Orchestral snares

[larryace]

Has anyone tried the orchestral snares? I am curious how they would perform on say a rock or fusion gig. I like the concept, 3 different snare materials, cable, gut, and wire, with varying combinations of the different materials. Does anyone use these in other than orchestral settings?

[MusiQmaN]

I never new Yamaha made stave shells to, untill a few years a go:

http://www.steveweissmusic.com/images/uploads/1125383_8898_popup.jpg

YAM-GSR1450SP


For nearly 40 years Yamaha has designed premium snare drums for many mediums of music. Creating the ultimate orchestral snare drums demanded new ideas, innovative designs and materials. With guidance from world-renowned percussionists, Yamaha pursued its objective by starting fresh. The first step was inventing an entirely new strainer system (patent pending). Then Yamaha developed an innovative three-piece tubular lug and chose to use three separate snares on each drum. Additionally, Yamaha selected solid Rosewood-entirely unique in the snare drum world but common to high-end marimbas. The results of this intense creative process are three exciting, distinctive instruments that truly live up to their name: Yamaha Grand Symphonic Concert Snare Drums.

The smooth action of this new Silent Throwoff system eliminates all contact noise when engaging the snares. The three individually-tensioned snares are easy to attach for quick head changes and tuning.

The three snares that make up the Triple Snare System ensure a bright, defined tone, even when playing pianissimo. A fourth snare, made of high-carbon steel, is included.

Yamaha's new Double-Cut Edge (30º/45º) unique approach to bearing edge cut allows the middle ply of the shell to vibrate first allowing the entire shell vibrates faster. This results in a more focused and articulate sound and a deeper snare bed cut for the bottom head gives a quicker snare response and a crisper tone. Additionally, the rounded edge shape of the snare bed improves both response and tuning accuracy.

This drum features a 100% Solid Rosewood Shell that includes Yamaha's stave construction process which attaches vertical blocks of prime rosewood into a barreled shape, producing a warm, rich tone.

[caddywumpus]

The orchestral snares I've played on don't sound good with a kit. There was a Black Swamp drum that was really nice in college, but it didn't sound good with any of the kits at school. It was too dry and too dark sounding, no matter the adjustments I made to it.

[rmandelbaum]

Please enlighten me, I have always wondered what difference is between a kit and an orchestral snare.

[drumtechdad]

For the most part it's setup, heads and tuning. Orchestral players are going for an ultra-dry sound, papery even, no ring at all, somewhat low tension, and superb snare response at low dynamics.

They tend to choose drums that have these characteristics to begin with. Such drums would do fine, probably, in a kit with different head choice, vastly different tuning, and perhaps different snare wires. I know lots of guys who play both orchestral music and the drumkit, and all of them have multiple snare drums for multiple uses rather than switch one drum around over and over.