Buzzing snares.

by John
(Baton Rouge, La)

How do I keep my snares from buzzing when I hit the toms?

ANSWER

Hi,John--

Your snares are buzzing because the pitch of the tom is related to the pitch of the snare in such a manner as to vibrate "sympathetically".

This buzz, though annoying, is not always critical. It is more important in the studio. In a live situation, there is usually enough ambient sound to render the buzz "unhearable".

There are a few ways to eliminate or reduce this buzz. You may want to try a combination.

1. You can re-tune either your snare or your toms just a bit. Sometimes just a slight adjustment to the bottom head is enough.

2. You can try tightening or loosening your snares just a bit.

3. You can put something like a baseball card or thin piece of paper or about 4 ply of tissue between the snares and the head at the END, not in the middle. You can also use duct tape for this purpose, but it tends to deaden the sound of the snare.

4. You can try new snares or even a different size of snare.

Have fun and if you find something that works for you, come back and share it. There are many drummers who would like solution to this problem!

Lynne