Normally we'll give you one point for every pound you spend, but watch out for double and triple points deals for even more savings! Restrictions Still in Place in Store - Read here before visiting in person. Are you used to using the standard snare that comes with your kit, but now you're thinking about branching out? In our snare guide, we take a look at all the different shell materials available to drummers and compare and constrast the tones.
One of the snare drum's main goals is to allow each drummer express their individuality. One of the main ways manufacturers cater for this is by experimenting with a wide array of shell types. The various sonic characteristics of different materials and sizes heighten the individuality of their drums and allow them to create a wide range of tailored and unique sounding instruments.
This can really add a distinctive element to your drum tone and you'll stand out as a player. A snare drum features a round frame with two heads — one on top, one on the bottom.
The snare element refers to a selection of metal wires attached to one or both of the heads — most commonly on the bottom. This wires can be tightened against the drum head or loosened completely. There are many different snare drums for different applications. Each one has a distinct sound, feel and, in some cases, appearance.
The most common snare style among contemporary players, used for everything from funk to death metal. This may mean different drum heads, snare wires or tuning. The pipe band snare has a unique sound, higher in pitch and with a very short attack. This gives them a higher pitch with a brighter attack.
Somewhere in between a drum kit snare and piccolo snare, but sometimes found with smaller diameters. This gives them a higher pitch but with more of a full, colourful dynamic.
Honourable mentions: tabor, tarol and firecracker snare drums. It goes without saying that the material a snare drum is made of can make a huge difference to the sound. Snare drum materials can be divided into two main categories: wood and metal. Want to know more? Click here to read our blog article on wood vs metal snare drums! Many other materials are also used in snare drum construction but hold a more niche status.
Some represent the cutting edge when it comes to experimenting with materials, whereas others are concepts that have disappeared from mainstream drum manufacture, but have a cult following and are being kept alive by a select few companies.
Here are some examples of alternative snare drum materials:. In general, the more unique the shell material is the more expensive the drum will be. As well as this you are also paying for the sought after exclusivity of having a drum and sound that is available to very few other people. As always, once you have pinpointed the factors that change a drums sound in this case material you can mix-and-match and alter them in tandem to customise it further.
A popular example is mixing wood and metal in the shell construction. The most common configuration is having the shell divided into three sections horizontally. The top and bottom edges of the drum are made of metal with a band of wood sandwiched between. This combines the projection and attack of the metal with the warmth and body of the wood. Another possibility would be to pair wood edges with a band of acrylic to dry up the sound and make the drum punchier and look very cool.
This yields a very dry, crisp, and highly responsive sound. These drums are primarily used for orchestral, concert band, and percussion-ensemble applications. Designed to resemble the sound of military drums from the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, these models usually feature larger diameters and much greater depths than typical orchestral snare drums. Synthetic gut or cable snares are standard, and the drums are usually played at lower tunings. Pearl currently offers two outstanding field models.
These drums feature a shallower shell than standard snare drums and are used mostly in kit applications. Like piccolo snares, these drums feature nonstandard shell dimensions. Generally these drums have a high-pitched sound with more body than what you get from a piccolo.
Popcorn snares often come in shallower sizes. Some feature a traditional two-head design, while others have only one head and use a fanned snare that contacts the underside of the batter head. These drums can also be used to create convincing timbale-like tones when the snares are disengaged.
Here are a few tips. Tune the tension rods on either side of the snare beds a half turn looser than the rest of the head for the best snare response. Tune and muffle the top head to taste while keeping the pitch at all lugs the same.
Good luck, and happy drumming! Skip to content. Digital Access FAQ. My Account. About MD. Shell Aside from giving the drum most of its general appearance, the shell also has a huge impact on the sound.
Lugs and Tension Rods Lug designs can have an impact on the overall sound of the drum, but not as much as they did in years past, due to advances in design. Snare Wires These thin, fragile strands give the snare drum its characteristic sound by interacting with the snare-side head when the drum is stuck. Pearl Export Series.
Maple: If there was such a thing as a standard wood used for drum shells it would be maple. Birch: Birch delivers much more high frequency content than maple and a punchy low end giving it a somewhat focused sound. Snare drums made of Birch tend to project really well for this reason. Birch is a common modern alternative to Maple and is popular amongst jazz players or rock players that want that fast, lively sound.
Premier Royal Ace. Mahogany: Often referred to as the vintage wood for drums, Mahogany was used in plys of shells in many classic drum kits. Very warm in its overall tonality, mahogany is heavily favoured by recording engineers for that classic drum sound paired with thinner 3 ply shells.
Mahogany also gives you quite a short note with little sustain, which is also why its so desirable in the studio. Ludwig Pioneer Series. Poplar: Poplar is a softer wood and for decades has been commonly used as an inner ply paired with Maple and Mahogany.
Oak: Oak is loud! I also decided to stay away from off-brands and only focus on the most famous drum manufacturing companies as they provide the most consistent and reliable quality.
Hopefully you now know which type of snare you need, and how to get the best sound out of it. Well… Look at it this way: Imagine you were playing a gig and suddenly your whole kit broke apart, leaving you with only ONE element which would suck, I agree , which one would you prefer to have left? The snare, most probably, because you can play : The upbeat, The backbeat… And fill everything in between with it , which undoubtedly makes it the most versatile element of the kit.
So… How do you choose the right snare for your playing? Sounds good? First up… What is a snare drum? To learn about the different types of shells, hardware and construction, check out this article: Drums The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Perfect Kit Next up… Sizes There are almost endless combinations of depth and diameter available, but some sizes and models are more popular than others.
They are common in pop, rock and their sub-genres. These are, ordered by popularity: Wood — which is the richest in bass and mids.
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