Ya gotta call that true love. flower

I just raided a throwaway venetian blind that gave me about 40 years worth of snare cord.

It sounds like there might be some sharp edges on the snare strainer etc, or you were just unlucky... or maybe somebody's out to get you (you might wanna check the brake lines on your car). :(

Agree. Something's going on there. Check to see if there are any sharp edges in the area where the cord is breaking. Also...you probably already know this....The amount of tension on the snare wires should be lightly snug but never cranked super tight. You'll break cords and choke the sound if you torque down that tension too much. But my guess is that there is a burr on the edge of the strainer's clamp somewhere

A method I use to set the snare wire tension is to basically back the tension off the adjustment knob while the snare lever is engaged -until you get a tom tom sound with no snare at all....and then I tap on the drum and start turning the tension knob -jusssssst until the snares snug up.

Almost all the snare drums I play are Ludwig's so I usually use a P-83 or a P-85 or a WorldMax facsimile of a P-85 and that's the method that gives me the best results for a nice non-choked sound. I think it also helps things like buzz rolls sound smoother -since the snares are more active. That's my observation anyway.

If you do find a sharp spot on the strainer clamp, then you can easily fix it with a small metal file in about 10 seconds!

Time to start carrying a spare snare......

In a pinch, you can usually tie them back together at the gig if they're left a bit long, so I don't cut them short.

I suspect it was an act of retaliation, I'm picturing an angry girlfriend with a razor blade. :mad:

Don't forget to check the edges of the holes in the snares themselves. Some of those holes are quite sharp. I have had that happen before, the snare cord breaking at the edge of the snares.

Nylon grommets and rubber tubing are our friends. If you ever have a snare cord break on you (and you've checked for bad spurs and such), use one of these (as is appropriate for your throw). If you have a hole that the cord passes through, use the correct size nylon grommet. If it lays against the metal, use some rubber tubing. I've also used grooved nylon grommets that "lock" into the snare cord opening allowing the cord to pass through unimpeded. This will cushion and protect the cord from rubbing and breaking prematurely. Sometimes it's a personal tensioning preference that causes issues. When that happens, this is ONE of many options. You must use care when selecting the tubing. If it's too thick, it could mess with where the snare lays against the bed. Bad mojo there. If it's important to you, you will find the right fix for your personal setup.

I don't think it was a scorned ex, although the singer mentioned an ex that was in town and maybe attending the show!! The problem was that I used a somewhat unconventional string for the cord on a snare I have been using for practice and brought the snare to use. I have not been bringing a spare because of space issues and this gig is kind of low key. Just another "chalk it up to experience" kind of things!