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This is mine? It sounds like that?


BeakerArk

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Had another casino gig tonight. Used my trusty ol' '63 Ludwigs (13" rack, 16" floor, 20" bass, all in original BDP wrap) w/ my trusty ol' 8x14 Pearl DLX Maple Freefloating snare. The sound system for this gig is stellar compared to the usual club dreck with which we have to deal. I'm not used to a totally dedicated drum monitor mix, so it's a treat everytime we play this gig. That 20" bass sounds just like I like it in the mix, punchy and thick. . . like Artie Lange on a Benadryl bender. However, for this post, it's the snare I'd like to focus this thread on.

 

I got this snare back in the day, let's say 1987 or so. Bought it from a rural M&P music store. . .came w/ the kit (DLX Maple, natural finish, Power Tom sized, primo {censored} at the time). I've used this snare as my primary live gig snare more often than not ever since I got it. Many different types of heads have been tried on this drum. No matter what was used, it always sounded pretty good, but not exactly what I wanted. I like my batter head on the snare to feel fairly tight (a carry-over from my marching days) to help w/ the doubles and such, so I've often found myself chokin' the drum's throat. Because of it's size and materials, it usually sounded full, but not FULL.

 

Tonight, I decided to slack the batter (an Evans G2) just a 1/4 to 1/2 turn w/ the drum key on each lug. Tap-tuned to get the lugs at an even tone. Loosened up the snares just a wee bit.

 

And during soundcheck. . . THERE IT WAS, IN THE MONITORS. . .THE SNARE SOUND I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR FOR OVER 20 YEARS. I felt like an idiot. That was all it took, after all these years? That's mine? That's how it sounds?

 

I got to line check first, so when the verticles were diddlin', I went front of house to the soundboard. . .and had Vince whack on the snare, so I could hear housefront sound. . . AND THE SOUND OF GAWD WAS STILL THERE!!! As close to as I'd heard it in my head as I could have ever hoped. The gig was like swimmin' in gravy after that... couldn't stop smiling evertime I hit that thing.

 

I'm not sure what the point of this post is/was. . .but I just had to share this moment.

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Be honest Beaker, was it like...................SEX?

 

Good for you man. I know when I have moments like that, typically micing issues, and they're tweaked and everything melds perfectly it's close to orgasmic, not quite, but I quiver a little for a sec.

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Be honest Beaker, was it like...................SEX?

 

 

What is this "sex" of which you speak? LOL

 

I feel kinda stupid for being so effusive about that episode. . .but dammit, the sound of it shocked the {censored} outta me. Like finding out my wife, whom I've been married to for 20 years this year, had the ability to turn lead into gold... "Oh, this old trick? Silly boy, it was right in front of you."

 

You think you know something so thoroughly, front to back, side to side, top to bottom.. .and to be stunned by something I thought I'd already tried, something so simple as a little downtuning and some looser snares would dial in the sound I'd long searched for. . . I must be as retarded as I seem/feared.

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Sorry, after I read '63 Luddy's, my eyes teared up and I couldn't read the rest
:)

Any chance you got a recording of from the show so we can hear that snare?

 

Not unless one of the audience recorded it. I'm gonna have Alan bring his digi-recorder to the next show there next month. We'll see if it still sounds as good.

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What steps are you going to take to make sure you can replicate that sound in the future if its been elusive for 20 years?
:confused:

 

As soon as I got home from the gig, I drumdialed it all over, top & bottom. I also counted the rings of threads showing above the snare strainer tension knob rod, on both sides of the strainer (on this Pearl snare, there are tension knobs on both sides of the strainer, the throw and the butt).

 

To be even more specific, for muffling, I make my own "o-rings" out of old used heads (cut me about a 1&1/2 inch wide ring to lay on top of the head).

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As soon as I got home from the gig, I drumdialed it all over, top & bottom. I also counted the rings of threads showing above the snare strainer tension knob rod, on both sides of the strainer (on this Pearl snare, there are tension knobs on both sides of the strainer, the throw and the butt).


To be even more specific, for muffling, I make my own "o-rings" out of old used heads (cut me about a 1&1/2 inch wide ring to lay on top of the head).

 

 

Well alrighty then:thu:

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To be even more specific, for muffling, I make my own "o-rings" out of old used heads (cut me about a 1&1/2 inch wide ring to lay on top of the head).

 

 

nice, I've thought about doing that for recording. What's the best technique, Exacto with the head upside down? Also, what did your dial read? All my snares sound great in the 85-88 range on the batter, around 80 on the reso.

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nice, I've thought about doing that for recording. What's the best technique, Exacto with the head upside down? Also, what did your dial read? All my snares sound great in the 85-88 range on the batter, around 80 on the reso.

 

 

You've got it. . .an exacto knife w/ the head turned upside down. . .cut out the collar and trim the curve out of the head. . .then, if'n ya got one, use a compass to draw the inner edge and outter edge of the ring ya want.. then cut away the stuff you don't wanna stay.

 

As for the settings. . .the batter is at (roughly) 75.. .reso is at (roughly) 85

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