How to Tune Your Snare Drum Perfectly!

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[@Chiroman527]

Hey Eric, I'm a 71 yo, resurrected drummer, retired since May 2021. I returned to Drumming after 50 Years [1969]. I play about 1 hour a day to My Music, Non Gigging (hope to hook up with some local Geriatric Musicians just to Jam in the near future). I have a Weird" thing that occurred. On my DW Design Series Nickel over Brass 14 X 6.5 Snare, purchased used in 2021 and played with my PDP Concept Maple 6 drum kit also purchased Used in 2021. The DW came delivered with a HD Dry Batter head, Stock Reso head and wires. Played great right out of the box. The previous owner installed the HD head. A few weeks ago I replaced the HD dry head with a new one. No matter how I tried to tune it, I couldn't get to that Sweet Spot on the drum. I laso use the PDP snare (14 X 5.5) with a HD dry batter head. Lat week, in my frustration while playing to some music, I placed the DW snare atop of my 16 Inch Floor Tom to get it out of the way. I played using the PDP snare. During a Fill, I hit the DW snare - Bingo it delivered that Sound - Ludwig Suprphonic sound - Jon Bonham like sound! Took the DW off and the sound was not the same. Put it back and it was great? I've posted this on drummer forums and other YT video sites and can't seem to get an answers as to what the Heck is going On? One poster kiddingly said that I may have discovered a new Snare Stand! Another said that I was playing 2 Drums simultaneously = the snare was resonating with the Tom. BTW, the PDP snare improves as well when playing on the Tom. One recommendation was to change form a HD dry head to a UV1. I did that on the PDP, snare and was less satisfied than the HD Dry head. Sorry to sound a little OCD (which is my nature about certain things) but once I heard that nice sound form the DW - that's what I want. Any Ideas? I tried my wife's idea (of all people) to use a "base' on the snare stand and sit the snare on that. I used an old Clear Remo Batter head in the snare stand basket and that helped just a tad to improve the sound.

[@user-kx8iw7dh5k]

Depending on what heads you are using that can make a big difference in sound. I personally like the vintage style remo emperor heads on top of my snares or ambassadors. I have a fiberskyn on an old 1920s Ludwig l have that seems to work really good too. I currently have a lot of vintage and modern snares that l use and they are in mahogany and maple and birch. I also have brass snares and nickle over brass and chrome snares. I have tried a lot of different heads but l always tend to come right back to those Remos on these drums . However now there are so many choices out there to try. You might have to bite the bullet and buy a few different brands and styles of heads and start changing them out until you get the sound you are looking for. I think the reason you are getting that big sweet sound is because both drums are resonating at the same time giving you a lower fundamental frequency on the snare.

[@hadesdave]

so what was the drum dial number for the batter head?

[@laurdessvalentino5849]

78

[@Tagger0325]

Drum dial is so precise you can't hear it . Bottom head measures 86 then you tighten another half turn and it doesn't make much difference. I think video proves ,you don't need drum dial . That's Rob Brown for giving me a schooling on this . EARS RULE .

[@dilshanjayathilake4647]

Nicely explained.

[@sigil_theband1953]

I have a pitch app and tune my snare side head to an "A" and the batter side to a "G". Going with a specific pitch give great consistency in drum sound when performing or recording. My snare is a 6X14 Black Beauty, as well. I tried this technique on an 8X14 snare, and it didn't work, I had to go with a different pitch, so the drum depth matters. Your snare side is about an "A", which is fairly tight and gives a good sound, and your batter side ended up on a "G", like mine...I guess that's a great starting point for a 6x14 BB. Sounds fantastic.

[@Fisherdrumming]

Nice! Yes I agree, thank you

[@bryandrums32]

Eric!!!! This was a great lesson!!!!

[@Fisherdrumming]

Thank you!!

[@hansvanhees5689]

Hi...I do have both. DrumDial has one disadvantage because the reso is thin you get press marks. If this is the right word for it. Loosen the reso and you see what I mean. Batter no problem of course. I use tunebot for my 8 lugs snare. Tune reso 385 and batter 293...G4 and D4 is a great starting point. 194 Hz is G3. You can tune the batter higher or lower and leave the reso at 385. But that's my point of view after month of tuning. Thanks for sharing greetings to all drummers out there 😁👍

[@normnashtynash8815]

So Eric, you mentioned your bottom head is dialed in at 86, You never said what the top head is dialed to? Please, please respond to what the top head drum dial reads.

[@TheGriffiii]

What was that top number. I do 85 on the reso and 83 on the bed lugs. 88 on the batter.

[@patrickmcveigh7496]

killer sound.Evans HD Dry I think has the best response and best sound of all their heads.I have three snares with the Evans HD Dry, I also have the drum dial and I have it tune the way you do 86 on the bottom 85 on the top I find when you get into 90 or higher,it sounds like a marching drum.

[@rcb_matt]

I see several people asking for the batter head tension and they get no response. How about a range, if you don’t want to give out the actual tension?

[@jeffjohnson2624]

Great lesson! Quite reassuring to know I follow the same approach using the drumdial. Absolutely one of the best investments I've made drum-wise. Might I ask an EQ question? Cleary you've got that 57 EQ'd very well with some tasty reverb on it. I know mixing and EQ settings can be held pretty close to the chest for us drummers but do you feel like sharing any EQ tips to help eliminate the overtone ring like you've done here? That Back Beauty sounds great!!

[@Fisherdrumming]

EQ! Cut the “high ping” frequencies out where you find them usually around 400-500Hz I a bus to a verb track, and I use a plug-in by Waves Audio (I forgot what it’s called right now) to get some compression

[@R_Ultraloud]

Nice.

[@mikegulick3060]

What was your top.head tuned to with drum dial..86 bottom top I didn't hear the number

[@cantthinkanameup]

Not gonna lie, Ive used both a drum dial and tune bots before, and I have always been able to get a better sound tuning by ear. Those tools dont account for how the bottom head and top head produce one note collectively. I get my lugs all close (with the snare wires on, but loose). Once the drum is “in tune” I check the overtones by tapping between two lugs, and listen for differences around the drum. Once you have all of the overtones matched, you’ll get a very very nice and pleasant ring thats exactly the same, and a nice very nice fundamental note. When you balance the overtones you hear the subtle differences in the lugs that you wouldnt normally hear. What does this “extra” tuning result in? With correct mic placement, you get a drum that needs very very little work in the mixing process. In my experience you either do the work up front (tuning and mic placement) and the rest is much easier, or you do the work during mixing, which can be a pain. Nice black beauty, I love mine. I love the way most heads sound on it but I tried a remo powerstroke 77 on it and I dont know if I will ever go back.

[@marcosjimenez8063]

What was the drum dial on the top head after all ?

[@steverichdrummr]

Damn , that thing sounds great. After you played it, you found a couple of rods to adjust, but it sounded amazing anyway, so that's why I use my ear. To me, it doesn't have to be that precise. Can a 6. 1/2 black beauty with an HD dry even ever sound bad? Just kidding.

[@catfishmudflap]

I can't put up with the background music. Why do people think they need this mind numbing music in their videos?

[@JG-nx3jg]

There has to be a better way than lugs to tune drums. Innovation seems so glacial with drums. 1 billion finishes and shell materials but still ancient hardware solutions.

[@Fisherdrumming]

Its definitely not a fast process! To your point, I have seen another design to quickly change your tuning that’s much easier but I forget what company it is. It’s very unique and probably won’t catch on. It’s going to take all of the main drum manufacturers to start adopting a new technology and I don’t see that happening unless it becomes so popular that they need to!

[@JasonWelchMusic]

If you dont want to take the time to tune a snare and don't mind to drop a thousand on a snare,.... a Dialtone snare is your solution. Literally the best tuning solution I've ever seen.

[@fredodelatorr]

You Didn’t show nothing Not even the dial readings, thanks for nothing