Transcript for:
Concert Snare Drum Basics

this is the first in a series of segments about the concert snare drum so let's start off by talking about some of the different types of concert snare drums that you're going to run across the most typical concert snare drum is going to be about 5 to 6 in deep that depth is part of what gives the concert snar drum its characteris IC [Music] sound a field drum on the other hand as you can see is is much deeper it has a lower more resonant sound which is often meant to emulate military music in a concert band [Music] setting as you can hear it's a sound that's completely different than anything that you would hear in a contemporary marching band setting a contemporary marching snare drum is not a good substitute for a field drum a field drum is designed specifically for concert band or concert orchestra music over here we have sort of a specialty drum this is a piccolo sand drum which as you can see is a very very shallow shell has a really high and pingy [Music] sound typically a piccolo snare drum is not going to be suitable for a concert snare drum situation only in very very rare and specialized circumstances now let's talk about some of the components that make up a concert snare drum on top we have the batter head this is the side you're playing on it's very important that this head be a head that's specifically designed for a concert snare drum it has an open resonant sound there's no reinforcing dots there's no muffling and it's not the type of head that you would typically find in a marching band situation it's designed specifically for concert music underneath we have the snares there's several different types of snares that you'll find some are wire some are a cable sometimes you'll find snares that are Co cable coated in plastic each one just has a slightly different sound characteristic on the snare side you have a head and it's important that this head be a head that's specifically designed to be on the snare side of a snare drum this type of head will be thin very resonant which allows the snares to vibrate creating the sound of your concert snare drum so now we've introduced three different types of snare drums but of course there are an endless number of different types of snare drums some have a wood shell some have a metal shell they're all different depths and sizes the most important thing when you're selecting your snare drum is to use your ears listen to the sound that you're creating with your s drum and make sure that it's appropriate for the music that you're playing