Hello All!

I’ve recently hit a brick wall. I’ve been trying to eliminate - or at least reduce - the sympathetic snare buzz that results from the snares reacting to sound sources other than my sticks to no avail. Anytime my bass player wants to show me a riff or idea he’s forced to contend with the buzz until I throw off the snares, which I might forget to re-engage at the beginning of the song (embarrassing!). Sure, the sound might get buried when we are actually playing together, don’t be fooled, it’s still there! Listening back to our recordings (lofi, room mic set up), I realize it’s omnipresence.  I’ve tried tuning the reso up, down, and sideways. I’ve tried loosening one of the lugs closest to the snare beds. I’ve tried applying tape under the plates where the strands connect, and also on either side of the strands themselves with limited success. I’d love to hear your ideas and suggestions.

idc

PS I apologize if this topic has already been addressed. My search parameters didn’t turn up any results.

idc - if you don’t get a response, ping this topic again and I’ll see if I can’t poke someone with a stick.

And congrats on your first post

So sorry - what’s “ping this topic” mean? Obviously I’m a newbie!

That’s what the cool kids call posting to this topic again. It will send me a notice

Pure sound makes snare wires with a gap in the middle that are supposed to help.  I picked some up a month ago to see if they help.  So far they don’t.  Maybe if I take them out of the package & put them on the drum….

I use the Puresound and they do help- I DO WANT that buzz and response during performance, but Yes- if there is a QUIET,quiet passage the only option is snare gate off…If recording bothers you, you can run a piece or two of tape directly across the snares themselves- but just for your recording- it REALLY chokes up the resonance a REAL drum should have LIVE. Experiment again with the reso head- start REALLY loose, then gradually increase till the buzz is too much for you. At ‘sloppy’ there should hardly be any buzz at all- but the head will be wrinkled. The trick of loosening only at the snare beds has worked for me with the Puresounds…. Also check the tension of the mounting of the snares- are they string or plastic strip? Make sure they are centered and you are not pulling the snares at an angle to tighten. Hope some of this helps! Be aware sometime the ambient bass sounds are impossible to avoid rattling things- our bass player rattles my snares, the florescent bulbs, the doorknob, the china in the next room, etc…!!!

Hi everyone!
  A long time ago, I read where Dave Weckl gave some pretty good advice re: overbearing sympathetic snare buzz. @ least it does work for me.

According to what Weckl said, the 12” tom is the biggest problem on the kit in regards to that problem. He said that the snare drum is ringing & buzzing b/c there is a harmonic from another drum setting off the snare drum.

Hit the snare drum around all of the lugs & you’ll probably find 1 or 2 lugs that are just a little out of tune. By tuning them up, your snare buzz should dissapate.
Also, the advice on using more quality snare wires is great advice, as well! Puresound Percussion & DW’s True Tone Snare Wires are my 2 faves!

I really hope that this helps & keep us posted on how it works for you!
Brian JeZuit