldfish ECT. Detatch the snare wires where you can make it sound like a tom then simply put a 1 or 2 cards on the snare wires then once there on just lock it up to make it sound like a snare and then you should get the same result expect instead of using gaff tape you can use 1or 2 cards

[@jensen_drums]

Great Videos. Keep em coming!

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Thanks so much! We need the support of our viewers to make that possible. Please consider joining our Patreon. Thanks!

[@conorreedR2C]

That groove from 10:59-11:10 is pretty nice lol

[@marty9464]

A bit off topic, but if you haven't tried Sabian's hybrid snare wires you owe it to yourself to give them a try. They have a full/ complex snare sound that is just richer.... at least to my ears!!

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

I tried them when they first came out. Will have to include those in our comparison series once we’ve got the support necessary to produce it. Cheers! -Ben

[@jonathanziegler5695]

Would’ve loved to see more drastic versions too! But great video!!!

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

We wanted to showcase approaches that might actually be effective. I've seen the gaff tape thing get WAY overdone and it's not pretty.

[@jovanjovanovic3449]

You should put tape over the plates to hold the snarewiers. I actually did that one time at a gig becaus one of the straps were missing and i didn't have time to take the snare strainer apart and use gafe tape as a strap

[@nickwinsor4402]

When I was a kid I didn’t really understand this at all so I flipped my snare and put tape all over it and hit it right on the wire

[@mufdiver9406]

I've been putting tape on a bottom snare head for years. I stopped doing it when I got super high quality snare drums.

[@caechez]

Video idea suggestion: Taking off the rubber gaskets from under the lugs and what it does to the sound. Seen a couple videos on this with comparisons especially on new ludwig metal snares where the gaskets are really thick. Supposedly they sound more like vintage ludwigs after taking them off.

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Yes! This is on our list.

[@voidabstraction]

I stuck tape on my wires instead of to the head. And its probably the best my snare has sounded with wires on. I probably have shit wires etc though? My first kit and I've never liked the wire sounds in general, trying for that kind of danny carey tone... like there is some wire in the sound but barely any.

[@davidbcg286]

To tape the wires I’d recommend cutting a band of light cloth to “wrap” around the wires first. It can be done carefully without bending the wires.

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

What portion of the wires have you taped and why?

[@davidbcg286]

Sounds Like A Drum actually on a cajon I muted half of the snare wires because the cajon had some weird annoying high pitched overtones. After that, the sound was much more pleasant. I’ve not done it on a snare. It’s just that using a light piece of cloth will help you to deal with the wires without damaging them.

[@PatrickWitherow]

Quick question...how often do you change out the snare-side head on snare drums you commonly use? Thanks for making these videos! Maybe down the road you could go over a beginner's guide to simple recording with a few mic's and explain things like the interface and maybe some simple recording software tutorials.

[@cantthinkanameup]

Can you guys do a snare side head thickness comparison? Like evans 200 vs 300 vs 500? I would love to see how they affect the tone and wire response!

[@tokiboi6777]

which snare is it

[@ja60123]

Idk but my first teacher told me to not dampen the bottom snare head but to tune it evenly because the dampening is usually to prevent sympathetic ringing

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Hmmm, not sure we entirely agree with that. We advocate that it's worth knowing how to affect your drums in a non-invasive/temporary manner to help meet the needs of the context.

[@ja60123]

I entirely agree that it is worth knowing.

[@tylerblake3596]

Do you guys have any tips for making a vintage wood snare sound a little less boxy? I’m in the market for one but everything I’ve tried sounds pretty terrible tbh. I tried some snare side tricks that helped some but still not quite the sound I’m looking to get out of them

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Hard to say, every one is different. Depending on the edges and overall design the useable tuning range may be significantly smaller than you’re used to with modern drums. -Cody

[@cpizz99]

Did any of the treatments reduce sympathetic snare buzz?

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Not really but that's also not really what we were going for here. Theoretically the tissue patch could help as it does muffle the pitch of the snare side a bit but we've got another video that tackles this subject a bit more: kzbin.info/www/bejne/omirnJ5pjq53b68

[@leeasbury7273]

I did a search but didn't find anything on the Superkick 2 for u guys. Do u like that bass batter? Also, the Genera HD Dry...just put one on a generic stock 14" Breakbeats snare and I like it.

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

We’re more fans of the EMAD system because of the variety of options and ease of changing them out on top of the opinion that it just offers a bit more depth to the sound. The HD Dry is a cool head if you dig that sound. It’s a bit limited in its offerings but if that’s the sound you’re looking for then it sure beats the aftermarket muffling alternatives. -Ben

[@leeasbury7273]

@@SoundsLikeADrum thanks for responding! I've been kinda leaning towards trying and Emad after messing around with the stock head on my new Tama Neo Mod kit, using pool noodles and those cheap floor paddind squares from Harbor Freight. Old military foam sleeping rolls can be cut to fit pretty nicely too. The Superkick to me is pretty awesome, but actually needs to be tuned...kinda. It wants to create a specific note and not a nice deep thud sometimes. You're right about the Genera. Works for some stuff, but so does a simple studio ring without the limitations. I'm more of a drum enthusiast, trying to be a drummer. I'm a singer songwriter really. But that's like a job. Drums are like, my outlet. Like throwing Frisbee in the park, while a super hot girl prepared a kick ass gourmet picnic for you. That's how I feel about drums. Fun.

[@Aquarius61]

Great show. I was wondering about replacing the bottom snare head with a coarse or heavier head... What might the outcome be?

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Thanks! Generally, a thicker head will require harder hitting in order to activate it and get the snares responding. Anything over 5mil (and often including 5mil) tends to choke the drum a bit but that also depends on playing style and tuning overall. Texture ends up just adding more mass for the most part. -Ben

[@Aquarius61]

@@SoundsLikeADrum Thanks for the reply. We are after low tuning and darker tones on our 12+1 concert tom type (no reso heads) studio kit[70's Vintage Mahogany Shells- Pearl Stencil Kit] {in the process of restoring and re-skinning} I figured a medium or heavier head without added muting or gaffer tape might give a similar if not more uniform tone with the unencumbered snare wires. I've tuned our 14x6" Steel snares top head medium low, and the snare bottom medium high. I think it might be the same note 2 octaves or more apart. I used an android phone app to help with the tuning. P.S.>>> I'm seriously considering hand making a wood 15" x 7 Snare in pursuit of darker tones. In Fact, Since finding 24" & 26" inch bass drums is near impossible these days, I'm also considering making a pair of each, so our studio will have options.

[@ashleywildschut1330]

Why don't you do a video using studio rings inside the drum on the reso side

[@TheMaximusprime09]

I have a late 50s premier snare drum with the deepest snare beds I've ever seen (like skateboard half pipe deep) and I'm having a load of issues with it because of this causing really funky residual snare sizzle. I've spent hours tuning and retuning this drum, changing the snare wires to narrower sets that are narrower than the beds (i think its got a set of 10 on currently), different thickness snare side heads, the lot. Any ideas?

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

We'd really have to know what the results of your experiments were in order to help you make a determination. This is the sort of stuff we work on in our discussion group for Patreon members at the Acrolite level and above. We'd be more than happy to help out!

[@TheMaximusprime09]

@@SoundsLikeADrum the snare bed is really narrow and deep, making the outer wires loose relative to the inner ones, i have tried fewer wires to no avail, making sure they're on as straight as possible which they are. the only thing thats got me close is getting the snare side head flat (which you mentioned in your snare bed video) which is really odd on this drum as the hoop is thicker where the snare wire slots are so it wont sit flat on a table to check.

[@bryand.toromorales3031]

Before I fixed my snare drum I couldnt change the snare wires and I put small pieces of tape on the wire when they were wanky

[@attila-botondrazman44]

What are those cymbals? They sound really good!!

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Custom mods by Jesse Simpson. We'll be covering these in our Patreon exclusive cymbal series. Be sure to join if you'd like to get access to it.

[@LTDLimiTeD1995]

I wonder what it'd sound like if you did an X of tape across the middle on the inside of the head, like a reverse dot.

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Try it out! That’s an easy one.

[@1957kevy]

Didn't hear much difference I'd never gaff the bottom. Tuning is the key to sound not killing it

[@dejulesb974]

Probably might not get to see this comment, but can I substitute gaff tape with electrical tape?

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

You can, but it will leave a residue and is much harder to work with. -Cody

[@davidbrown9395]

what is gaffe tape called in a hardware store?

[@Smailien]

It's just gaff tape, or gaffer's tape. It is *not* a type of duct tape, as it is designed to not leave adhesive residue.

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

@Smailien is spot-on with the response. Unfortunately gaff tape isn’t commonly found at hardware stores but rather at photo/video stores or musical instrument stores (especially those with studio/PA gear).

[@conorreedR2C]

@@SoundsLikeADrum didn't even think about going to a photo/video store, thanks for the tip. Hardware stores don't have it like you said, and the only music store near me that sells it charges north of $20/roll for it.

[@vistalite-ph4zw]

I bought a roll on Amazon for $9-$11a couple of years ago

[@xsonicassassinx]

seems like the more you muffler the snare side, the more wonky the overtones are.

[@diller0111]

First