Snare Drum Maintenance

While the tuning range of a drum set snare drum is quite wide, the batter head of a typical drum is usually tuned to around A above middle C. Depending on musical context, tuning could be much lower, but seldom any higher. The snare side head is typically around a major second below the batter head. The “best” tuning is really determined by a player with enough experience and knowledge to get the sound they want. Change the batter head at least once a year and the snare side head every few years. A standard drum has spiral-coiled snares with 20 strands. Check the snares occasionally for any kinks or bends; single snare wires that are not straight need to be cut off or the entire set of snares needs to be replaced. If a single snare wire is bent, it can be cut off as long as the single snare wire symmetrical to the bent one is cut as well. This ensures even tension across the entire set. Most young players want an extremely dry sound and mistakenly over tighten the snares, stretching out the wires and causing a choked sound. It is best to tighten the snares just enough to be responsive, then dampen the batter head to the desired amount of resonance. Experimenting with tuning can also help in getting rid of extraneous snare buzz.