{"id":31542,"date":"2021-11-24T08:22:46","date_gmt":"2021-11-24T16:22:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/?p=31542"},"modified":"2023-05-03T00:03:05","modified_gmt":"2023-05-03T07:03:05","slug":"how-to-tune-a-snare-drum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drumeo.com\/beat\/how-to-tune-a-snare-drum\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Tune A Snare Drum (The Easy Way)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This guide will show you, step-by-step, how to tune a snare drum. It’s easier than it looks!<\/p>\n

Poor tuning can make it nearly impossible to get a good sound whether you\u2019re onstage, in the studio or in the practice room. This snare tuning guide<\/a> will help you to cast off rattles and overtones so you can get that satisfying \u201cthwack!\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n

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1. Remove the old heads and wipe down the drum<\/h3>\n
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First, move your snare away<\/em> from the rest of the kit. Each part of the drum set has different overtones, and isolating the snare while you\u2019re tuning will reduce the chance of hearing sounds from the toms or bass drum. A lot of drummers make this mistake and then wonder \u201cwhere the heck is that humming or rattling coming from?\u201d <\/em>We\u2019ve all been there!<\/p>\n

Remove the screws, the hoop and the old head, then use a dry cloth to wipe everything down<\/a>. Make sure the inside of your drum is completely clean before you pop on the new head.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2. Seat the drumhead<\/h3>\n
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It\u2019s important to seat the new head properly. The part of the drum where the hoop rests is called the \u201cbearing edge\u201d and if it\u2019s warped, the head may not sit exactly right.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But what if the head doesn’t sit right?<\/em><\/p>\n

You can try DrumDial Bearing Edge Conditioner<\/a> to help the head glide on more smoothly. Beyond that, there\u2019s not much you can do without getting into a major repair like sanding it down and using a machine to fix it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You should be able to seat the head even if the bearing edge is a little off. If you can\u2019t, it might be time to think about getting another drum.<\/p>\n

The type of hoop on your snare is important too. Die-cast and wood hoops are less flexible and tend to muffle overtones, while triple-flanged have some additional \u201cplay\u201d and allow the head to resonate more. Swapping out the hoop is one way to change the sound of your snare, and if the hoop is bent, it might be tough to seat the drum head properly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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3. Tighten the tension rods with your fingers<\/h3>\n
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Now that everything is in place, it\u2019s time to get the head in tune.<\/p>\n

Release your throw-off to make sure your snares aren’t touching the bottom head. This will give you the most accurate sound for tuning.<\/p>\n

Replace each tuning rod and turn gently with your fingers until they don\u2019t wiggle (this is called \u201cfinger-tight\u201d). Most snare drums have 10 tuning rods and lugs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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4. Use a drum key to tighten each tuning rod equally<\/h3>\n
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Make a couple of full turns with each set of tension rods, moving in a criss-cross pattern and turning the tension rods until tight.<\/p>\n

You can also save time by taking two drum keys, placing them on opposite lugs, and rotating both about a quarter-turn clockwise at the same time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As you tighten the head, you may hear a cracking sound. Don\u2019t be alarmed! This is just the head stretching over the hoop.<\/p>\n

If you prefer the two-key method over the traditional one-key method<\/a>, it stretches the head evenly over the drum to create \u201ctension bands,\u201d or lines of tightness across the head.<\/p>\n

But how will I know when it\u2019s tight enough?<\/em><\/p>\n

While there\u2019s a science to tuning<\/a>, it\u2019s also an art. If it sounds good, then you\u2019re on the right track. However, snare tunings do vary a lot depending on what style of music you\u2019re playing and what type of drum, hoop and heads you\u2019re using. Rock and metal tunings tend to be lower pitched, while many jazz and hip-hop drummers tune their snares up higher (there are always exceptions).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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5. Tap around the head and listen for the pitch<\/h3>\n
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Use your finger or a drumstick to lightly tap on the head around the edge of the drum near each lug to quickly check the pitch. If one is higher or lower than the rest, use your key to keep making adjustments.\u00a0The goal is to hear the same pitch by each lug.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to tune in small increments of 1\/4 to 1\/2 of a turn at a time so the head tightens gradually. How a tuning rod feels<\/em> doesn\u2019t always correspond directly to how tight it actually is. Parts can rust over time, and products like torque wrenches aren\u2019t always accurate. <\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be fooled! The most important tuning tool you have is your ears.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need to choke every single rattle or overtone during the tuning process. Drums always sound different behind the kit than they might to the audience in a club or the engineer in a studio. Let the drum speak. If you need to cut down on extra noise, use a dampening product<\/a> you can easily use and remove. This will give you much more flexibility to manipulate the tone.<\/p>\n

Resonant head tuning is similar, but if you\u2019re changing both heads, do the resonant head first. You\u2019ll have to remove the snares then repeat the process above.<\/p>\n

One useful tip: if your drum sounds truly god-awful, check the tuning of your resonant head before<\/em> you drastically change the tuning or replace the batter head. While it\u2019s possible to overtighten the resonant head and choke the tone, it\u2019s usually the loose ones that cause the most trouble (humming, ringing and rattling) You want the resonant head to be \u201ctable-top tight.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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6. “Stretch” the head<\/h3>\n
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It\u2019s important to remember that your snare head will continue to stretch and settle as you play it. This means you\u2019ll likely need to continue tweaking the tuning after you first change the head.<\/p>\n

You can help this process along by using your palm to gently<\/em> apply a little pressure to the center of the head to help it stretch (only for the batter head \u2013 you don\u2019t need to do this for the resonant head since it\u2019s so thin).
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This \u201csettling\u201d process shouldn\u2019t happen for longer than an hour or two of playing, and once the head has stabilized it should stay in tune. If it doesn\u2019t, consider grabbing some of these sleeved washers<\/a> to keep the tuning rods in place.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you can help it, don\u2019t change the head right before you record. Do it the day before and \u201cplay it in\u201d a little first so the tuning settles. Your engineer will thank you.<\/p>\n

Now that you\u2019ve got your snare tuned up perfectly, you\u2019re ready to rock out at home, in the studio or onstage!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Make sure you have these items<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whenever you’re tuning drums<\/a>, you should have the following items on hand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batter head (top)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

What type of drumhead should you get? It depends on the type of music you\u2019re playing and the sound you\u2019re going for. Single-ply batter (or top) heads like this one<\/a> will have more resonance and sound good for any style where you want a more \u201copen\u201d tone. Thicker double-ply heads<\/a> will \u201cfocus\u201d the sound of your snare to create a fatter tone. Every drum sounds unique, so the best way to find the perfect head is to experiment until you get the sound you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Resonant head (bottom)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Do you need to replace the bottom head every time you change the batter head? No. The bottom – or \u201cresonant\u201d – head doesn\u2019t take the same beating and will last longer than the top. But if it has a hole or the drum doesn\u2019t sound quite right, it might be time for a new one. These heads are clear and usually very thin<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drum key<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

There are so many different types<\/a> of drum keys, but a magnetic one<\/a> that\u2019s a little larger will make tuning even easier. You can also pick up a custom zinc-alloy design (featuring your favorite drummers) from drumkeyshop<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus: Digital tuner<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Digital tools can increase the accuracy of your tuning<\/a>. Once you’ve installed the drum head, you can take the additional step of using a digital tuner like a DrumDial<\/a> to finish the job. It measures the relative tension of the drumhead at a specific point, which – if you use it properly – can help you make small adjustments that\u2019ll get the tuning just right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"drumdial<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You can still get a good sound if you don\u2019t own one of these tuners, but picking one up can really reduce a lot of the guesswork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DrumDial has a tiny plunger that pushes on the head to measure the tension in each spot. Make sure to follow the instructions to calibrate the tuner before you start and use the enclosed spacer (or your finger) to make sure it\u2019s the same distance from each lug. Then go through them one by one to see how accurate your tuning is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most snare batter heads sound best at a tension of 85-90<\/a>, but slightly higher or lower can work too. Use your ears, consider the type of music you\u2019re playing, and remember that every snare, hoop and head sounds different. A 6.5\u201dx14\u201d walnut snare drum<\/a> with S-Hoops<\/a> (which is a killer hybrid between a rigid die-cast hoop and lightweight flanged hoop) and a single-ply head with a coating ring<\/a> sounds great tuned to 89-91 for R&B or Hip-Hop, while 86-87 is the sweet spot for a fat rock thump. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On an aluminum snare of the same size<\/a> with triple-flanged hoops (which are flexible and resonant), 85 has a perfect beefy rock sound, while tuning to 87 and loosening the snare wires slightly hits the sweet spot for a crisp jazz tone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever tension you choose for the batter head, the key is to tune the resonant head between 80-83 to reduce unwanted overtones without choking the sound of the drum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experiment with the tuning and find what works best for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 tips for a killer snare sound<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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