How to tune a snare drum.

[@Eurodrummer666]

I like the time you spend explaining how the drum should react.

[@NickCostaMusic]

Much appreciated! Definitely something that is overlooked, and any snare will sound bad when the wires are at the wrong tension. Thanks for checking out the vid!

[@Eurodrummer666]

@@NickCostaMusicThanks for your answer! Here I use a Sonor Protean and a Pearl Ian Paice with the same heads you used, I like to tension wires right before the choking point. I use 8 wires strands to avoid unwanted buzz. By the way, I'd love to own the 6,5 black beauty and Supraphonic snares in the same configuration.

[@NickCostaMusic]

8 wires? Wow, didn’t know anyone made that. Out if all the wires I’ve tried, World Max’s German wires have the fastest resposnse. Vic Firth wires by Canopus are a close 2nd.

[@Eurodrummer666]

@@NickCostaMusic the sonor Protean comes with those small strands, it's what Gavin Harrison likes best on a snare.

[@username6265]

great!! thank you very much for this video, it helped me alot!! just replaced my top head for my upcomming first gig! All the best

[@NickCostaMusic]

Killer! Great to hear this helped you get your snare ready for your gig. Appreciate you checking out the vid.

[@jlozzano6559]

Toms sound magnifique

[@NickCostaMusic]

One of my favorite characteristics of @ludwigdrumshq drums - clean toms without the need of extra muffling like tape or gels

[@majkz9657]

Very useful video, thanks and greetings from Czech republic.

[@NickCostaMusic]

You’re very welcome, Majk! Great to hear this was helpful, and I appreciate you checking out the vid.

[@erwinballings9155]

Sounds great and a beautiful snare too, thanks for sharing 👍

[@NickCostaMusic]

Many thanks - love this drum, great to hear you did too! Thanks for watching.

[@shaunbryant947]

Great stuff man, really helpful!

[@NickCostaMusic]

You’re very welcome! Love this drum, hopefully this video helped you get an idea of what it can do.

[@remoskins1437]

Sounds great, but how much is the EQ affecting what we hear?

[@NickCostaMusic]

Not much EQ

[@timmydodd1978]

I always thought stretching the snare side head would break it because it’s so thin so I never do that. I just crank it up and let it stretch on it’s own. I stretch the top head though.

[@NickCostaMusic]

Just gotta be careful with it. The ambassador hazy in this video is 3mil so you can give a little pressure, just not as much as the batter side. Thanks for checking out the vid!

[@timmydodd1978]

Nick Costa I’ll have to try it the next time I change my heads. I too am a Ludwig and Remo guy... I have a 1969 Standard in Gold Strata with original hardware. It is a 22x14 kick, 13x9 rack tom, and a 16x16 floor tom. It also came with a Standard 14x5 Aluminum snare drum. Coated Emperors on top and Coated Ambassadors on the bottom of the toms. Clear Powerstroke 4 on the kick. Snare drum has a Vintage A on it but it’s the head that was on it when I bought it and I need to do exactly this to that drum (both heads and wire change. I’m pretty sure the snares are original as they look pretty beat up). It has an internal muffler on drum so I was thinking of using a single ply head. If you have any ideas for single ply heads that sound good on aluminum drums it would be appreciated! Thinking of the standard choices (Ambassador, Controlled Sound, Emperor) but I was also curious about the Fiberskyn heads. If you have any experience with these and want to chime in that would be awesome. Look forward to more videos! Cheers!

[@NickCostaMusic]

That’s a sweet kit! I did a restoration series on my late 60s downbeat kit. Something about vintage Ludwig - nothing comes close in my opinion. If you haven’t seen it, you can hear the end result here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpzQmKCPebmeiNU That’s very close to what I choose for my kits, except I use a PS3 for kick, emperor smooth white for my classic maples, and clear ambassador reso. For your standards that head combo will give a nice warm tone. If you feel they’re too dry, try vintage ambassadors for batter side on toms. Unlike current ambassadors, they’re 2 ply heads. As for the snare, you should check out the ambassador x coated, or maybe an x14. Like I said a vintage A is 2 ply, so it’s gonna sound different than a single ply head. Ambassador X is single ply 10 mil (standard ambassador is 7 mil), and the x14 is a single ply 14 mil head. I’ve always loved ambassador X because it’s got the durability of a 2 ply with the tone of a single. I use it on my 67 acrolite and love it! I’ve only tried fiberskyn on 1 snare - a solid shell padauk. To me it made the drum too dry for my liking, but it sounds GREAT with brushes. Thanks again for checking the videos - make sure to subscribe to get notified when I upload again!

[@timmydodd1978]

I subbed awhile back! That Ludwig restoration video was how I found your channel, as I was thinking about doing it to my Standard.

[@timmydodd1978]

Nick Costa Powerstroke 3 is usually my go-to but if my local Guitar Center or Sam Ash is out of stock I get the closest thing to a head with a muffle ring (Powersonic/Powerstroke Pro)

[@Eurodrummer666]

Oh, and I never press the snare skin, even the batter one, because it also puts pressure on the hazy one where the lower bearing edge is.

[@anthonyfrancis8920]

🤘

[@NickCostaMusic]

Glad you dug the vid, Anthony! 🥁

[@pour-g8677]

I never had anyproblem by not doing the cpr method on my new head.. maybe you need to retune it in a couple songs but its ok i tune by ear not by note as time is gold when youre in a gig

[@NickCostaMusic]

Same here, this just helps expedite the process.

[@pour-g8677]

@@NickCostaMusic nice

[@jaymeramirez7435]

Who else like the p88i throw off better??? I have one drum that has the p88 and I don’t like the clicking tension on the p88. The smooth feeling is better.

[@NickCostaMusic]

The p88i is a fantastic throw off. Just got a Universal Beech that has one

[@Eurodrummer666]

I would have removed both heads, just to have no obstacle in order to clean the shell. And also to check if that shell is not deformed. Anyway, I would have felt nervous manipulating a such high end snare drum.

[@DogwoodTT-hs8hv]

old head sounded best

[@NickCostaMusic]

Interesting - what characteristics make the old head your preferred sound?

[@Bonzoham]

true

[@erictorres4889]

I actually like my snare to ring cuts through better

[@NickCostaMusic]

That’s usually my go to as well - this drum is the exception. What’s your preferred snare heads to keep the drum open? Mine is the ambassador x coated

[@erictorres4889]

@@NickCostaMusic I actually use a remo ebony pine stripe on mine

[@NickCostaMusic]

@@erictorres4889 That's a pretty heavy head being 2 plys. There's something put between the 2 plys to reduce overtones. Based off that, sounds like you prefer a sound that has a loud crack, but is direct. If you wanted the drum to ring more, a thinner head than the pinstripe would be the trick

[@erictorres4889]

@@NickCostaMusic thanks for telling me that I’ll definitely check that out

[@NickCostaMusic]

@@erictorres4889 No problem!