Snare drum is also called small drum. It is a percussion instrument with membrane sound. A round drum consisting of a wooden or metal frame and a drum head made of plastic or leather at both ends. |
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1. History: China, India, the Middle East and Africa were the first countries to adopt percussion. The oldest recorded example of the use of drums in battle comes from the Chinese war between Qi and Lu in 684 BC. During the Crusades, European armies became aware of the use of drums on the battlefield and spread this use throughout Europe. |
2. Structure: The snare drum is a round drum composed of a drum shell (frame) and a drum head covered with plastic or leather at both ends. Its types vary widely, their material, diameter and depth vary. Drum shells are usually made of two basic materials, wood and metal. Wooden snare drums sound warmer than metal ones. Maple is the most common material for snare drums, and the tone of maple is generally described as "warm or dark." Another metal material, mainly brass, aluminum, etc., has a brighter sound. DW has a snare drum with an inner and outer shell. The inner layer is maple and the outer layer is copper. This snare drum has the warm sound of maple wood and the bright sound of a metal cavity. The top surface of the snare drum is called the beat membrane. The bottom is called the snare surface and consists of a snare string (a string made of gut, nylon or steel wire) stretched on the leather surface. When the drum surface is struck, the strings on the snare surface resonate, producing a rattling sound. Tightening or relaxing can change the sound quality. Adjusting the peripheral lug bolts will also change the sound quality. Drumsticks can be made of wood, glulam or metal, or brush-shaped drumsticks, all of which have different effects on the sound quality.（ See here） |
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3. Features: The snare drum has no fixed pitch, but its sound frequency is higher than that of the bass drum. The tone is clear and lively, accompanied by a rustling sound, which is unique. The double hammers strike alternately very quickly, emitting clear and granular sounds, and various processing effects (such as light, heavy, slow, and rapid) can express various musical emotions. Snare drum rudiments are a series of basic snare drum playing techniques that originated from European military bands. These basic snare drumming techniques are deeply referenced and incorporated by modern drummers to create different drum patterns. So far, the international Percussive Arts Society (PAS) has summarized the basic skills of the 40-style snare drum (PAS 40 Essential Snare Drum Rudiments). The website of the drum holding company Vic Firth also provides professional demonstrations of the basic skills of these forty-style snare drums.
Snare sound examples (over 10,000 sound examples, here are just a few)  （More see here）
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About the Brushed Snare |
The shell of the brushed snare drum is made of brushed brass or bronze (see the picture below). Its sound is heavier, thicker and louder. |
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Brushed Snare Drum Sound Example （ See here） |
4. Example of Morricone's music
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