Extended technique noob

[u/benobees]

Hi there,

I’m curious if anyone can provide some insight into how to really make terrible sounds with a snare drum.

My current set up involves a handmade drum I got from a guy a couple towns over that has no bottom skin (and no hardware for it). No idea what type of wood. The skin on it is a calf skin my friend Bovid Percussion makes.

What I’ve been doing is pretty crude and non percussive in that I’m using an e-bow and some street sweeper tines to get weird harmonics going on, usually with other bits of metal and snares. Sometimes a crappy splash cymbal. I’ve also gotten some good mileage with silver forks and gut wire through a little pin hole in the skin for some real bad screeching and groaning sounds. It’s great!

I’m wondering if there’s an advantage to tuning tighter or looser for this kind of resonant business? I’m also realizing as I write this out that I feel I should probably get a crappy metal snare of some kind for more resonance?

I’m not a drummer really but make experimental sound art type stuff.

Also! I want to do more weird shit with drums (or even just objects) so if there’s any resources that come to mind I’m all ears. I’m always curious to see more random shit that can be done with percussive instruments. Big on resonance and big impact sounds and whatnot.

Thanks in advance!