Snare Drum

The snare drum is one of the most noticeable sounds in the drum lineup and is absolutely integral in many forms of music especially pop, rock and roll, jazz, electronic music, and rap. It provides a bright, piercing sound that is often used to accentuate the back beat with the bass drum playing the beat.

The snare drum is a cylinder that is 3-12 inches or more deep which can be made of a variety of materials such as wood or metal. They have a drum head on both the bottom and the top as well as a snares that are stretched along the bottom of the drum to give it its unique sound and bright crispness. This can often be disengaged on newer models allowing the drum to double as a small tom.

The snare drum is typically played with sticks on the head, though rim shots where the stick is struck on the head and rim at the same time are a very popular technique that makes an appearance in almost every genre of music, especially pop music. Brushes and mallets can also be used for atmospheric effects, accents and filler notes or ghost notes.