What's the advantage of having a SUPER tight snare?

[KeyboardEric]

This is something I've been meaning to ask on a forum for a while. I play on a couple shared kits and once in a while someone will come along and tune the drum so tight it's literally to the max (with the snare wire also maxed out on tightness). I feel I have good technique and decent handle on rudiments but when it comes to this I can barely play a decent sounding drag/roll and the drum sounds all choked and dead. My chops go down the toilet on a snare like this. I really don't understand this approach. I'm just wondering, what is the advantage to tuning a snare this way? Is this a drum corps thing that I never grew up with? Or do I need to work on my technique even more intensely so that this style of tuning feels more natural to me? Any insight may be helpful.

 

As far as my preference on tuning, I prefer top head to be tuned fairly tightly but also loose enough so I can bounce the head of the stick comfortably with a slight bit of resonance echoing after each hit. Personally, this method is much more comfortable and musical feeling to me.

[Outkaster]

I know a lot of Reggae acts I have worked with professionally like that tuned tight to get a pop out of it. On the other hand my drummer likes a live drum sound

[Nathanael_I]

I don't get it. Acoustic instruments are meant to resonate. It's the point. To each his own, but my snares are always tuned to resonate and have a full, open sound. No choking here.

[J. Dan]

Does it matter how hard you hit? Maybe a hard hitter needs it tighter?

[KuruPrionz]

I don't always care for the results of other people's (or even my own) experiments but my guess is that some drummers want a different sound and that's the one they like.

 

I'm always on the hunt for something new that I like so it's certainly something I condone.

 

As mentioned above, I've also heard that sound used in Jamaican music.

 

I think it's been going on for a long time, not something new at all.

 

 

[Brian McConnon]

I agree with KuruPrioz, it's more about a certain sound than the feel. The tighter the head, the higher the pitch and less snare buzz. Some might like the feel and others may not - it's personal preference there, but they are probably after that sound.

[wraub]

Oddly, my "big" snare is tuned tighter than my "small" snare drum.

[Mark Schmieder]

It's an interesting question, because there's a lot of new invention and/or innovation in musical instruments right now, as has been true throughout the centuries.

 

As musical styles evolve, and as (pre-Coronavirus) poorer countries got richer, musicians began to demand instruments they felt better met their needs, as in the initial post here.

 

Some may adapt Timbales to a Toms role or even a Snare role, and others may do the same with Caixa (Brasilian snare where the wires or strings are on top vs. on the bottom).

 

Recently though, several manufacturers have been making "tighter" snares, specific to Banda, Salsa, and other genres. I have a new Salsa Snare on order; it may arrive in May. :-)

 

The Salsa Snare is designed to go well with a Timbales set, and would be played standing, like a Caixa. I think the Banda Snare (which is deeper) is also usually played standing.

 

A few years ago, I bought some specialty snares such as a Popcorn Snare, but didn't like them; most are cheap instruments, Poplar Wood, and just didn't work well for me in studios.

 

I have heard enough demos of the Salsa Snare and the Banda Snare (on order if I like the Salsa Snare enough) to be more confident, and they are priced like a Gretsch Supraphonic.

 

I also ordered the new Gretsch Copperphonic Snare last year, and it's marvelous. I compared all variants and sizes, and felt the 14x5 Hammered Copper w/ Tube Lugs the tightest.

 

Another "Tight Snare" option is of course a Piccolo Snare, but they serve many functions and vary wildly based on size and materials used, but I like them for Jazz/Funk Fusion.

[wraub]

I actually got a popcorn snare a while back, and I like it. It's a Pearl Short Fuse, and it's great on my smaller practice kit.

[Mark Schmieder]

Hmm, I don't know that model. The one I had was Pearl, but the poplar would just didn't have enough snap to the sound. I forget its dimensions; narrow and deep as I recall.

[wraub]

It's this one..

sweetwater page

 

 

 

 

It is indeed poplar, 6 ply, and effective imo as an effect when cranked down, (splat) or as a main snare when tuned up (crack).

I find the parts to be, almost literally, just exactly as good as the price point would warrant, and no more. Decent chrome, but not great, and some extra attention required- tightening all the hardware, lubrication in the throwoff, etc... That said, it doesn't sound bad tuned either way, or in between.

 

Currently, it sits next to a Yamaha Tour Custom maple that doesn't make it look any better but, it's a good tool to have imo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hmm, I don't know that model. The one I had was Pearl, but the poplar would just didn't have enough snap to the sound. I forget its dimensions; narrow and deep as I recall.

[RABid]

I would never want it for my only snare sound but I do have a brass piccolo snare as a secondary that it tight and quick. I also have a deep wooden snare for the opposite effect. To me they are more for accents and variance than a full time sound.

[wraub]

I recently acquired an Acrolite, and on that the bottom head is as tight as common sense will allow, and the batter head tuning varies around that. Lots of variety that way.

[RABid]

On 3/9/2020 at 4:42 AM, KeyboardEric said:

what is the advantage to tuning a snare this way?

 

For a light hitter it can help the snare cut through the mix.