Getting that dirty snare sound

Fatach · Post by **Fatach** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 4:26 pm

hey guys,
Well, the headline might be misleading, but anyhow: I was wondering what I should do to get that regular sample (not any sample in particular) and making it dirty so it can filth up my tune.
Maybe its just me, but all of the samples I use are a bit quiet so I put some distortion on ém (I use reason, but I'm asking a general question so it doesn't matter)...
so.. what do we do???
tnx guys

Echoi · Post by **Echoi** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 4:29 pm

Maybe its me, but a lot of that made no sense?

Sinisterbeats · Post by **Sinisterbeats** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 4:32 pm

a touch of tape distortion always sounds nice on a snare, EQ and compression, layering and reverb. Or preferably just find a better sample to begin with.

decklyn · Post by **decklyn** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 4:54 pm

Fatach wrote:hey guys,
Well, the headline might be misleading, but anyhow: I was wondering what I should do to get that regular sample (not any sample in particular) and making it dirty so it can filth up my tune.
Maybe its just me, but all of the samples I use are a bit quiet so I put some distortion on ém (I use reason, but I'm asking a general question so it doesn't matter)...
so.. what do we do???
tnx guys

The secret to making big snares is to layer up the sounds.
Use Noise for high frequencies, claps or snappier snares for high mid. Use something woody and punchy for the mids.
The more frequencies your snare takes up, the bigger it will hit.
Cut out the frequencies that you don't need from the samples so each one is only taking up headroom in its strongest freqs.
If you want them to punch out of the mix then duck all the midrange cack behind the snare using sidechain compression.

GrouchDub · Post by **GrouchDub** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 5:08 pm

Echoi wrote:Maybe its me, but a lot of that made no sense?

It's not just you..

JemGrover · Post by **JemGrover** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 5:23 pm

If you're wanting "Dirty" samples I don't see a better way then chopping one out of an old break and THEN if needs be, layer it

Kes-Es · Post by **Kes-Es** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 5:34 pm

JemGrover wrote:If you're wanting "Dirty" samples I don't see a better way then chopping one out of an old break and THEN if needs be, layer it

This.

Or a few steps further, layer your snare on noise, reverb the noise, and leave the snare dry, I think it sounds shit like that though.

Recessive Trait · Post by **Recessive Trait** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 6:02 pm

Sinisterbeats wrote:better samples.

layering.

that's all there is to it. it's a technique, get practising,

Fatach · Post by **Fatach** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 11:51 pm

Thank you! I'll try layering them, hopefully that'll do!

Sharmaji · Post by **Sharmaji** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 12:51 am

camelcrusher.

DannyDubstep · Post by **DannyDubstep** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:42 am

Is it just me who adds a tickle of tube distortion?
Sometime a bit of compression is nice too.

Ofcourse I layer too.
What I also find myself doing is creating a layered snare, adding more treble or mid to the entire mix and the sound changes completely.
You can easy craft a new snare sounds with how you EQ.

Also Funtcase talked a lot about snares in him production masterclass.

Phigure · Post by **Phigure** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:55 am

brostep snares = 99% white noise

Sinisterbeats · Post by **Sinisterbeats** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:07 am

DannyDubstep wrote:Is it just me who adds a tickle of tube distortion?
Sometime a bit of compression is nice too.

I prefer tape distortion. It gives it a more subtle and warm sound. I use the scream 4 tape distortion in Reason which also acts as a compressor.

Debaser1 · Post by **Debaser1** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:18 am

I use Reason too and the samples are not too quiet. Head over to the gain structure thread on here and you'll find that when you turn everything else down they sit in the mix fine.

What I do with my snares is as someone else suggested up there - layering. Learned it from the Stenchman Q&A on here. Quite a good trick I've also found is when getting the woodier low end snare, detune it slightly so it's even punchier and thicker and hard hitting; and if it gets too bassy then it's nothing a little low cut or our best friend the EQ can't sort out.

Fatach · Post by **Fatach** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 2:42 pm

ok tnx guys that was helpful,
BTW, just relized now: Its not that the samples are *quiet*, its just that the lack presence I guess, but I think that layering should do the trick.
anyhow, lets see if I get this straight: you're talking about getting like 2-3 different snares and layering them together? or taking eg. 1 snare and layering it with noise for Highs, and a "woody" snare for mid/low mid?
I'm getting the general concept though..
BTW, when I apply distortion on the snare (usually tube/tape) it makes the snare sound a bit resonant, maybe thick...?

Mannyyyyy · Post by **Mannyyyyy** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 3:05 pm

if you want a punchy brostep snare i can send you a whole folder of mine that i have some are processed and most are dry ready to layer

Debaser1 · Post by **Debaser1** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 3:28 pm

Manny I too would like to take you up on that offer, if you dont mind...
I'm getting really bored of the standard Reason sounds.

And Fatach it's up to you what sounds you use. I rarely use white noise in my snare sounds, I tend to get a fat low ender and detune it, and a thin high ender and tune it higher, then get a standardy snare to sit in the middle, and a clap over the top for added WATCHOW!

Also, I'm much more a fan of EQ + Compression rather than the Scream 4.

Mannyyyyy · Post by **Mannyyyyy** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 3:57 pm

http://www.mediafire.com/?9eea8q109s8rh3r have fun

DannyDubstep · Post by **DannyDubstep** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 4:05 pm

Big up Manny!

And yeah, white noise is sometimes pretty nice.

Fatach · Post by **Fatach** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 4:16 pm

Ok I just tryed this:
I layered an average snare with a low woody one, another one for the mid-low (detuned) + clap (pitched down) + white noise + another woody one -> put everything under a minor tape distortion, and I sounds better...
but, didn't I layer too much? I mean, I know there isn't a *right* way to do this, but still...

Getting that dirty snare sound

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