Help identifying snare tuning and type.

[Matt.Hepworth]

Since I'm no drummer, I would like to ask for help answering a snare tuning/type question or two. Pixies- Surfer Rosa. Huge snare (Albini), but any ideas on tuning on this snare, size, composition, etc? Nirvana- Nervermind. A very snappy, yet full snare sound. This is the sound captured by hundreds of records since. How was that sound created (drum->tuning->micing->processing, etc.) There have been conflicting reports on the use of samples, but Wallace denies it. Please, any help you can give will be well taken.

 

------------------

Matt

No clever saying.

[Matt.Hepworth]

Is there anyone with any ideas?!?

[felix stein]

It is such a broad question.

 

What I would do is try to get a hold of the drummers themselves or try to do some research...look at the records you like in the credits and find the studios...call them and ask!

 

I know Dave Grohl from Nirvana played Tama drums.

 

Sounds like you want a slamming Punk snare...a great slamming Punk drummer is going to give you that sound no matter what they are playing...it's the drummer dude, not so much the drum. Most punk drummers I knew had the shittiest, rattiest, beat up and dented snares I've ever seen.

 

Remember, it's the drummer that will give you that sound, not the drum so much.

 

But if I had to play punk, I'd just use my 6.5 yamaha brass...the same one I play for jazz.

[Matt.Hepworth]

Originally posted by member #16121:

It is such a broad question.

I didn't realize my question was broad, I was looking for specific answers, sorry.

What I would do is try to get a hold of the drummers themselves or try to do some research...look at the records you like in the credits and find the studios...call them and ask!

Felix, I can tell you what studio was used, who recorded them, what to, and with what mic, but my main questions are tunings, mix trix, and such. I think either of those albums are worth a listen. Give Surfer Rosa a try and you'd be able to tell me exactly what the snare tuning was, whether zero rings were used, etc. I just don't have the experience to tell. It sounds low tuned, but it's not ringy, and doesn't sound gated. This has me puzzled.

Peace.

member #16101

[felix stein]

I could not tell you what zero rings were used and what exactly the drum was.

 

And I don't have the time to listen to it for ya...sorry.

[ModernDrummer]

Matt -

 

On Rush - La Villa Strangiato, I was wondering if you could tell me what guitars were used, what strings / tuners / fretboard combination and how it was recorded, mics, processors, effects, etc.?

 

See felix' point? You've asked questions that would be virtually impossible to answer. And even IF they could be answered, it most likely would have NO bearing on your situation, at any rate. UNLESS you used the exact same hardware, tuned exactly the same, recorded in the same studio, using the same recording equipment, recorded by the same sound engineer. Otherwise, even buying the same snare with the same head set-up is most likely NOT going to give you the same sound. So, as felix noted, your queries are overly broad because there's just way to many variables.

 

That COULD be why you haven't received more responses in almost two weeks.

 

Just out of curiosity, but if you're not a drummer, why would even having the information be of use to you?

 

For me, I've never heard of the Pixies, so I don't know, I may like their stuff, may not. I never cared for Nirvana, so I probably wouldn't prefer to download something from them.

 

But I would think felix is correct. You probably CAN find out all the information you're seeking, IF you're willing to do the homework. Unfortunately here, it sort of sounds like you're asking everyone else to do your homework for you.

[Matt.Hepworth]

Originally posted by ModernDrummer:

Matt -

 

On Rush - La Villa Strangiato, I was wondering if you could tell me what guitars were used, what strings / tuners / fretboard combination and how it was recorded, mics, processors, effects, etc.?

 

See felix' point? You've asked questions that would be virtually impossible to answer. And even IF they could be answered, it most likely would have NO bearing on your situation, at any rate. UNLESS you used the exact same hardware, tuned exactly the same, recorded in the same studio, using the same recording equipment, recorded by the same sound engineer. Otherwise, even buying the same snare with the same head set-up is most likely NOT going to give you the same sound. So, as felix noted, your queries are overly broad because there's just way to many variables.

 

That COULD be why you haven't received more responses in almost two weeks.

 

Just out of curiosity, but if you're not a drummer, why would even having the information be of use to you?

 

For me, I've never heard of the Pixies, so I don't know, I may like their stuff, may not. I never cared for Nirvana, so I probably wouldn't prefer to download something from them.

 

But I would think felix is correct. You probably CAN find out all the information you're seeking, IF you're willing to do the homework. Unfortunately here, it sort of sounds like you're asking everyone else to do your homework for you.

 

I guess it is tough since no one is really familiar with the Pixies. The answers I was looking for would have been something like: sounds like maple, tuned low, maybe the bottom head is looser than the top, something like that. I don't know drums. On the other hand, I bet I could give you a good idea what guitars, amps (if any), effects, and such (of course I wouldn't be able to tell you what frets are on the neck) were used on a given Rush record (although, I've never heard of the one you mentioned). Let me rephrase my original questions -

 

I am an idiot with drums and cannot possibly hear a difference in type, size, and tuning with snare drums. Is the sound on Pixies "Surfer Rosa" a)wood, b)metal, c)Pixies?!?

Would you say it is tuned a)tuned low, b)tuned tight on one head, but not the other, c)not tuned?

Thanks in advance,

Member # 16101

 

damn drummers

 

[ 10-31-2001: Message edited by: theglitch ]

[ModernDrummer]

Matt,

 

Well, I'll try and give it a shot for ya. However, can you give me a bit more information on Surfer Rosa? What album is it from, is it on a soundtrack, etc. I searched online for the song, popped up quite a few from Pixies, but not Surfer Rosa.

 

Or if you have a link to their site or something, I'll try and give it a listen and see if I can provide any insight.

 

And, what instrument DO you play? You must want the info for SOME reason.

 

J.B.

[oyajipunk]

Jeez, getting information out of you guys is like getting blood from a stone! If nobody else is going to help this guy I will give it a try!

 

Surfarosa is a Pixies Album, not a song. When recording, drummers use many snares and setups, just like guitarists etc, so without inside information it is difficult to know what equipment was used on what song.

 

My opinion of the overall sound on that album is that all the drum sounds are reverbed and compressed to hell. The snare has a real 'BLAT' sound, which suggests to me a shell with little resonance, and/or heavy heads - ie a dry sound. Because there is little resonance I would guess the heads were tuned loosely, but there are lots of ways to get a dry sound, damping, taping etc.

 

Nirvana's sound is much more acoustic. The natural character of the drum is captured in the recording, I suspect there is a lot less EQ and effect on this snare sound than the Pixies, which might make it harder to reproduce. The key to that question would be naming the snare itself, which I unfortunately don't know. I'm sure that the information is available somewhere though, maybe even on this page!

 

So there, that's my opinion. Hope it is of some help.

[Matt.Hepworth]

Originally posted by ModernDrummer:

Matt,

 

Well, I'll try and give it a shot for ya. However, can you give me a bit more information on Surfer Rosa? What album is it from, is it on a soundtrack, etc. I searched online for the song, popped up quite a few from Pixies, but not Surfer Rosa.

 

Or if you have a link to their site or something, I'll try and give it a listen and see if I can provide any insight.

 

And, what instrument DO you play? You must want the info for SOME reason.

 

J.B.

 

I apreciate your effort here. As the post above said, Surfer Rosa is an album rather than a track (sorry, I didn't make it clear). I suggest "Cactus" and "Where is My Mind" (also re-released on the Fight Club soundtrack) as examples. I can email you clips if you'd like, but I think you may like the songs. I play mostly guitar, but I'm mesmerized by drums. This info is for two reasons: to solve my freakish curiosity, and to get ideas for a Pixies tribute I may be recording from various bands in my area. Like I said, I just don't know drums yet, but I'm picking up all I can.

 

To oyajipunk, thanks a ton! You have given me a great stepping stone in the right direction. I do know that Dave Grohl had a 8" x 14" Tama Artstar snare, perhaps it was used on Nevermind? I don't trust my ears on drum sounds yet, so your help is well recieved.

 

[ 10-31-2001: Message edited by: theglitch ]