Probably the most personal instrument in the drum kit

Today the drum set has such a clear identity of its own that we sometimes forget it is really many instruments in one. Among them, the snare, bass drum, hi-hat and ride play a leading role in the standard drum set configuration. The snare has existed since roughly the 15th century, although back then it was called a “tabor” and was used for military purposes. In Spanish the instrument is usually just called a “drum,” which sounds quite peculiar to English speakers, who call it a “snare drum,” a drum with snare wires.

The snare is, arguably, the most personal instrument in the drum kit. It is especially important because it is present in most of our patterns, rhythms and arrangements. In fact, rhythms or patterns played without the snare are almost an anecdote. Its voice is clearly distinguishable and largely defines a player’s style. It is not unusual to find drummers who own several snares so they can adapt to the different musical contexts they face. This instrument plays such an important role and has such a distinctive voice that, when you change snares, the whole kit seems to sound different. It is also very common in studio recordings to have a good arsenal of snares on hand to try out different timbres and tonalities. In these situations, the same drum kit configuration is usually used for the whole album while the snare is swapped from one track to the next. This gives the overall sound of the kit, and therefore of the song, a different color. That is speaking in general terms, since we know every recording is a world of its own.

In this article we set out to analyze this instrument from every angle: construction, materials, sounds, finishes, uses and more. We hope this guide serves as a reference in your search for your own voice. In order to provide information for everyone, even beginners, we will start with the basics.

THE SNARE DRUM: PARTS
The snare drum is made up of a cylinder called the “shell,” which can be made from a wide variety of materials, although wood or metal is normally used. On the shell are the lugs, which hold the tension rods used to tighten the heads. The heads are the membranes you strike to get the sound. The heads are held in place by the “hoops,” which secure them and set their tension. On the bottom of the drum, in contact with the bottom head, are the snare wires. This part is very important because it gives the snare the “gritty” sound that sets it apart from the other drums in the kit. The snare wires consist of a series of metal “strands” that vibrate when the top head is struck.
That, broadly speaking, is what a snare drum is. Now let us explain each part in detail.

The Shell
The shell is the cylinder that forms the body of the snare. It can be made of wood, metal or other materials. As for woods, maple and birch are typically used, although today we can find shells made of beech, oak, cherry, poplar, basswood, walnut, bamboo and a long list of others. Each wood brings a different timbre to the sound of the snare. But, as mentioned earlier, the shell can also be metal. The most commonly used metals are brass, bronze and steel, although aluminum and copper are also used to a lesser extent. We will talk about sound later in a section devoted exclusively to it.

It is worth browsing the catalogs of the different drum makers because, in their constant experimentation and searching, they offer snares made from the most diverse and unexpected materials. Among them we find fiberglass or acrylic, to name just a couple.

The shell can also come in different depths and diameters. The standard size is 14" in diameter and 5.5" deep. However, this is only a general rule, since every player likes specific dimensions. Snare depths can go up to 8". Deeper drums exist, but those are the ones used in marching band formats. As for diameter, it can reach 15" in some very specific models (Tama’s Kenny Aronoff Trackmaster model), but normally it does not go beyond 14". Auxiliary snares with small diameters (10" or 12") are now often used, providing a sound similar to that of prerecorded loops. Shell depth can also be shallower, reaching 3" in some cases. “Piccolo” snares are precisely these: conventional diameter (14", 13") but shallow depth (3", 3.5"). “Soprano” snares, on the other hand, have conventional depth (5", 7") but a small diameter (10", 12"). As we will see later, the dimensions have a decisive influence on the sound.

Hoops, Lugs, Snare Wires and Heads
The hoops that hold and tension the heads can also be metal or wood, although the latter are less commonly used for now. Some makers, such as Yamaha, also let you choose between steel or aluminum hoops. Hoops also affect the resulting sound in surprising ways.

Lugs come in very different designs depending on the maker. There is clearly a fashion element here too, although their main purpose is to serve as a “home” for the tuning rods.

Heads are mostly plastic, although originally calfskin was used. They can be single-ply or multi-ply, but for the snare drum, single-ply heads are used almost exclusively. Even so, it is worth trying all kinds of heads to see how they work with our snare and find out which one we like best. It is also common for the head to be rough white, or “coated,” so that it responds when we use brushes. A smooth head, usually clear, doesn’t let you hear the brush sweep across its surface at an adequate volume.

The snare wires, as we said, are that set of wire strands that run across the shell from side to side and, by contacting the bottom head, produce the snare’s characteristic sound. There are also different types of snare wires, with more or fewer strands, longer or shorter, and so on. Some models have several sets of snare wires so that we can use one or several at once (Yamaha’s Dave Weckl Signature model).

In short, there is an almost infinite range of materials, components and sonic possibilities when it comes to the snare drum.

SOUND
Sound is something very personal. It has to do with our taste, but also with the musical style we are involved in. A particular sound is achieved through a combination of factors and not merely the shell material. A wood snare can sound very different depending on the head, tuning and hoops. So much so that it is often the type of construction that defines the sound rather than the materials used. All of these factors must be taken into account when looking for “our perfect sound.”

If the snare is wood, we can say, broadly, that maple gives the sound a more aggressive character, with more attack and volume, while birch, by contrast, gives a drier, rounder and more controlled sound. The angle of the bearing edges, where the heads rest, is also extremely important. The wider the angle, the more of the head is in contact with the edge. This changes the sound very significantly. Different cutting angles, different sounds, plain and simple. We must also consider the final thickness of the shell. And of course, we can’t forget its dimensions. A piccolo (shallow) shell has impressive attack and a very fast response to the stroke. By contrast, a very deep shell gives astonishing body and low frequencies. Soprano snares have a timbre we could call nasal. They tend to be ideal for imitating the programming and loops of electronic music.

Hoops also play their part in the sound, and not as a mere extra. Conventional hoops, or Power Hoops, tend to give a more open sound and richer overtones than die-cast hoops. The latter, on the other hand, give the sound more consistency and focus, making it drier and more controlled. Wood hoops help the sound have a good low register and a warmer character.

Heads also have their share in this area. The usual practice is to put a very thin head on the bottom so that it responds quickly to the vibration of the snare wires. The top head, the one we strike, can be of many different types. Normally it is single-ply so that the drum’s overtones can be heard clearly. Thicker heads mask these frequencies, but we gain in control and body.

In any case, the best approach is to try as many combinations as possible until you find the sound that best fits your needs.

LEGENDARY SNARE DRUMS
In this final section we would like to talk about a few models that have made history in the world of drumming.

Ludwig Black Beauty
This is a snare with a huge following around the world, as it is a legend in itself. Not for nothing has Ludwig released several reissues of this model over the years.
Its first name was “Deluxe,” when Ludwig built it back around 1920. Later, around 1970, it would receive the name we know today. The original model had a two-piece shell with a bead in the center. The hoops and lugs were painted to imitate the color of gold, although in the 1930 reissue this was changed to the usual chrome. The shell was brass, finished in black. It had a very warm sound.

Slingerland Radio King
Another piece of history, built around 1935. This model was going to be called the Broadcaster, but Gretsch already had a line with that name, so Slingerland had to look for an alternative, which crystallized into the name we know today. The shell is a single sheet of maple. Inside the shell it has reinforcing rings.
This is a snare that has been at the top for years and has been played by the best. For example, Gene Krupa had his own brass version instead of wood, around 1960.
The Radio King snare came in a multitude of versions throughout the 20th century.

Rogers Dyna-Sonic
This snare was designed for Buddy Rich to his specifications. This happened in 1960, when Buddy switched his endorsement deal from Ludwig to the aforementioned Rogers. The idea was to create a snare whose shell had a very thin cutting angle on its edges and a snare wire system that was special for the time. The shell was brass and had ten lugs. There was a special wood model that today fetches sky-high prices.

Gretsch Progressive Jazz
The Gretsch name could not be missing from this list. This model was so popular that other leading brands such as Premier built their own version. The original dimensions were 14" in diameter by 4" deep, with a wood shell. The hoops were the sturdy die-cast type.

Text: José A. Pereira