How To Set Up A Snare Drum

A drum set is never complete without a snare drum. This musical tool, although often on the sidelines, has such a vital role to play in making great sounds or music. But what does a snare drum do exactly?

What are its components? Is it difficult to learn how to set up a snare drum? If you are new to the world of drums, then here is a basic guide on the snare drum.

What Is a Snare Drum?

A snare drum, also popularly known as a side drum, produces sharp staccato sound when it is hit with a drumstick or mallet.

It is part of the drum kit of drumlines, marching bands, concert and rock bands, and parades.

It consists of two drum heads which are made from either animal hides or plastic.

It is the smallest drum of any drum set. As mentioned, one only needs a drumstick or a mallet to play the snare drum.

A snare drum is often placed on an adjustable stand. This allows the musician to adjust the angle of the drum as well as its height.

The Snare Drum’s Components

The drums, including the snare, have different parts.

• Snare Wires

It is called a snare drum because it has somewhere between eight to 18 snares made of plastic, nylon, sill, and metal that are extended across the drum’s head.

These snares are the ones responsible for creating terse sounds.

• Shell

Contrary to popular belief, the shell is more than just an enclosure as it greatly affects the sounds. Shells are usually made of mixed or single wood species such as mahogany, birch, maple, ash, and poplar.

A snare drum’s shell material can also be from metals like bronze steel, brass, and aluminum.

The kind of material used for the shell also affects the sounds produced by the instrument.

• Hoops or Rims

Most snare drums these days have triple-flange metal hoops or die-cast. The former allows the drummer to ring longer thus producing more overtones and get better snare sensitivity.

On the other hand, the die-cast hoops offer a sturdier feel, particularly for loud rimshots. They also normally make the drum produce fewer overtones.

There are also snare drums on the market that use wooden hoops, which tend to warm-up the sounds. Wooden hoops also change the spectrum of the overtones.

• Tension Rods and Lugs

A snare drum either has a tension rod or lugs, and the design of the tensioning system greatly affects the sound the drum produces. Most snare drums on the market use the lug design.

These designs are either tube lugs or split lugs. The former means there is less contact of the metal with the shell, which improves the sustain and gives a slightly different sound.

Split lugs, on the other hand, have more contact with the drum’s shells.

• Heads

There are many options when it comes to the head. There are single- and double-ply coated batter heads and pre-muffled models.

• Snare Beds

The snares would be uncontrollable and buzzy if there are no snare beds as it is a crucial yet subtle part of the drum.

It is the part of the drum that allows the snare wires to lie flat against the drum head.

What Should You Look for In a Snare Drum Stand?

Before learning how to set up a snare drum, one must first choose the best stand possible for the instrument.

Failure to procure a good stand may cause difficulties in playing the drum really well.

There are different designs to choose from when purchasing a snare drum set stand.

There is the basket-style, classic three-leg style, and L-Styles. In choosing a snare drum stand, one has to keep in mind the positioning of the player.

After all, it would be hard to play in one gig to another if the musician is in an uncomfortable position for most times.

• Adjustable Basket

The first thing to look for is a stand with an adjustable basket or a basket that can easily be resized using a single wingnut to fit a variety of snare drums.

Most snare drum stands on the market have this feature. However, some products are easier to adjust compared to others.

• Universal Basket Tilter

It is also essential to find a stand that has the universal and gearless basket tilter. Having this feature allows the player to fine-tune the exact position of the snare drum easily for ease of hitting.

Most mid- to professional-grade snare drum stands have the gearless friction tilters these days.

• Adjustable Dimensions

Finding a stand that has the width and height adjustment is also beneficial.

Keep in mind that the stand has to be able to go low enough for those with a deep snare or high enough for those with a piccolo.

For those who often play in cramped spaces, it is best to have a snare drum stand with adjustable width.

How To Quickly Set Up A Snare Drum

Setting up a snare drum and attaching it to a stand are easy. It is advisable first to read the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the stand to ensure a fast set-up.

The first step in setting-up a snare drum is to remove the drum from its case. Once done, set-up the stand. Make sure that the stand is stable on the floor while the snare drum’s basket is parallel to the floor.

Slowly place the snare drum to the stand. The snares must be on the bottom while the release lever is facing in front of you.

Gently adjust the drum’s basket to ensure that it is fitted well and not moving.

Look for the drum’s height adjustment so that the snare’s top rim is slightly below the waistline.

Use the angle adjuster to tilt the drum a little bit towards you. Now, grab the two drumsticks and stand straight in front of the drum.

Your forearms should be almost parallel to the floor as you bend your arms at the elbows.

The upper arms must be close to your sides but never touching it. If this is not the case, then proceed to adjust the drum again using the angle adjuster.

No Rocket Science Required

Understanding what a snare drum is and how to set it up is not rocket science. The comfort and position of the player are the things to keep in mind when choosing a snare drum stand as well as in setting it up.

How to Clean A Drum Set

A well-maintained and shiny instrument performs at its best, won’t you agree? As a musician or as an aspiring one, you know your instrument—your pride and joy—needs to be cleaned and maintained properly.

How to clean a drum set is a question often asked by beginners and even those who have just gotten to dream to own one.

Is there a special trick on cleaning a drum set? How and when do you clean it? What do you need? Let us find out!

What’s the Right Way to Clean a Drum Set?

Anything that is exposed to the air will eventually harbor dust! Even instruments on your tight shut music studio will have a thin film of dust over time. Taking the dust off is relatively easy. However, your drum set harbors more than just dust.

Have you noticed the tip of your drumsticks? If you are paying enough attention, then you are aware that they are worn out.

No matter how expensive your sticks are, splinters of wood would gradually chip off and fly somewhere when you smash them. Some of them land on the floor and others are stuck on the rims of your snare and toms!

Products You’ll Need:

Again, wiping off the dust is easy, but the stuck debris will take some effort to clean off. Before you get crazy in disassembling your drum set, you may want to prepare the following things first:

• Terry or Microfiber Cloth
• 1-inch Brush
• 0.5-inch Brush
• Lemon Oil Polish or any Wood Conditioner
• Non-abrasive chrome polish
• A Light Lubricant (like WD40) for Moving Parts
• Petroleum Jelly
• Masking tape

Steps to Cleaning A Drum Set

Step 1: Disassemble Your Drum Set.

There is no special trick in cleaning your drum set. However, you need to know at least how to assemble and disassemble your kit for a thorough clean.

The first step is disassembling your drum set. Loosen every piece of hardware and group them accordingly—separate the metal and wood parts. You will be using different cleaning materials to give your drum set a blinding shine!

Step 2: Brush Off the Rims.

Using your 1-inch brush, take out the chipped pieces of wood stuck around the rims of your drum set. Use your smaller brush if there are nasty pieces that won’t come off easily. Do this with all your toms and snare drum.

Step 3: Polish the Rims, Cymbals, and Hardware.

Before you polish the rims, line up the wooden parts and the skin with masking tape. Non-abrasive metal and chrome polishes may not be friendly on wood and may corrode the top coat of the wooden pieces. Dispense a small amount of polish on your terry cloth and spread it evenly on the metal parts.

Cover everything and add a few more drops of the polish as needed. After applying the polish, use a clean terry cloth to wipe and scrub the metal parts to bring them to a shine.

Do this on the top rims, bottom rims, and clamps. While you are dabbling on your chrome polish, leave the snares and continue with your cymbals and other hardware. Basically, it follows the same method of cleaning—apply the polish first and wipe it off with a clean terry cloth.

Pay close attention to the tight spaces. Polishing creams may leave nasty white debris in these tight spaces. When you’re done, you can setup the hardware back to your studio.

Can You Use Cheap Household Cleaners On Cymbals?

Here’s a great video that tests common cleaners, even ketchup!, on an inexpensive Sabian cymbal:

Step 4: Polish Your Toms, Snare, and Bass Drum.

Now, use a different cloth on the wooden parts of your drum set. You can take off the masking tape you placed to protect it from the metal polish. Any wood conditioner will do fine. However, lemon oil gives more protection, and it smells nice!

Lemon oil is relatively safe to use on wood surface and won’t leave uneven markings. You can safely apply it over the wooden surface and spread it evenly using a terry cloth. After an even lemon-oil application, wipe off the excess using a clean terry cloth and bring it to a luster.

Step 5: Reassemble Your Drum Kit.

After cleaning everything, the more challenging part is building it back. Use a little petroleum jelly on the lug screws to help prevent cross-threading.

Carefully reassemble your drum set and make sure you tighten everything finger tight at first to make sure it fits correctly.

Then use the appropriate tools to tension up the heads and reassemble hardware. Be patient and wipe off the fingerprints you leave with a clean terry cloth.

Step 6: Tune Your Drums.

While cleaning every tight nook and crevice of your drum set, you may accidentally detune your toms and snare. Before you invite your friends over to jam, tune your drums first. Now, take a selfie with your shiny drum set and show your bandmates that you are ready to rock!

How Often Should You Clean Your Drum Set?

To maintain your drum’s shine, ideally, you should wipe it off after you use it. A thorough clean should be done at least once a year to keep the splinters off the rims, and to renew the shine of your hardware.

Pro Tips for Maintaining A Clean Drum Set

The next time you change your drum skin, you may want to insert a packet of dehumidifier inside the toms, the snare, and the bass drum.

Some players recommend using steel wool to clean hardware. If you do, you must use polishing grade such as #0000 – more course grades will leave scratches, and be careful as it also throws off a lot of fine debris.

Place them on the sidewall of the drums to make sure that no moisture will build up inside as molds and mildew thrive in moist environments. Keeping the insides of your drum kit dry will ensure that no organism will live there!

Cleaning Old Drum Sets

If you have a worn drum set at home or you have bought an old one, cleaning may take quite a longer time than a properly maintained drum set, of course. The hardware can become rusty overtime when not properly taken care of.

The bottom line is not to leave your drum set unattended! It only takes a few hours once every year to clean them! And now that you know how to clean a drum set the right way, you can set a specific time of the year to clean it.

How about, every first week of the new year? That will make a good point to tick off your list of resolutions.

How to Tune a Drum Set

1. Start with the head

The drum head is where all the tuning takes place. Although this can be cheaply one in a music store, you can actually learn to do it yourself at home. This will save you the time needed to go to the store but so the money for each tuning.

For proper tuning, you will need your tuning key. This usually comes with the new drums. If you don’t have a key or purchased second-hand drums you will need to buy or borrow one from your friends. The good news is that these keys are inexpensive.

There is no secret at this stage; you will have to consider making opposing adjustments to the rods. This principle is used to get an even tension.

2. Loosen or tighten the rods in progression

The sample principle applies when loosening the rods. You would loosen one rod and then move on to the opposing one, instead of the closest one to maintain a circular rim which is not bent. This process should not be rushed.

You should only loose in small turns which would make the rim relax progressively.

These principles are not unique to drums as they are applied a wide range of instruments and circular products and taking your time with the process can actually improve the durability of the drum.

3. If necessary, replace and prepare a new drum head

In order to place the new drum head, you will need to remove the old head and check the inside of the drum for irregularities or small dents.

These can have a major impact on the overall sound quality and it is considered a good practice to check from time to time either with your hand or a fine cloth.

You should also repeat the process with the new drum head and check or early signs of irregularity.

Since it may be one of the situations in which you get a faulty head, you may want to try and replace it with the seller before using it.

Once you went through these steps you can proceed to install the new drum head. If you have an older drum, you can oil the rods before placing them back into position to ensure a smoother tuning.

You can begin tightening the rods progressively using your hands with the same technique from the loosening procedure.

To ensure the break in is as quick as possible you can even push on the center of the drum head with your palm. This can ensure the materials are set and you can even use some force as you may be required to press harder to break in the drum.\

4. Tune the drum

You are now ready to start tuning the drum. The process should not be rushed and you can experiment with various techniques.

However, it seems that the best pattern is to continue adjusting opposing rods which may help you achieve an even distribution and force impact. This is why you should only consider this technique.

You want to stay away from moving to the nearest rod and just move across for a mathematical approach. This can ensure a longer life for the drum and even a better sound.

And since the sound is the only variable at this stage, you want to continue adjusting the rods until you reach your desired result. This will involve a better sound and a better durability.

Your final results should have all the rods in similar tension which mean you can have precise results. You should continuously test the drum for optimum results.

Of course, for new drums, you will need to set the head higher and this can only mean you’ll need to break in the drum yourself by pressing hard on the middle of the drum.

Generally speaking, there are some other good tips or drum tuning. These involve maintaining snares and looking for potential issues at the bottom of the drum.

Since you will be using the drums intensely you should consider storing some extra drum head and drum rings. But the basic equipment also needs to include some spare rods and at least a tuning key.

Together with a fine natural fibers cloth, you can maintain your drums regularly.

5. Know how often to tune the drums

Although there are some general guidelines on the best times to tune your drums, you should simply do it whenever required. So if you feel the sound is not on par with what you expect you need to tune the drums.

But traditional tuning days are far behind and you can now find a dedicated smartphone app which will even indicate the smaller issues with your tuning.

Going too low or too high is immediately noticed by the app and it can be a good opportunity to learn how to tune your drums yourself.

Thus, tuning a drum is one of the simplest processes if you have the patience to do it in a correct mode.

This involves less rushed fine tuning and taking the time to check the drum for possible imperfections in which case you’ll need to take it to a professional for fixing.

But if your drum is fine and if you have a good drum head to setup, there are no reasons to think that this can’t be done by yourself.

It can actually make you a better drummer as it will give you the chance to improve your ability to instantly detect out of tune drums and out of tune playing.

Unless you are playing an electronic drum, you will need to learn to detect these sounds yourself.

This might be challenging, especially at the beginning. But this is why you can make the most of the additional tools like smartphone apps to improve the sound of your drums.

How To Drum Roll: 4 Great Methods To Keep Your Playing Interesting

A drum roll is a stream of fast notes. Unlike vocalists or other musicians, a drum roll can sustain a pitch and can come, of course, in some variations.

Some of these variations include an open roll, a closed roll and the double roll. The double roll is one of the most popular options and it implies playing two notes with each hand.

1. The double stroke roll

This is one of the easiest and most versatile types of drum rolls. To perform this you will have to master the proper technique with the drum sticks. This means you`ll have to grip the drumsticks with the right force.

If you want to make sure you are doing this in a correct form, you should start by allowing the drumsticks to bounce back from the drum`s head with each stroke.

This means the movement should be light enough to allow the bounce but firm enough to avoid wobble.

A good way of practicing and mastering this technique is by using a ping pong ball. The bounce of the ball from a hard surface such as a table is what you will have to mimic.

As the height of the bounce decreases the rhythm and sound get faster and faster. This is the technique you will try to mimic with the double stroke roll.

2. Single stroke roll

The single stroke roll is one of the easiest techniques to master. The simplistic technique will just use a combination of individual hand strokes.

You would play a pattern of right-left with increasing speed until you reach a point similar to a drum roll.

This is also a good technique of transitioning into the double strike roll which will find you in the position where you need to allow for one bounce and you will control the drumsticks from your wrists.

3. Crush roll

The crush role comes with an increased bounce tempo and can sometimes be confused with the double roll or other types of rolls. This doesn`t mean you have to confuse it also.

You will need to master it using a different technique, however. The technique only needs your index ginger and your thumb.

You will hold the drumsticks only using these fingers and you will begin the light bounce method which will allow you to create a roll.

4. The ping pong method

The ping pong method is one of the best ways to learn or even teach drum roll. It can teach you the rhythm and can even show you a how the drumsticks will bounce.

The simple bounce test involves dropping a ping pong ball on the floor and observing the ball bouncing. Another alternative is to use a paddle and hold it above the ball after you drop it.

This will increase the tempo and will create another bouncing effect which is similar to the stroke patterns above.

The same can be performed with the drumstick on the drum. When you squeeze the stick you need to make sure you don`t apply any downward pressure. The more you squeeze the stick the more resistance you will create.

You can now create an effect similar to the one with the ping pong ball on the floor with the paddle held above it.

For more advanced practice you can switch from one-handed performance to a two-handed performance. You can try doing this at the same time with both hands or alternatively.

So how do you perform a complete drum roll? At this stage, you can use both hands and squeeze the sticks to create a higher tempo bounce. The key here is to minimize the time needed to switch the roll on each hand.

How to exercise for the perfect drum roll

Now that you learned all these techniques you can start practicing and performing better and better.

This is not going to be achieved over night as many new drummers believe that a roll is the most complicated playing style to learn. But once you take it step by step, this improves your skills every day.

You can start by practicing with the ping pong and the paddle. You may do this for a few days and you will understand how the drumsticks react similarly. After this stage, you can start practicing the different rolls with one hand.

Then you would practice it with the other hand to finally get to a stage where you are comfortable practicing it with both hands. Although this is quick to achieve, actually maintaining a good tempo might need some practice.

This is why you will need to practice changing the roll from one hand to the other for 6-8 times before truly mastering the switch. You will notice that the more you squeeze the drumsticks the quicker the bounce will be.

At the same time, this is the most difficult part of the roll to master. The good news is that once you are comfortable with the hand switches you will be able to use the technique while playing a repertoire.

Learning to drum roll can be one of the longest and most pleasant experiences for a drummer. Although you might feel this is not easy to achieve, with daily practice you can get to a proficient level and can even use it seamlessly while playing.

With so much advice and techniques to learn from, it can be complicated to find a good starting point.

This drummer may be hilarious to watch, but he has done his homework!

This is why you will need to start with the ping pong technique and progress through the single stroke, the double stroke and the crush roll.

These techniques are essential if you want to maintain a high pitch or make the transition towards a new song.

Since drummers have limited instruments to perform this, the roll can be one of the few feasible options. Another good tip is to slowly progress through the different rolls.

It is best to first master the single roll before moving on to the other rolls, this will give the opportunity to build on the newly acquired skills.

What’s The Best Best Way To Hold Drum Sticks?

Like any skill or sport, drumming requires proper technique, and if you start off with an incorrect grip you may later have to relearn much of what you’ve gained.

Proper grip will also increase your efficiency, making it easier to get the sounds you want and helping you pick up new skills and techniques. However, there are several ways to hold common and custom drum sticks.

You will want to pick the right style for the kind of music you expect to play, but you will probably also want to learn about the others while you are at it. This article will explain all of the major ones!

Matched Grip

There are two major ways to hold drum sticks. The most common for many genres of music is the Matched Grip method, which gets its name because the left and right hands hold the stick the same way.

Their grips are essentially matched. It is also an overhand grip, meaning that the stick is held underneath the hand. However, within this category there are different ways to actually grip the stick. The most important to know are the three most common: the French, German, and American grips.

American Grip

American Grip is the easiest way to start drumming for a beginner. It is one of the most flexible styles, and it will let you play many kinds of popular music.

First, hold out your hand out flat with the palm down about an inch or two above the level of the head of the snare drum. Then, put the stick against your palm and curl your index finger down and around it.

It should be about at the balance point of the stick, which is usually about two-thirds of the way back from the tip. (Experiment with this; it should allow the stick to rest in your hand lightly and bounce easily on the drum.)

Next, curl the other fingers down around the stick, and extend your thumb to lay it gently along the side of the stick.

In this grip, as with most overhand grips, the index finger acts as the main pivot point of the stick. Holding it right at its balance point will allow you to hold it lightly, reducing stress on your hand and getting the most bounce out of each time you hit the surface of the drum.

When you are ready to strike the drum, keep your palms down, nearly parallel to the floor, but tilted to face each other just a little, and use your wrist and fingers to strike the drum. You can adjust the tightness of your grip to change how much the stick bounces with each strike.

German Grip

German Grip is next because it is rather similar to American Grip, but it gives a little bit more power, which is useful for larger drums. The main difference is that you will want to turn your elbows out a little bit, bringing your palms more parallel with the floor, and support the stick firmly with your middle finger.

Because the grip is firmer, you’ll have less finesse and a little less rapidity, but you’ll be able to strike harder.

French Grip

French Grip uses quite a different motion that the other two. After gripping your drumstick as for American Grip, you will want to turn your palms in to face each other, so they are perpendicular to the ground, and bringing your elbows in to your sides at the same time.

Your hands should be comfortably distanced from each other, perhaps a foot or so apart. Now, grip your sticks firmly with all the fingers. When you strike, use their strength rather than your wrists to give you power. This will give you finer control and greater speed.

Traditional or Orthodox Grip

Traditional Grip is less common and is more difficult. It is worth at least knowing about, though, because it is the style used by marching bands and often by jazz drummers.

It is not matched, so one hand will simply use one of the overhand grips described above. Usually, this will be your dominant hand.

The other hand will use a underhand grip. To start, hold your hand out, palm up, with the thumb out to the side.

Put the stick in the “L” shaped space between the thumb and index finger, resting it on your fingers so that its balance point is on the palm at the base of the index finger, and curling the thumb over the top of it.

Then curl your index finger around and over the top of it. Your thumb should almost touch the first knuckle of the index finger.

The stick should rest on top of and along your extended middle finger. Finally, bring in the last two fingers to help support it. Use a downward motion of your wrist to strike the drum.

How To Hold Drum Sticks, Conclusion and a Few Suggestions

If you’re a new drummer, or if you’re teaching one, the American grip will be the best way to hold the drum sticks, as it is simplest to learn. It will give you or your beginner the most range and versatility.

Whatever grip you use, though, make sure to hold the stick lightly but firmly. If you grip it too hard, you’ll both strain your fingers, eventually causing you pain and cramping your style, and you’ll also have less control and finesse.

Also, make sure you are using the right part of your arm, whether fingers or wrist, to power the stroke. Hold your body upright, with good posture, and plant your feet firmly. Lastly, take deep breaths and relax.

Now that you know how to hold your drum sticks, go for it: rock out and have fun!