Snare tips

[RevTech]

Any tips to share about snares, like EQ and such. Maybe add distortion on it? And what is best to layer, as in a punchy high one and a low one?

 

[MARKLAR]

work it out urself geez!

 

[RevTech]

work it out urself geez!

Ya I know. Just little tips. I'm curious if I am doing something wrong.

 

[MARKLAR]

Ya I know. Just little tips. I'm curious if I am doing something wrong.

well if it sounds shit ur doin sumfin rong if it sounds good ur doin it rite!

 

[kama]

depends on what youre going for naturally, there's no magical recipe of a good snare. If there was every tune would have the same snare sound already.

If youre going for a snappy short hit to go with a fast paced, very rolling beat, choose higher sounds to go together. If you want force, you could layer a clap in there to give it some punch. Some peeps even layer a highpassed (200-400Hz -ish) kick in to give bottom to it. First try to lay off the EQ and compression and get the sound you want with layering and volume envelopes. Use processing minimally, only if it's necessary.

 

[skeez]

use your ears.

 

[Emiliolio]

I don't mean to criticise but i think it'd be better if people didn't post blindingly obvious responses.

The way music progresses is by musicians sharing techniques with each other!

and as a response:

I've never thought about layering a snare drum! I'm always happy with the samples i find... and then i compress the hell out of them!

 

[sam the dnb man]

Ya I know. Just little tips. I'm curious if I am doing something wrong.

i dont think there is really a right or wrong way mate

 

[RevTech]

i dont think there is really a right or wrong way mate

Amen then.

 

[banthedrummer]

for me its all about the transients and getting that punchy but fat snare. also a snare could sound amazing on its own but with breaks and kick sounds alot different so i normally have a rough one till i know what the beat needs?! or doesn't (o:

 

[Narc22]

Personally i layer a snare with say 3 different snares (2 snares and a clap)... i drop the first or top of the snare a millisecond before and mess with the releases on the snares themselves to make them punchy or wide... i found this video on youtube which shows how they make there drums maybe have a watch heres the link to part one:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SYMC57ldgE4&feature=related

Safe

 

[sook]

1/ Gate your snares so you can controll the decay
of the hit.... dnb is fast you need to keep your drums
tight... this will allow more space for other elements in
your mix down.... Set the Attack to the shortest possible value...
you want to catch the transient as it comes in
then adjust the threshold until you are just hearing the transient and
no the body of the snare.... Then set the hold and release to taste....

2/only use high quality samples.....!!!
(vengance snares are great..... )

3/send a little of the snare to a reverb spread wide....

4/Dont be afraid to distort of eq the layers....

5/The weight of the snare should be coming through around
200hz....

6/Layer....

7/reference your snare...who has the fattest snare the punchiest snare etc etc....
buy some waves of theirs off beat port and make sure you snare is as tough,
snappy etc etc... as the snare in their tune....

that said best snare in DNB......
Optiv.... snare from brainworm..... my god....
fucking tough drums.....

 

[JMDJ]

i prefer to layer and keep changing the samples till i find the right 1

 

[MARLZTAH]

when im working on a d&b track, i normally start by searching through hundereds (if not 1000's) of snare samples looking for one that has the right sound to it.... i'll then pick all other beats to match the snare

but having said that, i can save it, come back the next day and realise ive picked a shit snare after all that


but anyway, start with a good snare as your dominant one... if it needs something.... say some low end kick.... layer it with a snare with the right low end.... its a good idea to filter off some of the highs though and adjust the envelope so the snares match........ if it needs some high, layer one with some nice high, and roll off the low end

the reason being, if you have to many sounds layered without any filtering/eq'ing or env adjustment.... it can get very messy


other than that, i personally like to run them through a tube sim to give some warmth, eq and then give them some very subtle reverb.... but only once i have perfected the sound..... its by no means a cure for weak sounds

 

[hakwell]

im using a swizz beatz soundpack for my drums. i know there hip hop but if u put a reverb or a bit of distortion on em u can get sum nice sounding hits frm them. im using a grime soundpack for my hi hats. i find it better to do my drums in reason then do everything else through cubase.pm if u want some of the snares and il send u em m8.

 

[MARLZTAH]

oh another thing i thought id add.... if your snare needs some more low end punch, i find that bass heavy punchy snares sampled from old analog drum machines are usually good for this...... not always though

 

[kama]

Hah DOA has had this 200Hz dissing/lovin thread going for a while. That's an easy way to get that full housey in you face sound to your snare: boost 200Hz, or cut mildly from everything else to make room for the punch.

 

[Logical Frequen]

oh another thing i thought id add.... if your snare needs some more low end punch, i find that bass heavy punchy snares sampled from old analog drum machines are usually good for this...... not always though

This, selectve layering and proper eq is a regular recipie for success for me.