Snare Shell Material and Size Differences

I am mainly a guitarist, but I can't stand drum machines, so I taught myself some basic drumming.

I keep it simple and play to a click and overall my tracks are coming out pretty well except for snare tone.

The set is among the usual suspects for inexpensive kits, a mid 90s Rockstar.

I have good mics (57s, 421s, EV 868 bass drum mic, a T.H.E. omni for OH, and others) and the sound I am capturing on tape is close to the room sound, but the Rockstar snare is kind of hard and harsh sounding. I have tried various tunings and I am not getting anywhere. I can tune lower, and its fuller but also sort of sloppy sounding.

I like a snare tone that is full with good sustain and low mids, sort of a classic rock kind of tone, but with enough snare presence to still cut through.

I think a 6 1/2 x 14 snare would probably get me closer to the tone I am looking for, but what about shell materials for this type of tone?

Between some EQ, gating, and compression, I have made my current tracks sound reasonable, but I would like to get a different snare that sounds closer without all the processing.

The bass and tom tones I am getting are fine, but I need some help on the snare.

I think I read once that about 80% of every snare drum recorded during the 60's and early 70's that wound up on the radio (the heyday of classic rock) was either a Ludwig supraphonic or a similar Rogers model that I don't remember right now. In other words: a metal snare. I think you're right on with the depth size also....you might want to even get a 7x14. Also, for that "classic" sound- duct tape everything!

Close. I suggest you get any good 14" brass snare with a coated single ply head tuned medium tight to start. There are tons of used ones available. Chances are you got a steel snare now and it won't sound like a brass snare no matter what you do to it.

If you want a Killer snare that kicks major ass.

Go check this out.

Pearl makes a snare that is probably exactly what you are after. It's called the Sensitone.

A friend of mine named Chris Pyle (his dad is Artimus Pyle, the drummer from Lynyrd Skynyrd) has one of these...it's a 6.5" x14" Stell shell.

http://www.interstatemusic.com/webapp/commerce/command/cProductDisplay?prmenbr=1&prrfnbr=198350&topcat=2&prevcat=

This snare is one of the most awesome snares around.

And btw, even though I'm not a big fan of Tama - there's nothing wrong with the Rockstar series.

If you pay attention to tuning, you should be able to get them to sound awesome.

Tim

No offense, but I think it is wise to make sure you know as much about tuning as you can. The key to the snare sound you seek is not totally realted to tuning, or shell size or material. Yes they can all have an effect, but the low end warmth comes from manipulating the tension of the snare unit itself. And just like tuning, I'm talking very small tweaks of the snare strainer tension rod adjustment.

Please take a few minutes and read about the Installation of and the Snare Unit, Sound and the 5 stages of from the free online Drum Tuning Bible, it may help.

You make no mention of the heads on your current snare either, and those can have a big impact. Your snare should give you a decent tone with the right heads, like an Evans Genera Snare Coated Batter (not a G1) and a 200 weight clear snare side head.

Now, if you just want to buy another, thats a whole other issue.