Lena Torres
The snare drum is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when struck with a drumstick. The sound of a snare drum varies depending on its type, construction, and the technique used to play it. The drum's size, thickness, and kind of wood or metal used in its construction also influence its sound. Snare drums are commonly used in orchestras, concert bands, marching bands, parades, drumlines, drum corps, and popular music genres. The way a snare is tuned and the tension of its head and wires also affect its sound, determining whether it produces a higher or lower pitch. Additionally, the use of different playing techniques, such as rimshots and cross-sticks, creates variations in the snare's sound.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sound | Sharp staccato sound, cracking sound, loud cracking sound, high-pitched clicking or tapping sound, buzz, thwack, rimshot, cross-stick, side-stick |
| Construction | Metal (steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, bronze), wood, multi-ply shells, electronic |
| Playing style | Drum sticks, brushes, rute, hands, mallet |
| Tuning | Tighten or loosen snare wiring, tighten or loosen tension rods, finger-tight, match pitches |
| EQing | Pulse (200-400 Hz), Smack (2 kHz), Wires (3-5 kHz), Head (6-10 kHz) |
| Effects | Reverb, delay, gating |
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What You'll Learn
Snare drum types: piccolo, kit, marching, tarol, and electronic
Snare drums are constructed from a variety of materials, including wood and various metals. Each type of snare drum has a distinct sound and is used in different musical contexts. Here are five types of snare drums and their unique characteristics:
Piccolo
The piccolo snare drum is known for its high pitch and sharp, crisp sound. It is often used in musical styles that require a bright and cutting snare sound, such as rock or metal. The Pearl 13x3 Effect Maple Piccolo Snare Drum is an example of a piccolo snare, featuring a 6-ply maple shell and chrome hardware.
Kit
Snare drums are a standard component of drum kits used in various genres, from rock and pop to jazz and fusion. The sound of a snare drum in a kit can vary depending on the shell's material and construction. Multi-ply wood shells, like the Yamaha Absolute Hybrid Maple, offer a wide dynamic range and excellent projection. Metal shells produce a sharper "crack" with lots of overtones.
Marching
Marching snare drums are designed for outdoor use in marching bands and drum corps. They are typically larger and more robust than concert snares, with weather-resistant heads and bodies. Marching snares are tuned very high to enable precise and complex rhythms, and they are often equipped with retractable legs or suspension hardware for stability during performances. The Pearl marching snare is a well-known example, praised for its sound quality, durability, and precision.
Tarol
The tarol is a Brazilian snare drum often played with snares on the playing head, creating a constant buzzing or "broken" tremolo effect. Tarol drums produce unique sounds through different playing pressures, stick techniques, and hand scraping, resulting in pitched rim shots and singing harmonies. Joseph Pereira's composition "Tarol" showcases the distinct character of this snare variation.
Electronic
Electronic snare drums offer versatility and convenience, allowing drummers to instantly change sounds, tune, and add effects. They are commonly used in popular music, featured in songs like "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush and "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins. Electronic snare drums come in various configurations, from 4-piece to 6-piece sets, with different snare sizes, toms, cymbals, and sound modules to suit different preferences and budgets.
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Snare drum construction: metal, wood, and acrylic
The snare drum is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when struck with a drumstick. The sound varies depending on the different techniques and construction qualities of the drum. The drum's construction qualities include the type of material used, its size, thickness, and kind. Snare drums can be constructed from a variety of materials, including wood, metal, acrylic, and composite materials.
Metal Snare Drums
Metal snare drums are constructed by either bending and welding a flat metal sheet into a cylinder, spinning and heating a metal disk while pulling it over a cylindrical form, or melting and casting the metal into a cylindrical mold. The most common metals used are steel, stainless steel, aluminium, and brass, followed by copper and bronze. Metal snare drums produce a sharp "crack", a quick response, and a lot of overtones. Steel, for example, produces bright, ringing overtones, while brass produces a rich tone with dark overtones. Metal snares generally have good projection and produce great rim shots.
Wood Snare Drums
Wooden snare drums are typically constructed by layering and moulding plies of wood into a cylinder. The most common types of wood used are birch, maple, beech, and mahogany. Wood snare drums sound warm and fat, with less ring than metal snare drums. They offer a wide range of tuning, from a low "thwack" to a high crack, making them versatile in different musical situations. The majority of marching snare drums employ wooden shells.
Acrylic Snare Drums
Acrylic is another material used in snare drum construction, often paired with wood to dry up the sound and make the drum punchier. Acrylic snares are described as having a dry, punchy, and projecting sound. John Bonham of Led Zeppelin famously used acrylic snare drums.
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Snare drum sounds: pulse, smack, buzz, head, and rim
The snare drum is a fundamental part of the drum kit and is easily recognisable by its loud cracking sound when struck with a drumstick or mallet. The sound of a snare drum varies depending on its construction and the techniques used to play it. The drum's head material and tension, dimensions, and rim and drum shell materials and construction all influence its sound.
Pulse
The pulse of a snare drum, also referred to as the body, is the lowest part of the snare and can be found in the 200–400 Hz area. It is the part of the snare that provides a good, clean pulse and really smacks you in the chest.
Smack
The smack of the snare is also referred to as the bang or the crack. It works closely with the pulse to make the snare sit well in the mix. Most of this sound is typically found around the 900 Hz–2.0 kHz range.
Buzz
The buzz of a snare drum refers to the snare wires found on the bottom of the drum. This characteristic buzz can be found at around 3–5 kHz in the EQ range. Boosting this frequency can add texture to your snare sound, but be wary of boosting the wires too much, as this frequency can easily become unpleasant.
Head
The head of the drum is the contact point and can be found in the 6–10 kHz range. A tighter drum head can result in a higher-pitched, ringier sound that is more responsive to the drummer's stick. The looser the head is, the fatter the sound.
Rim
The rim is the metal or wooden ring around the batter head that holds the head onto the drum and provides tension to the head. The rim can also be used in some playing techniques, such as rimshots, where the head and rim are struck together with a single stick to create a clicking or tapping sound. Rimshots are often used in contemporary and/or pop and rock music to create a sharp and high-volume sound.
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Snare drum techniques: rimshots, cross-stick, and ghost notes
Snare drums are expressive and versatile percussion instruments that can be played in a variety of ways to achieve different sounds. Here are some common snare drum techniques:
Rimshots
A rimshot is a technique where the head and rim of the drum are struck simultaneously with a single stick, creating a clicking or tapping sound. The tip of the stick strikes the drum head just off-centre, while the shaft strikes the rim. This produces a louder and higher-pitched sound with a lot of overtones. In orchestral percussion, a variation involves placing one stick on the head and striking the rim with the other, resulting in a less powerful sound. There are also different types of rimshots in marching percussion, such as the "normal" rimshot and the "ping shot". Rimshots are commonly used in various music genres, including rock, pop, jazz, blues, bossa nova, ska, and reggae.
Cross-stick (or rim click/side-stick)
The cross-stick technique involves holding the tip of the drumstick against the drum head while striking the rim with the other end (the butt). The head is usually muted with the hand. This produces a dry, high-pitched "click" similar to the sound of claves. Cross-stick is commonly used in Latin and jazz music, as well as in ballads in rock, pop, and country music.
Ghost notes
Ghost notes are very light "filler notes" played between the backbeats in genres like funk, rhythm and blues. They are typically played about 2 inches above the drum head, creating a soft tap or drop against the head. Ghost notes add dynamics and subtleties to the overall drum performance and can be combined with other techniques to create unique sounds.
The sound of a snare drum can be further manipulated through techniques such as drum rolls, created by bouncing the sticks on alternating drum heads, and by adjusting the tension of the drum head and snare wiring to change the pitch and timbre. Additionally, different beaters like brushes or rutes can be used to achieve varying tones, and electronic snare drums offer even more flexibility in sound customisation.
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Snare drum tuning: tightening and loosening the drum head
The snare drum is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when struck with a drumstick. The depth of the sound varies from one drum to another due to the different techniques and construction qualities of the drum. The sound you get from your snare is dependent on its wood, size, thickness, and kind, and about 90% on its drum head. A tighter drum head can result in a higher-pitched, ringier sound that is more responsive to the drummer's stick. The looser the head is, the fatter the sound will be.
To tune a snare drum, start by loosening all the tension rods on the batter head. This will give you a nice, neutral starting point. As mentioned earlier, tighten the rods until each of them are just barely touching the hoop. You can also use your hands to get each rod "finger-tight". Continue tightening the tension rods in a criss-cross pattern around the drum. Start with half and full turns, and make sure you tighten each rod evenly.
If you have a percussion keyboard or piano, you can listen directly to the pitch to make this easier. You want the head to be between G and B-flat. Play the snare to test its overall sound. For crisper, tighter sounds, you want a tighter head. For more resonant, slightly deeper sounds, you want a slightly looser head. You will get more stick bounce with a tighter head.
Another part of the snare to tighten or loosen is the snare wiring on the bottom of the drum, which can drastically affect the drum's timbre. The characteristic buzz of the snare wires can be found at around 3-5 kHz in the EQ range. Be careful not to boost the wires too much, as this frequency can easily become unpleasant.
The distance from the edge of the drum can affect the sound when hitting it, but ideally, spots equally far from the edge should produce a consistent tone. For example, a spot 2 inches from the right edge should sound similar to a spot 2 inches from the top, bottom, or left edge.
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Frequently asked questions
The snare drum is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when struck with a drumstick. It is easily recognisable by its loud cracking sound.
Snare drums can be made from wood, metal, acrylic, or composite materials. Some common types of snare drums include the kit snare, marching snare, tarol snare, and piccolo snare.
The sound of a snare drum depends on its wood, size, thickness, and drum head. A tighter drum head will result in a higher-pitched sound, while a looser head will produce a fatter sound. The snare wiring on the bottom of the drum can also be adjusted to change the timbre of the drum.
The snare drum is one of the most commanding sounds in modern mixes and plays an important role in the song's groove. It is typically used for backbeats and accented notes, especially in contemporary, pop, and rock music.
Some techniques associated with the snare drum include rimshots, where the head and rim are struck simultaneously, and cross-stick (or rim click), where the tip of the drumstick is held against the drum head while the other end is struck against the rim.
