Snare drum

The snare drum (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that makes a sharp sound when you hit its surface with a drum stick. This happens because of special wires called snares that vibrate when the drum is struck. Snare drums are used in many types of music groups, like orchestras, concert bands, marching bands, and drumlines. They are also a key part of a drum set, which is used in many kinds of music.

Because it is easy to learn basic rhythms on a snare drum, it is great for music education for young children and for rhythm bands. You can play snare drums with drum sticks, but you can also use things like brushes or rutes to make different sounds. The snare drum can play soft, gentle sounds and also loud, powerful beats, making it very flexible for different musical styles.

Snare drums come in many sizes and types. There are marching snares, kit snares, soprano snares, and piccolo snares, each with its own size and way of playing. The sound of a snare drum can change depending on how you play it and what materials it is made from. The drum has two surfaces, called heads, and the snares are wires that vibrate to create the drum’s special sound. Players can adjust the tension of the heads and the snares to change the drum’s pitch and tone.

Playing

When you hit the top part of the snare drum, the bottom part shakes too, making a cracking sound from the wires called snares.

You can play the snare drum with a drum stick or with things like brushes, rute, or even just your hands. These give a softer sound from the snare wires. You can hit the main surface, the edge called the rim, or the body called the shell with the stick.

The snares can be turned off with a lever, making the drum sound like a tom-tom. One special way to play is called a rimshot, where you hit both the surface and the rim at the same time. This is popular in pop and rock music because it makes a loud, sharp sound.

Another way is called “cross-stick” or “rim click,” where you hold the stick on the surface and tap the edge to make a dry, high click. This is common in Latin and jazz music. Light taps called “ghost notes” are used between the main beats in music like funk and rhythm and blues. The famous drum roll is made by bouncing the sticks quickly on the drum head. The snare drum is often the first one to learn before playing a full drum kit.

Construction

Snare drums can be made from different materials like wood, metal, acrylic, or composite such as fiberglass. A common size for snare drums is 14 inches (36 cm) wide. Marching snare drums are deeper, often 12 inches tall, while orchestral and drum kit snare drums are about 6 inches deep. Smaller ones, like piccolo snare drums, are only about 3 inches deep.

Most wooden snare drums are built in layers that are shaped into a cylinder. The drum heads, or skins, include a top batter head for playing and a thinner bottom resonant head. Modern drums usually have plastic skins instead of animal skin. Some drums also have special rings or dots on the heads to change the sound. A new method called symmetrical venting helps make the drum’s sound smoother and stronger.

History

The snare drum likely began as a medieval drum called the tabor. It was a bit larger than a medium tom and was first used in war, often played together with a fife. By the 15th century, the snare drum grew bigger and took on a cylindrical shape. Swiss mercenary troops popularised it from the 15th to the 16th centuries. In the 17th century, screws were added to hold the snares, making the sound brighter. By the 18th century, the snare drum changed further to improve its sound. Metal snares appeared in the 20th century. Today, the snare drum is used in jazz, pop music, and modern orchestral music.

The snare drum has a long history in military use. Before radios, it was used to send messages to soldiers. For example, certain drum pieces would wake troops or call them to meals. Even though bugles mostly replaced the snare drum for signals later on, the snare is still used for some military calls today.

Snare drumheads were originally made from calfskin. In 1956, a drummer named Marion "Chick" Evans invented the first plastic drumhead, made from Mylar. Drum rudiments, or basic patterns, developed along with the snare drum. The first written rudiments appeared in Basel, Switzerland in 1610. Some well-known rudiments include the single paradiddle, flam, drag, ratamacue, and double stroke roll.

Definitions

A military drum or field drum is a type of snare drum that is 14 to 16 inches wide and 9 to 16 inches deep. It has a wooden or metal body and two drumheads that are tightened with screws. It also has a lever to turn the snares on or off. This type of drum was named in 1837 when the screw-tightening system was invented. It can be played on a stand or without one when marching.

A side drum is another name for a snare drum, especially used in Britain and the Scottish Highlands. In America, this name usually refers to the orchestral snare drum, while in other places it may refer to a marching snare.

A tabor is a large drum with one snare used in the Middle Ages and sometimes in modern orchestra music. It is also called different names in various languages. This is not the same as the tenor drum used in Scottish pipe bands, which does not have a snare.

Types

There are many types of snare drums. A marching snare is usually 12 inches deep and 14 inches wide, perfect for marching bands. It often uses nylon or gut snares and is played with thicker sticks called marching sticks.

A pipe band snare is similar but has extra snares for an even crisper sound and is played with a special grip. Drum kit snares are smaller, about half the depth of marching snares, and use metal wires. The piccolo snare is even smaller, giving a higher-pitched sound. Orchestral snares are like drum kit snares but may use different materials for the head and snares. The tabor is an old double-headed drum used in wars, often played with a flute. The tarol has its snares on the top head. The caixa malacacheta is a snare used in Samba music in Southern Brasil, made from aluminum or steel.

Famous solo works

Some well-known pieces written just for the snare drum include:

• "Three Dances for Solo Snare Drum" by Warren Benson
• "Trommel Suite" by Siegfried Fink
• "American Suite for Solo Snare Drum" by Guy Gauthreaux II
• "Prím" by Áskell Másson
• "March-Cadenza" by Gert Mortensen
• "Douze Études pour Caisse Claire" by Jacques Delécluse

Famous orchestral repertoire

Some famous pieces of music that feature the snare drum include Lieutenant Kije by Sergei Prokofiev, Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov, "The Stars and Stripes Forever" by John Philip Sousa, Polovetsian Dances by Alexander Borodin, Carl Nielsen's Fifth Symphony, Ionisation by Edgard Varese, Bolero by Maurice Ravel, Dmitri Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony, "Leningrad" and Eleventh Symphony, "The Year 1905", Béla Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra, and "Mars, the Bringer of War" by Gustav Holst. These works show how important the snare drum is in making beautiful music.

Popular brands

Here are some well-known brands that make snare drums:

• Brady Drum Company
• DW
• Fibes
• Gretsch
• Ludwig
• Mapex
• Pearl Drums
• Pork Pie Percussion
• Premier
• Remo
• Rogers
• Slingerland
• Sonor
• Tama
• Yamaha