Tuning a Snaredrum

Tuning a Snaredrum

Like any instrument tuning a snare drum is necessary and often times underestimated. A tuned drum will have a rounder and warmer sound. The snare drum is the heart of a drum set, therefore we dedicate this article to tuning this instrument. Each step of the process will be explained as well as demonstrated in the matching video.

Step 1: Place the batter head on the drum shell, followed by the hoop. Then screw the tension rods until there’s a noticeable resistance.

Step 2: Press the centre of the drumhead down until the skin is resting on the edge the shell.

Step 3: Tighten the tuning screws crosswise evenly in 1/8 turns until you have reached the desired tone / voltage. We recommend using a drum tuning key.

In finding the right pitch, strike within 3cm from the clamping screws. When all notes are identical, your snare is in tune.  Each tuning rod lets you adjust the tone. The tighter, the higher tone and the looser, the lower the tone. The batter head is now tuned.

Step 4: Under the snare drum, we stretch the resonant head including snare wires as we did the batter head. First loosen the wires using the snare strainer, found on the side of the snare. The snare wires should not come in contact with the skin during tuning, so therefore a drumstick is placed between the skin and the wires. In similar fashion to the batter head, check the tone by tightening the tension rods and striking the skin.

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Two important points that may affect the tonal character of your snare should be clarified: the voltage ratio between the batter head and resonant drumhead and the snare tension in position to the snare wires and the resonant drumhead. If the latter is loose, then the vibration will be longer and create a rattling sound.

A word about the replacement of drum heads: As with stringed instruments, there comes a time when they should be changed. With stress comes the loss of strength and clarity, which also becomes visible.

Tune Bot Drum Tuner

This is a tool that can make your life easier: The Tune Bot Drum Tuner, an electronic drum tuner. It measures the tone of the shells, the overall tone of the skin and frequency. But ultimately, it’s up to your ears and own personal preferences that decide how your snare should sound.
Have fun tuning your snare! Questions and comments are welcome below.

Author’s gravatar
Lawrence started playing the electric guitar because of his passion for rock music. Back in the day he played in a metal band, but now plays more for himself.

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