Snare for fun!

K

kdvs

Junior Member
Hi!

I would like to buy a snare drum to start with brushes, just for fun. Now, since I am a jazz pianist I do not know much about drums and stuff, but man do I love that sound!
Since I am completely new to all this I would like to ask you guys what kind of (affordably priced) snare you would recommend?

Thanks!
 
kdvs said:
Hi!

I would like to buy a snare drum to start with brushes, just for fun. Now, since I am a jazz pianist I do not know much about drums and stuff, but man do I love that sound!
Since I am completely new to all this I would like to ask you guys what kind of (affordably priced) snare you would recommend?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Give us a price range to work with. One man's "affordably priced" drum is another man's right arm.
 
Three things to look for:

1. Enough real estate on the head to do your brushwork. Most jazz/brush players lean toward 14" drums for this reason.

2. A shell that has some nice warm tone at lower volume levels. That means not too thick, and probably not metal. Solid wood shells are wonderful for this, but they may be outside your price range.

3. Triple flange hoops instead of diecast. They let the drum open up a little more, helping to bring out the tone at low volume. This actually helps your budget, too.

Also, BTW, shallower drums tend to be more responsive at low volumes as a general rule -- not always true, but more often than not. So look for 5 - 5.5" depth instead of 6.5 - 7". Shallower than 5" is going to start to provide challenges for tone (assuming that's the type of sound what you want).
 
motleyh said:
Three things to look for:

1. Enough real estate on the head to do your brushwork. Most jazz/brush players lean toward 14" drums for this reason.

2. A shell that has some nice warm tone at lower volume levels. That means not too thick, and probably not metal. Solid wood shells are wonderful for this, but they may be outside your price range.

3. Triple flange hoops instead of diecast. They let the drum open up a little more, helping to bring out the tone at low volume. This actually helps your budget, too.

Also, BTW, shallower drums tend to be more responsive at low volumes as a general rule -- not always true, but more often than not. So look for 5 - 5.5" depth instead of 6.5 - 7". Shallower than 5" is going to start to provide challenges for tone (assuming that's the type of sound what you want).
Click to expand...

Thanks! Are there any brands or classic models that are used in combination with brushes?
 
kdvs,
If you can spend some extra bucks, I recommend the Mapex Black Panther Velvetone. You can't be disappointed with that snare. Very versatile. You might want to check it out.
 
That sound is mainly going to come from a coated snare head, maybe an etched one, and a good set of Vic Firth brushes. You won't need to spend a lot on the drum but a Evans Dry or G2 coated head will get you started.
 
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