Thursday, April 11, 2013

April 11, 2013: Caught in a Snare


The snare drum is a principal member of the percussion family.  It is used in nearly every music genre, from orchestra to rock, to even marching bands.  It can be used to put down an excellent rhythm, especially if you don't want your drumline to be too bass-heavy.  It blends so well with most genres, likely due to the range of music it works in despite the fact it is unpitched.  The warm, punchy sounds are something I always find satisfying.

Snare drums operate by using snares made of various materials, usually spiraled metal cords, that vibrate against the bottom head when the drum is hit.  It is also possible to move the snares off of the bottom head, in which case the drum has a tonal similarity to a tom.  The snares can also be adjusted to alter the sound when the drum is stricken.  The size and depth of the drum also influences the sound - drumkit snares and standalone orchestral snares are usually similar in size, while marching snares are much larger and have a distinctly different sound.

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