Part 4/8:
Rick walks through the detailed process of setting up the snare:
Tuning: Begins by finger-tightening lugs, then finely balancing tension in a star pattern for evenness.
Gaff Tape Application: Measures and places tape strips across the drumhead, mimicking Van Halen’s taping technique to shape the attack and dampen unwanted overtones.
Head Tension: Adjusts both the top and bottom heads to achieve a lively but controlled sound, with a focus on rimshot response.
Capturing the Sound
Once the drum is tuned and taped, Rick moves into the recording phase. The snare is miked with flat, transparent preamps—specifically the BAE 1032—bypassing any processing and tape-approximating the vintage recording environment.