- We dive deep into what makes a snare drum tick
- An in-depth look at each component of a snare drum
- Learn how each part shapes the sound
Many centuries after its prototype, inspired by the Tabor (pronounced tay-bor) from Europe, the snare drum has not only survived several evolutionary phases but, in fact, proven its role as a central instrument in the modern drum set as well as in drum lines, marching bands and orchestras.
With variations in size, width, and material, the modern drummer has a vast spectrum of snare drums to pick from.
Simply put, the snare drum is a cylindrical drum of narrow width with a skin membrane (drumheads) on either side. The presence of wires on the resonant head (the skin that is not played directly) gives the snare drum its distinct high-pitched, staccato sound.
Whether you’ve just started your drumming journey or are an advanced player, read on to learn more about each component that goes into making a snare drum so you can understand how to pick your own.
Components Of A Snare Drum
The main components of the snare drum are:
- Drum Shell
- Drumheads
- Hoops/Rims
- Snare Wires
- Snare Strainer
Drum Shell
The shell is the body of the drum. You can think of it as a covering over the cylindrical drum. Shells play a foundational role in determining the timbre of a drum. Entry-level drum sets often have shells made of basswood or poplar, while higher-end models use maple, steel, or acrylic.
Wood Shells
Snare drums made of wood shells produce a crisp and deep resonant sound. Some of the best snare drums in the market are made from maple, birch, and oak. The warmth and color of these snare drums work well across various styles, such as rock, jazz, and funk.
Wood shells are not as durable as their metal counterparts. If subject to severe temperature changes or humid conditions, they tend to warp and become uneven, affecting the natural sound of the drum. As a result, wooden snare drums require a fair share of care.
Metal Shells
Metal snare drums offer an energetic, bright, sharp-cutting sound with rich high overtones. Made from metals such as brass, steel, bronze, and copper, these carry the potential to make your rimshots sound super-explosive.
Metal snare drums have historically been louder than wood snare drums, although that gap is increasingly being bridged. If you’re a drummer who plays metal or hard rock, a metal snare drum will add that much-needed extra oomph to your arsenal!
Acrylic Shells
If you’re a fan of raw, unfiltered stick attack cutting through the mix, you will love an acrylic snare drum. These offer highly bright and punchy tones and sit great in electronic genres.
Owing to its synthetic build, these shells are durable and can withstand extreme temperature changes. This rugged character makes them an excellent choice for touring drummers.
Drumheads
The thin membrane covering the hollow cylinder and stretching over the shell on both sides of the drums is called drumhead or drum skin. The drumhead that is struck directly using a stick or mallet is called the batter head, and the drumhead opposite it is called the snare head or, more generally, the resonant head.
Drumheads can be made from different materials such as animal hide, plastic, and other synthetic derivatives. Depending on your sonic preferences, you can choose between a rich, warm tone or something punchier with a more pronounced stick attack.
Most drumheads in the market come in two types: coated and clear. Coated heads, as the name suggests, are coated with synthetic substances like mylar or lacquer. The coating on the head improves the sonic tail of each stroke played on the drum while also adding a warm character.
Clear heads, on the other hand, offer a ‘papery’ attack and provide shorter sustain.
Drum Hoops/Rims
The circular material that sits on the shell’s bearing edge and ensures tension on the drumheads is called a hoop or rim (sometimes called counterhoop). Hoops are essential to maintain the consistency and character of the drum.
The choice of hoops plays an integral part in the overall tone of your snare, adding a unique color of their own when they resonate upon being struck. This can be best understood by holding the hoop in one hand and gently tapping on it with a stick with the other hand. Hoops come in different designs like triple flanged, die-cast, and S-hoops.
Flanged Hoops
Hoop designs with one or multiple bends are termed flanged hoops. They are generally lightweight and make less contact with the edge of the drumheads, thus producing richer overtones. The single-flanged and double-flanged designs have been around for a while but were notorious for shortening the life of drumsticks, especially with rimshots.
This problem gave rise to the triple-flanged design, which features a third flange on the outer edge, making it more rounded and easier on the sticks.
Die-cast Hoops
Made by pouring molten metal into a circular mold, die-cast hoops are heavier and sturdier. As a result, they are less prone to warping as compared to flanged hoops. Due to their dense build quality, they sit tight over the drumhead and create a more focused sound with less harmonic complexity than their flanged counterparts.
S-Hoops
You could think of S-Hoops as a hybrid hoop design that offers the advantages of flanged and die-cast designs. Possessing the strength and density of a die-cast hoop and the optimal playing surface of a triple-flanged hoop, S-Hoops combine the best of both worlds and mark an evolutionary leap in hoop design.
Snare Wires
Snare wires are strands of spiral wires on the bottom part of the snare. Depending on the number of wires, the material used, and its tension, the snare drum’s sound can be altered. These wires are locked in one end by the snare strainer and pass through two small slits (snare gate) on the snare hoop before being secured at the opposite end with the butt plate.
Snare wires come in packs of 12, 16, 20, 24, 30 and 42 strands. A higher number of strands results in a richer snare sound, while lesser strands produce a tighter, focussed sound.
The material of the wires is also integral in shaping the drum’s tone because of the change in the quality of the resonance. The most common materials used are brass, bronze, and steel. Brass and bronze snare wires usually have a warmer tone than steel snare wires’ bright tones.
Snare Strainer
One of the most distinguishing features of the snare drum is the ability to choose between an open and a closed sound. One of the first patents for a snare strainer was filed in 1888. When engaged, the snare wires stick close to the resonant head, producing a sharp staccato sound and, when distended, a more open sound, rich in overtones with a longer sustain.
The total snare strainer mechanism is a combination of the snare strainer adjustment screw and a snare strainer release. The screw is for tightening or loosening the snare wires, while the snare strainer release is a lever for engaging or disengaging the snare wires.
Minor Snare Drum Components
By now, we have discussed some of the most critical components of the snare drum that are integral to its tone and character. Let’s also look at minor details that complete a snare drum’s design.
Air Hole
Each time the batter head is struck, the minor depression in the head sets the air inside the drum in motion. The air hole lets the drum breathe and interact with its surroundings in indoor and outdoor settings.
Badge
A small plate is attached to the shell for identification purposes, with the badge typically containing the manufacturing brand’s logo and the drum’s model number and serial number.
Lugs
Attached to the shell, the lugs receive the tension rods.
Tension Rods
A metal rod with threads that is inserted into the lugs, tension rods control the tension of the drumhead. A drum key is used to turn the tension rods clockwise or anticlockwise.
Wrapping Up
Understanding how drum shells, drumheads, hoops, and snare wires shape the tone of a snare drum can help you make an informed choice when it comes to buying your own, in addition to knowing the right pick for a specific musical setting.
The snare drum has undergone constant development, both in terms of its design as well as its sonic abilities. Modern drummers such as Benny Greb continue to innovate and refine the snare drum’s design, further maximizing its potential.
The snare drum is truly the cornerstone of the drum universe! And perhaps that’s why owning just a single one doesn’t really cut it!
