DRUMMER CAFE - Community Forum

I was trying to figure out how to name this thread and this was the best I could do.

I was listening to a few different albums on the iPod recently. John Mayer's 'Continuum' was one of them. Steve Jordan has of course been intertwined with Mayer recently and so I've been digging his drumming on this album as well as the 'Try' album. While listening to Continuum, I was pleased to hear distinctly different snare sounds for different songs.

This got me thinking about albums that have a collection of different snare sounds on them. I know that with band recordings there is often a push to get an identifiable snare sound for the band and go with that sound for the whole project. Or there are times where the snare in the studio reflects the drummer's musical personality and is the same throughout. That's not a bad thing BTW.  I'm glad Bonham had the same sound on most of the Led Zep records.

I'd like to hear from everybody on what are their favorite albums with multiple snare sounds used. I mentioned JM's 'Continuum' but Steely Dan's 'Aja' is another one. Let's hear some examples of others' favs.

Keep in mind: The criteria would be an album you like with at least 2 distinctly different sounds (preferably 3 or more). This thread could be a good study for those looking to expand their snare ideas, live or studio.

**Please RESIST the urge to just list an album you love that has one main snare sound. The Bonham reference I made is an example of what NOT to list. Great sound - but the only one on those albums he made.


Jim

Muse - Black Holes And Revelations

A lot of very distinct snare sounds here (at least 3, but probably more). The whole album is really full of different sounds, and massive cred to Muse for not finding that "one" sound and recording an entire album with it, as is the norm.

The Nightfly by Donald Fagen.

This is a great album with a different snare sound for each track.  Knowing how meticulous Fagen is, I’m sure a lot of consideration was given to snare drum selection and drum recording techniques

Drummers on the album:

James Gadson
Ed Greene
Steve Jordan
Some guy named Jeff Porcaro

Just a slight historical qualification.....

In previous times almost all albums were recorded at one studio date (whether that be a few weeks or a single day). Hence, snare sounds tended to be singular. Once bands started to use different drummers on the same record, the snare sounds became noticeably different too.
Around when I started to record two things were becoming common; 1) recording albums over several different dates, often in different studios, 2) choosing a snare sound that suited the song from a collection of drums brought to the date.
Nowadays, different snare drum sounds on each song are much more common than the singular signature sound IMO. Added to that, the final mix engineer will often replace a snare sound with one of his own (a sample).
The use of different snare sounds on each track is so widespread I don't really know where to start, but recent albums by The Roots, Beck and Coldplay come immediately to mind.
The Roots have one drummer, using different snare drums and different recording techniques.
Beck employs a variety of drummers.
Coldplay have had mix engineers change the recorded snare sound with a sample.