Drummer Cafe Community Forum

Hey, I have a question regarding snare tuning.  I've been listening over and over to Scotch Mist, Radiohead's studio recording of their most recent album, In Rainbows.  I've been trying to imitate Phil Selway's snare sound on my 1969 Rogers Snare but can't quite get it.  Any suggestions? 

Here's one track so you can hear the snare.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FcANFVcJeOM

Thanks

Who's Phil Segway?

It's fairly mainstream.

Medium tuning. Slightly loose snare wires (slightly!).
Single-ply coated head, very evenly tuned. No damping.
In the vid he's playing quite lightly, only about 3" from the edge of the drum.
No rimshots.

I'm sure you've come quite close to the sound.
However, you can't exactly replicate the nice sounding room, the other instruments around the snare, or the way it's been recorded for the video. Perhaps that's the slight difference between your snare sound and the one in the video.

Thanks a lot.

One of the trademarks of Nigel Godrich (Radiohead producer) is to have the drummer play no louder than medium, but often very softly.
This gives albums by Radiohead a smooth and moody feel.
It might not always work at a gig with loud, rockin' guitars around you, but Selway has made it work and it's something worth exploring.

Always been a fan of Selway's playing. That's a guy who 'gets it'. Never under playing, never over playing.

Great sound in U tube vid!

Who's Phil Segway?

Phil Selway is the man. That's who he is.

Someone mentioned how Nigel Godrich likes the drums to be recorded -

Yep. And if you listen to "All I Need", off of In Rainbows, you can really tell how simple things like that pay off. Most of the drumming is at first very laid back (there might be a drum loop or a drum machine in the mix there, but who really knows). But then the song takes a turn at the end and swells up (which is bone chillingly nice), and the drums take off - but still laid back...

Whos Phil Subway??

does anyone know what exact model of hi-hat he's playing on Jigsaw Falling Into Place? it sounds gorgeous.

thanks for that insight on Godrich's production re drummers. Will have to try that in my own recordings (when my Gretsch Renown with Paiste/Zildjian and a DW cast bronze snare arrives!).