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"My snare drum sounds like a disaster!"

Hi Juan,

First of all I would like to thank you for your personal attention and explanation on the 2nd of December at Drumworld in Ittervoort (Holland). I was the first guy at your clinic. I am a beginner on drums, but I must say that I thought your clinic was very interesting!

The drum heads we have chosen together I already placed on my drumset. I have used your advise about tuning on the toms and it works! But the snare however sounds like a disaster!! Almost as bad as the drum in the in the movie "Die Blechtrommel". I believe I have tuned it too high. I have been using Moon Gel, but it still sounds bad. I would prefer it to be good sounding without using Moon Gel.

Of course I will be there on the 23rd. If I can't fix it on my own I will bring the snare with me, ok?

Greetz, Jo

Hi Jo!

Thanks for your compliment and also for your appearance and interest during my clinic. I am happy to hear that things worked out fine with your toms; it's a first step anyway! That the snare drum turned out to be a disaster doesn't sound good at all!!

You write that you probably tuned the drum too high and that it sounds like a metal box....mmmhmm. Is the shell of your snare a metal shell? Maybe it's just that you have to get used to the sound of it, being pitched higher. Of course it's difficult to tell you what to do just by reading about your problem and not being able to hear it... If you don't mind please bring the snare to my next clinic on the 23rd and then you can have another go on it. You know I think it's best if you learn tuning by doing it yourself, but it will help a lot if I can keep an eye and an ear on it while you tune...

Good luck and enjoy playing and tuning drums!

See you soon then!

Juan