SNARE DRUM.
The snare drum is a drum , and is a fundamental piece in a complete acoustic drum kit, but in some cases it is also played individually in bands and orchestras. The sound is produced by the percussion of a tensioned membrane and falls into the category of membranophones. The snare drum is composed of a shell that is usually made of metal or wood and two skins, one batter and one resonant, tensioned with special hoops with tension rods.
The thing that differentiates the snare drum from other drums is the snare wire, in fact there are a series of metal wires placed under tension on the resonant part that produce a characteristic "slapping" sound which has characterised the history of this instrument .
HISTORICAL NOTES SNARE DRUM.
Since prehistoric times, man has used sticks to strike objects and produce all kinds of sounds, but only in the last hundred years has the modern drum evolved. The snare drum in particular has a history that is still different from the drum, in fact it is presumed that its origins are to be found in Africa and go back about a thousand years. The real ancestor of the snare drum, however, is the so-called "tabor", a medieval instrument composed of a striking skin and a resonant skin, whose striking part had dried gut strands as a snare.
From that moment on, the snare drum underwent an evolution, which led to the instrument we know today.
The Stem
The snare drum shell is the main element of the instrument, in fact the workmanship and type of wood used strongly characterise its sound.
Shell Depth: The depth of the shell determines the body of the sound, not the note.
Shaft Diameter: The wider the shaft, the deeper the note it will produce.
Thickness of the shell: the thicker the wood, the higher the frequency, increasing the note produced.
Wood Density: A softer wood will respond and encourage lower frequencies, a harder wood will work better on higher frequencies.
Shell Wood: There are many types of wood and they can radically change the final sound of the snare drum. Generally, the rule of density applies with some exceptions; some woods have a warmer sound and others work well on the low frequencies despite their hardness. To summarize, we can mention the most common woods
Maple: the most common, medium density and tending towards high frequencies.
Bubinga: African wood that enhances low frequencies despite its hardness.
Birch: medium density and very low frequencies.
Poplar: Similar to maple but lighter and emphasizes low frequencies.
Oak: hard and tending towards high frequencies.
Mahogany: Produces a very precise note that decays quickly, tends towards the low frequencies with a full-bodied sound.
Cherry: Produces a warm, woody sound, similar to maple in sound and workability.
Walnut: hard wood, tending towards high frequencies.
