A wallet can serve as an effective snare mute. You can also try a throw-off lever. Moongel and breathable mesh heads can also help keep the snare quiet. This article covers some of the best solutions for this problem. Just follow the steps given in the article and you will be on your way to snare sounding great. If you’re new to the world of percussion, read on for some tips and tricks.
Using a wallet as a snare mute
The snare drum is one of the most prominent instruments in any band, and a wallet can work well for this purpose. A wallet provides the required weight to control unwanted overtones, but doesn’t completely deaden the acoustic colors of the drum shell. Depending on the drummer’s skill and experience, the wallet may be an effective tool for mid-fill protection.
A wallet is a common household object that has been used to tame a snare drum for years. You can place one near the batter head edge of the snare drum and slide it across the surface to produce more depth. Because a wallet bounces around on a drum’s skin, it may not be stable enough to create a consistent sound. A wallet made for drums such as the Drum Wallet can provide a stable method of reproducing sound and allows the drummer to avoid taming the snare drum’s resonance.
Using a throw-off lever
A throw-off lever is a device that holds the snare wires in place. The lever allows the drummer to adjust the tension and decay rate of the snares. An upgrade throw-off will give the drummer more control over snare tension and allows the musician to play with smoother transitions. There are several different types of throw-off levers available.
The throw-off lever has two parts. The main portion 46 includes a snare clamp 16 and a piston 14. The snares 8 are mounted on the snare drum 2. The snares are held in place by a strap 34 that is threadably engaged with the piston’s bore 56. The piston 14 is movable in one direction from a snare-on position to a snare-off position, and the snares are quieted.
The lever has a threaded rod that receives a helical groove. The helical groove engages with the threaded rod 58 and the snare clamp 16 as the follower slides along the threaded rod. The threaded rod also engages with the groove walls 42 and 44. When the lever is turned, the snares will be quieted by a small amount.
Using breathable mesh heads
Using breathable mesh heads to quiet a snare drum can help keep the sound in check. Mesh heads are typically made of thin fabric with tiny holes that allow air to escape. This design removes volume and tone, and increases rebound. This material also has some positives over traditional rubber heads. The pros and cons of each type are discussed below. Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of using mesh heads for snare drums.
The drawbacks of mesh heads are that they can reduce sound output by 90% or more. While they don’t produce tone, they do have a surprisingly deep resonance that can reduce noise. And even though they’re not tuned, the tightness of the mesh head can affect trigger quality and feel. Aim for an even tension between the mesh head’s lugs, to achieve a better sound quality.
Using moongel
Using moongel to quiet snres is a relatively inexpensive way to give your snares a more muffled sound in the studio. Moongel is a gelatinous substance that attaches to your drum head. You can purchase several packages of this product at different prices and colors. While moon gel can help quiet your snares, it can also help you tune your snares to the key of your song.
Moongel is a self-adhesive gel that sticks to drum heads and most other percussion equipment. It works well instead of duct tape and won’t leave any sticky residue on your drums. It is also reusable, so you can move it around and use it again. The only downside to using moongel is the cost, but it’s well worth the expense to improve your snares.
