Snare drum
A shallow, two-headed drum whose tensioned wires across the lower head vibrate when struck, producing a sharp, rattling sound.
Snare wires: A set of metal wires stretched across a snare drum’s lower head to produce its characteristic rattle. Their vibration against the lower head creates the defining snare sound.
Snare drum family: A group of shallow drums with tensioned wires against a resonant head, including several historical and regional forms. The modern orchestral and drum-set snare belongs to a wider family of snared drums.
Drum set: A coordinated set of drums and cymbals played by one performer, often with pedals and stands. The snare anchors backbeats, fills, and groove within the modern drum set.
Tabor: A small snare drum historically played with a pipe, especially in medieval and Renaissance Europe. The tabor is an early European snared drum associated with the snare drum’s ancestry.
Tenor drum: A drum without snare wires, often played in marching ensembles in a range of tuned sizes. Its tuned, wire-free sound contrasts with the snare drum’s rattling response.
Drumhead: A stretched membrane or synthetic film that vibrates to produce sound when struck. The upper head sounds directly; the lower head transmits vibration to the snare wires.
Bass drum: A large drum that produces a low-pitched sound when struck. In drum-set playing, it commonly supplies the low pulse beneath the snare’s backbeat.
Marching band: A musical ensemble that performs while moving, often using brass, woodwinds, and percussion. Marching snare drums carry intricate rhythms that remain audible outdoors and in motion.
Military drum: A drum used in military contexts for marching, signaling, and ceremonial music. Military practice shaped the snare drum’s construction, technique, and rhythmic traditions.
Timpani: A large bowl-shaped orchestral drum with a tunable membrane and definite pitch. Timpani produce tuned resonances, unlike the snare drum’s short, noisy attack.