How many snare sample layers do you use in order to create the final snare?

[Pxz]

Dumb question i guess because there are no rules of course. Still , i wonder how many snare layers you guys actually use. I'm a less is more type of guy, but i saw a sesion from a very good engineer and he was running like 5 plus the natural snare and room. The more i use the impact gets somewhat diminished after mastering even if they were totally in phase.

 

[Christian WUFU]

Assuming I'm not going for super natural sounding drums, for me it's usually no less than three (two direct snare samples, and one room). The most I've ever done is six (four direct, two rooms).

As long as the end result sounds good it doesn't matter.

 

[bryan_kilco]

I think the most I've done was 2 but I'm just a bedroom warrior haha. I always seemed to have phase/flamming issues when layering to the point where it just didn't seem worth the hassle.

 

[Machinated]

usually a one shot, and then either close and room separate or sometimes combined.

I do combine my top and bottom mic's together though so there's less mic tracks.

 

[Korwent]

I don't stacks samples, as I try to have a snare sounding as natural as possible.
I know some stack A LOT of them but I never felt the need for it!

 

[J.L.BeelerMusic]

Hmmm, depends on the source material for me. If I don't have a snare bottom I'll at least add a 1-shot bottom. If I don't have room mics I'll add one or two room samples. Also if the snare lacks body I'll add a beefier sample.

What I almost always do is add a sample of the same snare that was recorded. And a 1-shot that has a sharp attack, as well a nice ring.

Tl;dr - Recorded snare + 2 to 6 samples

 

[Korwent]

Oh yeah, forgot about the lack of bottom snare mic, that is indeed a reason to go for samples!
I never really used room samples alone though, might give it a try as I don't have enough inputs to record a room (yet)...
What I tend more and more to do is go through the song and listen to it and if a specific hit seems to lack power/sounds too different (like rimshot opposed to normal hit or the opposite) I will replace it with another hit.

 

[MrBongo]

I record some shots of the original snaredrum used in the recordings, and improve weak hits with them. That´s all.

Even my home-practice fake drums are single-layer

 

[nezvers]

If recorded drums, then either blend or total replace of samples from session. Then blend of Alesia d4 rimctr for top and rarely something with nice attack and ring.
If it's programmed drums, then only one.

 

[GearMan2point0]

I tend to use two. But one for top and one for bottom. For my own projects I use superior drummer, and I've only blended two or more snares a handful of times. For live drums, I've blended in samples much more often.

 

[Mattayus]

Completely depends, but usually 2-3, one of which being a one-shot. In fact, it's mainly a single snare, with a one-shot of that same snare (to act like a parallel compression kinda thing, for consistency and rigidity) and then a third if I feel it's missing something. Like a fatter snare for more body or a snappier one for more character. I always aim to just use one, but as more elements of the mix come into play I always end up adding to it!

 

[ApeScaleConflict]

I used to blend a lot but nowadays i find myself going only for the one shot. I used to blend 2-3 though. I kept in mind the lows mids and the highs and built a custom one like that.

 

[schwinginbatman]

When I do end up replacing, I try to use only one. Sometimes I do two or three, but I like to keep things simple. One strategy I like is taking a super snappy and bright snare that's borderline useless on its own, and blend it with a low snare. Best of both worlds.

 

[Kaza]

just mic the snare with a 57, 58 or a 427, and if you cant get a good sound for some reason, you can try and blend with a sample. a lot of a good snares tone comes from good compression believe it or not