Snare body isn't just 200 Hz.

A small snare gets a boost around 200 Hz by reflex. Sometimes that's right. Often the thing that's missing isn't one frequency at all.

Name what's missing

• Body: the low-mid weight of the drum itself, roughly 150 to 250 Hz.
• Transient: the crack of the stick, up in the 2 to 4 kHz attack range on the frequency map.
• Room: the drum in its space. A snare feels big when the room answers it, even if it isn't louder.

Find it by muting

Take whatever layers you have: close mic, sample, overheads, room. With the full kit playing, mute and restore each one. The layer you miss most when it's gone is the one carrying the size. Boost that layer, not the whole snare.

Then EQ, and check the compressor

Once you know whether it's body, crack or room, a small move on the right layer beats a big boost on the sum. And if the hits feel flattened, check the compressor's attack first. Starting points, not our measurement.

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