~ Snare-tarded ~

[ScottCash]

So, I'll admit it. I have no idea what constitutes a good from bad sounding snare. I know what I like, but that doesn't necessarily translate into "good." So I thought I would use a life line and poll the audience. What is the best sounding snare you've heard and why? At least this way I can maybe find some common denominators in the sounds that I could try to replicate.

I think John Bonham's snare on Gallow's Pole sounds frickin' amazing. But like I said, I have no idea if it is a good sounding snare to anyone else.

 

[Pman]

The snare on Control Denied's album is the best snare I've heard, in my opinion.

 

[Black neon bob]

I dig metallica's "black album" snare a whole lot, i like any latter album stuck mojo snares, rammstein's snare on "mutter" and in flames's "clayman" snare is a favorite of mine as well...

a snare i hate is the obvious one, again metallica's snare on "st anus"...
Now Scott, if you can't hear that the snare on st anger is shite, your in trouble.

There are snares that do the job, but sound not too good in my opinion.. like in flames's snare on "reroute to remain" and "come clarity"... not my favorites, but they do the job.

 

[Sinister Mephisto]

A lot of people like the black album snare. Personally, for metal I love the Doomsday machine snare, The Sacrament snare, and the Clients (The Red Chord) snare.

For less metal stuff I think Randy Staub always make's snares sound great, Deftones and Dream theater always have great snares, (Not so much "Adrenaline" and "Images and Words" respectivly)

And for really not metal I like Chad Smith's snare sounds. Mostly Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

So there's one opinion, but I think you shouldn't pay attention to it. I think what makes you a good Engineer/whatever is making things sound how you think they sound best. If you make them sound like you think everyone else wants, you'll probably never be happy with your work and never have your own sound. I do however, like the word "Snare-tarded"

 

[Sinister Mephisto]

I dig metallica's "black album" snare a whole lot, i like any latter album stuck mojo snares, rammstein's snare on "mutter" and in flames's "clayman" snare is a favorite of mine as well...

a snare i hate is the obvious one, again metallica's snare on "st anus"...
Now Scott, if you can't hear that the snare on st anger is shite, your in trouble.

There are snares that do the job, but sound not too good in my opinion.. like in flames's snare on "reroute to remain" and "come clarity"... not my favorites, but they do the job.

I forgot Clayman. I love that one. But I also like Reroute to Remain.

 

[JeffTD]

I've been in love with basically every Opeth snare ever... which is just evidence that most of the sound comes from the snare itself, and the dude hitting it.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Wait you talkin acoustic or on an album?

 

[KeithRT99]

deftones, bloodbath(nightmares made flesh), pretty much all of terry date's work has great snare sounds.

 

[Sinister Mephisto]

Wait you talkin acoustic or on an album?

Good point. I assumed it was recorded sound. I'm very interested in knowing everyone's favorite actual snare drum (the drum itself)

 

[ScottCash]

Not the actual drum. I'm looking for best snare sound recorded on an album...

 

[~BURNY~]

Not trying to be a smartass or anything but your question has no answer. The best snare is the one that suits the music imho.

 

[STINNETT]

Not trying to be a smartass or anything but your question has no answer. The best snare is the one that suits the music imho.

Agreed.
Sometimes I like a severe crack, especially in dense mix like extreme metal or something. But sometimes I like a smoother and fatter sound.

I definitely agree that Richard Christy's snare sounds awesome on Control Denied's album.

I also have a pretty broad tolerance for different snare sounds within a certain type of music. For example, I love the fat and round snare sound on "I, Monarch" from Hate Eternal...and I also like the over the top Crack and high end from the snare on "Dechristianize" from Vital Remains. It almost sounds pitched up to the point of being ridiculous...but I still like it.
Maybe I am just extremely undecided.

 

[Pman]

Agreed.
Sometimes I like a severe crack, especially in dense mix like extreme metal or something. But sometimes I like a smoother and fatter sound.

I definitely agree that Richard Christy's snare sounds awesome on Control Denied's album.

I also have a pretty broad tolerance for different snare sounds within a certain type of music. For example, I love the fat and round snare sound on "I, Monarch" from Hate Eternal...and I also like the over the top Crack and high end from the snare on "Dechristianize" from Vital Remains. It almost sounds pitched up to the point of being ridiculous...but I still like it.
Maybe I am just extremely undecided.

woo!
i agree the hate eternal snare sounds awsome
i always used to assume he made it sound like that so it wouldnt get lost in the song/mix during all the blasting

 

[Tym_ex]

Depends on the music, but I must say I'm very impressed by the snare on KoRn's debut album, though I have the feeling there won't be many people on this board who will agree with me

And the snare on The Haunted's rEVOLVEr is also amazing!

 

[Gnash]

Fear Factory snare on Edgecrusher! Arch Enemy. I dig the snare on "Hell If I Could" by Prong!! Those are my kind of snares!

 

[NickL]

I second the snares on the two most recent arch enemy albums and I cast a vote for Opeth's Blackwater Park. There's a mid frequency ring on it that slides right into the mix and just sounds amazing.

 

[Jaymz]

Another Opeth vote here

 

[ScottCash]

Not trying to be a smartass or anything but your question has no answer. The best snare is the one that suits the music imho.

Likewise not trying to be a smart ass, but I'm not trying to get consensus on the #1 sound ever. I wanted to know what YOU thought was a great drum sound. That way I could listen to all of the suggestions and start refining my ear, because I thought that one post of the dude playing the folding chair actually sounded pretty good.

 

[marcust]

i like the snare drum on the latest diecast and the snare on bullet for my valentine's latest.

 

[~BURNY~]

I said that because I could mention thousands of examples.
I can't really choose one all time favourite snare sound.
I like the one from the Black Album, the one from 36crazyfists latest album, the one from Jeff Beck's "Blow by Blow", the one from Faith No More's "King for A Day", Death's "Symbolic", "Burn My Eyes", "In Rock", "TNT"... And so on....