Ep. 11 Sympathetic Snare Buzz 

Am I the only one that likes just listening to this guy in general? He seems like an amazing teacher.

I hate when you pass hours tuning your set to eliminate the buzz and the bassist ruin everything.

"Practice remembering to turn them back on..." I resemble that remark. ;)

I wish at least when my snare or tom buzzes, they'd produce those cool wavy lines off the top like yours did! : O

Sometimes on older records that snare buzzing from guitar/bass amps is just plain cool, Hendrix comes to mind. Gives a real live vibe to the recording.

I have a ten piece with a pork pie big bob snare and the 12” rack tom is the only piece that makes the snare buzz. Watching these videos helped me to understand to lessen the buzz.

-Practise song ends. -I want to say something to the guitar player -He can't hear me because of the bass player who can't help jamming -He takes off his ear plugs, I take off the snare wires -He then says "Okay let's do that other song" -We start, I hit the snare and it goes "POMMMM" GOD DAMNIT!

continues to be the best drum content on the internet ... bravo again

On the suggestion of disengaging the snare wires during a performance when you aren’t playing. After doing this (and realizing I hadn’t turned them back on till the song kicked back in) more than a few times. I got in the habit of turning them off, but keeping my hand on the strainer till it was time to come back in. This solved the problem of forgetting to turn them back on.

I just embrace it. I think it sounds more natural that way. You kinda alluded to something in the beginning-we hear recorded drums and think that’s how we have to get our kit to sound when sitting at the kit. In reality when things are close miked, some gating going on and in the context of a mix snare buzz really isn’t an issue at all.

Here is what finally help my buzz. Use string instead of the flat mylar to hold down the wires.

12 minutes man my gf has interrupted me so many times already I need he busy dad version of this😂😂🤘🤘🤘

I wrapped a large towel around the snare drum shell facing the high tom and it solved the problem of snare buzz.

I think this is a major struggle for just about any drummer out there. The tips you provided here today are truly valuable and I'm sure everyone watching, took something from this. Awesome job as usual guys! Cant wait to see more!

"Practice learning to turn them back on if you did turn them off." I do this two or three times every week at church. Still haven't learned! haha

The interesting thing about a lot of these vids is that they experiment w/counter intuitive concepts that actually help. Good stuff!

You're a life saver. instead of scanning through hundreds of half-ass chaotic footage I have it all in one place :) Thx!

Cory, Yes Bravo for your typical thoroughness. I just got a PDP Maple Concept kit (used in Great condition from Guitar Center). The 10 X 8 rack tom on the PDP kit is Buzzing the snare drum so much. If I play my other snare - DW Design Series Nickel over Brass 14 X 6.5 , the buzzing is less prominent. It only happens when I hit the small Tom, not any other drums. The Buzz is much greater with the PDP snare (14 X 5.5), with it's Stock Remo head. Just ordered a Evans HD Dry batter head for the PDP snare (I have one on the DW snare - a terrific drum head ), and also G2 Coated batter heads for all the Toms (10, 12, 14, 16 inches). The stock Remo singhle ply Clear batter heads are only OK.... As a 69 YO - beginner Drummer, returning to the "art" after a 50 year Hiatus (garage band in the late 60s), I have learned so much watching your videos (and others too ), about DRUMS, their intricacies / Tuning / Different Heads , etc. I never knew this stuff playing my Set (in my day it was called a Drum Set), in the 60s. THX for all of your very valuable advice.

I've finally found somebody who explains how the sound of drums works and what can we do with that. The best drum tuning videos ever. Great video edit, by the way.

I love that this channel has a video about drum phenomena that no other channel thinks to explore. Sympathetic resonance is not for everything. I like the resonance for jazz and modern classical. Dense, long tones muddy it up, unless that's what we are going for. I explore rimshots or muting if I can't cut through with sticks or mallets. Or I just sit sections out. I do make sure to toss towels on the heads if I'm back-lining during other acts, but with my own band I might let their sounds resonate my drums.

Anyone else think this guy looks like Rob Schneider? Love these videos. I've learned more today watching this channel than I have in the last few years.

I just caught your channel and you are one of the most articulate and informative people on drums on the internet. Keep up the great work.

I was having some horrible sympathetic buzz from the snare drum to the rack tom, and then also the other way from the rack tom to the snare wires. I used a couple of quick tuning trick from this video and the problem is solved! The big improvement was from loosening one lug on the rack tom nearest the snare. Thanks for the advice!

Your An Excellent Articulate Teacher. Just Bought My First Kit And The Information Provided On these Video's Has Taught Me A lot. Thank You.

Wow that was a really good and informative video that addresses something that is a topic I've been having years of issues with and, s far as I'm aware this is the first video that hasn't said to mess with the snare tuning. The tip about lowering the tuning of the bottom lug is really one of those aha moments... 👍

Great info and well presented. Very easy to understand. Great video!!!!!

Great explanation! Thank you for providing a clear, concise and complete solution.

As a producer who started out on guitar and is recording acoustic drums now, this channel is pure gold. Thank you!

Solid tips as usual guys! Thanks a lot!

Another very helpful video, thanks a million!

Awesome video thank you

First time watcher of this channel, great advice and quite a few tips I haven't thought of before.

I needed this! Thanks mate

I was just wondering about the symptathetic resonance between tom heads and bass drum. Then I noticed that you have a video regarding this issue. So awesome. Also, I like your personality.

This is super helpful. Thank you so much.

Excellent presentation! Thank you. :-)

Great stuff, love your channel

as a non drummer who uses sample libraries this is an eye opener!! a lot of insight here to gain! cool video!

You guys are my heroes!

Those Pearl drums are great drums and sound awesome!

Too good! You guys are prodUcing some awesome content. Thanks!!

you guys should do a tom tuning video and discuss the ratio of the bottom and top heads and the difference it makes in the over all sound of the tom. ;)

Excellent video!

Thank you! Great video! 🙏🙏

Holy f**k, I've found the drum Channel that I was looking for for years, Thanks men! :D

I’m so glad you guys covered this. Just when I thought I had an idea for a video for you guys I found this. There’s a super low note on my friends 5 string Marcus Miller bass that makes my snare go crazy. Lowering the resonant head helped a little bit but I love my snare cranked high so I just try to ignore it hahah for rehearsal scenario especially

Turing off snares is always recommended when leaving the stage... especially if followed by other acts without drummers... especially-especially if it's an acoustic or spoken word act. I don't know how many times I've had to sneak onstage to cut the snares off that were buzzing rudely behind the set! (or even just the house music!). #notetoselfandothers Love the channel! Thank you!

Thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏

Now THIS is what I've always looking for. Acoustically tuning technique without any pose-process while demo(ing) the sound.

thank's for the advise! I have been having little issues with my snares on stage recently, and I have always been turning the snare on and off all the time. also I love the sound of snare buzzing inside the kit. it makes the kit sound "alive".

Well... Another 100% score video. Drummers, producers and engineers is a great channel!

Awesome video! Great tips, will definitely try adjusting my rack lugs to mitigate some buzz 🤘

As an up-and-coming professional drummer/producer/engineer, the value I get from your channel is incredible and I'm so appreciative. Thank you guys so much for the great, informative content!

Thank you so much for what you do! So glad I subscribed. I thought I was going to lose it the other day. After your video I realized it’s really not that bad. It was more just me not liking it. It was short and really wasn’t noticeable on my recoding.

Snare buzz sometimes act as ghost notes and can sound cool and pretty. Great tips. Thanks

I’d say there’s 4 factors I try to address here: Tension of snare reso Tension of tom reso(s) Snare wire count De-coupling snare AND rack tom from stands I can usually play around with tensions on the reso heads of toms and snare and find a place where they’re not activating like crazy. But that’s a LOT easier when using lower count snare wires like 12-strand or on a 13” I’ll even use 10. Still get a great snare sound, can go from loose and greasy to tight and crisp, no loss of goodness. ALSO critical (for me) is de-coupling the drums from their stands - if they are 2 separate entities and not both in essence grounded to the same floor, they will sympathize less right? I think so. So Little Booty Shakers or equivalent for snare basket and also for tom if I’m using a snare stand for tom (I use the Tama Classic tom stand which is basically a taller old-school snare stand). They really work and will breathe new life into your drums, if you think that “perfect” snare drum sounds good now - try de-coupling it from the stand and you’ll have a big silly smile on your face. (I think a riser makes a huge difference to bass drum tone as well, 18” and 20” bass drums on a riser sound their best) I think you could do a whole episode on de-coupling - you’ve got snare basket products (and diy solutions like tubing and pipe insulation) and you’ve got floor tom/bass drum products - various ‘floating’ feet, Original Booty Shakers, and bass drum risers. I imagine the companies who make them would be happy to donate their products for an a/b - after all, there’s a growing community of drummers who trust you guys and value your opinions!

GREAT DRUM CHANNEL!!! Thanks a LOT :-)

Interestingly, I just went through the exercise of changing out 42 strand "Puresound" snare wires for 20 strand "Puresound" snare wires under the assumption it perhaps would reduce sympathetic snare buzz. It really didn't make a difference that I could discern & I liked the sound of the 42's better, so I switched back. After countless tuning scenarios on batter and reso for both the snare & rack tom, I discovered that the best way to reduce "buzz" was to lower the pitch of the rack tom reso to just past finger tight (1/4 turn max) and tune the top head accordingly. All of this challenged my patience since I was also trying to get the pitches from the bass drum to floor tom to rack tom to snare (sans snares) to be tonally incremental and in pitch with each other (jazz type tuning at a lower pitch). As you mentioned, you just have to play with all of the variables until you find the right personal combination, but lower reso tuning seems to work best for me. Thanks again for an informative video!

Thank you for doing this video! it is always a struggle!

Awesome, so well explain and so simple at the same time, greetings from Argentina!

Snare buzz is cool 😂 I don’t like hearing toms without snare buzz

On the snare, I tuned the resonant head up and lowered the tuning of batter side slightly. It helped reduce the buzz tremendously. Although I do choke my wires a little as well ;)

Very informative. I have been playing for over 50 years and I have yet to figure out this problem. Maybe I am a slow learner or mentally handicapped :-) Thanks again.

I saw a poster once of Tommy Chong saying "Snare buzz happens, man!" ergo the bumper sticker "S*** Happens"

It always gets me when people treat a drumset like 4 or 5 separate instruments. It's one instrument. There should be crosstalk between the drums. That said, snare buzz is a problem but only when you're not playing the drum. A lot of times just putting your hand on the drum stops it.

I wonder how many people in the audience, can tell the difference between an expensive kit and an average kit , when played behind electric guitars or controlled by sound engineers. Playing something at home and on stage can be very different, which is why drummers often use their cheaper kits on stage at gigs and save their expensive kits for home.

for this Issue I found the simplest solution to be the best. I spent days getting all my tom tuned up perfectly together only to end up with my 10" tom causing a serious snare buzz. Rather than retune all the toms I used two small strips off gaffer tap place about 1/4 of the way from the rim on both sides of the rattle. It took a lot of the buzz out and didn't sacrifice much on my rattles sound. But you will be stuck with your rattle up at all times though or be constantly replacing the gaffer tape.

I love me a little bit of sympathetic buzz, it keeps the drum kit sounding like one instrument as opposed to an ultra isolated sound. I also generally prefer old school recording techniques with just one or two mics. It keeps your recordings honest.

All I have to do is talk and my whole kit rings. I'm going to work with the heads first, as I want to dry them out and warm them up a bit anyway. Once I get the rest of the kit where I want, I'll see where I'm at and start working on different combinations of these ideas.

Sympathetic resonance is also what you feel when you go to see a fellow drummer's band and the bassist hits *that* note.

Great information. My only issue with detuning the lug is that it the other tom(s) wont be in tune with the detuned tom.

Dude, you’re still my go to guy when I’m not happy with my drums sound and don’t know what to do…

A new look on snare buzz, for years I never had snare buzz could not Wonder why all these drummers were talking about , and then a hearing test said I had serious hearing problem, hearing aides I had a lot of snare buzz , been fighting it sence.

40 chain snare is quieter! It also give you a bigger snare snap. I use a wide O ring and that helps with the buzz. I also have the drums in another room so no bass noise will effect the kit. Something to think about. 😉

Switching off the wires can be a drama when you forget to switch them on again 😅 happened to me (beginner) at my third gig. The band that was playing before us had no drummer and a guy was filming their gig. My snare wires rang all the time and the guy asked me to turn them off. So I did. After an hour or so we finally started with our performance. Of course I had forgotten that I switched off the wires one hour ago...The first song starts with crossstick, so I didn’t notice the switched off wires during the verse, but when we got to the chorus where I play snare on the head, I heard this unfamiliar sound of my snare without wires and my first thought was, what the hell did the sound guy do to my snare sound?! 😅 until I realized and remembered that I had switched off the wires 🤣 I was laughing tears at every snare hit until the end of the song. A routined drummer would have switched it on while playing, but I was scared that I would miss a hit and loose my timing 😅😅

I tune my toms pretty low cause I like a slappy sounding tom. I also use a plastic ring so I don't have to tune so low. I can get a slappy sound without a extremely low tune

christ i was playing this house party and i've been employing the throw off method. i forgot three damn times to re-engage them hahaha! definitely not gonna do that again!

I have found that using a drum dial to get the heads tensioned equally helped a lot with this issue. Also, the interaction between the snare and toms has a lot to do with the chosen tone for each drum. I also do not tune my toms with the resonant head tuned higher than the batter head. That method, after 50 years of playing and experimenting with tuning, does not work for me. I currently have virtually zero sympathetic snare buzzing using these methods and love the sound of my drums. All the Sounds Like A Drum videos are excellent, by the way.

Me: Jeez I wish SLAD had a video about sympathetic snare buzz ... of course they already did it

To address the bass amp problem I am seriously thinking of buying a little baffle to put around their amps which are usually small but loud! Also screw wedges, they sound all muddy and take up to much room so I use in ears. Just some ideas.

10:17 I think the video should start with this phrase

The two drums are right on top of each other. Maybe putting a little more space between the two drums might help with the buzz?

My snare buzzes a lot from any of the other drums I gave up at this point

I've always heard that Rogers Dynasonic snare drums, and even DW's line of True-Sonic snare drums are supposed to reduce sympathetic snare buzz in thanks to their snare bridge systems. What's your opinion on that???

What is the solution other than loosening a lug when the toms are singing?

If you are that bothered by it, and love dark and dry snare tones, tennis racket line; or to be fancy, synthetic gut. A buddy threw me some, and there is zero buzz. It is a totally different sound, but I put mine on a 40s RK. It's probably not for every snare, but definitely an option.

I discovered all the instruments in a band will make sympathetic resonance if they have the same frequency you can sing a particular note and the drum will resonate then you can either sing another tone or voice and adjust the drum down or up or tomtom bass drums also the room You play in affects the frequency or resonant

I love what you guys do! You've raised my attention to calfskin heads, and I love the retro-aesthetic of them, aswell as the sound they provide on snares, but i have no idea if they're just for snares or if they can take a beating. Can you compare the Remo fiberskyn, skyntone, and/or Evans calftone heads to the real ones or even regular coated heads, and adress why such aren't ever used on toms? :) Does it make them sound like bongos? Does it muffle too much without providing enough attack? Will they bust? Pros and cons of every option, Let us know!

I get snare buzz from my snare... i'm not sure what it is i'm doing but everytime I tune a snare the way I want it, its own ring out causes it to buzz in an annoying way. When I dampen it, it until it stop, the sound is not what I want anymore.

Alot of great techniques I will for sure apply to make sure my home recording pr that much better. Also for Cody, have you found that deading your tom-toms for live gig helps not just you but FOH as well? I have my toms about dead when playing at one of the gig and it seems to be very effective. And I can hit a little harder lol

The buzz is driving me crazy man. I bought a set of pure wire equalizer snare wires and it did not help. I thought my toms sounded like crap until I disengaged the snares. My toms sound fine until the snares are engaged.

My only issue is my snare sounds amazing and it’s so hard for me to tune it the way I like it and for my toms to sound good and my snare to sound good, there’s just a lot of snare buzz

to me the initial tom sound tends to bend and is much less pleasant than the second tuning. Am I the only one to feel hear this way? Great informative video btw!!!

What a buzz kill.

An old man taught me to loosen the 2 lugs at the snare bed and the other 2 as well.

What does the amount of snare wires do for a snares sound? Not a question about the “buzz” just curious about the actual sound difference between say a 12 strand vs like a 20 strand wire

I dont use a resonant head on my rack toms

I'm a bit confused. You lowered the reso head of your tom to the same pitch as the batter to reduce the resonance of the tom? You said it had less sustain after you matched the pitch of the batter and reso. I was under the impression that having the batter and reso heads tuned to the same pitch was the way to get MAXIMUM resonance from the drum? Am I wrong? Can you please explain what I am misunderstanding here?

Nice video , but the most annoying thing is, if u do not have a snare buzz generated from your own drumkit, the bassplayer next to u on a stage will provide u with it...It more than once will happen to us , your own drumsound will be f*cked up by amps boosting all lows and mids towards the snare...

My resonants are tuned an octave higher than the batters and yet they have plenty of sustain.