Drum Tips: Snare Drum Tuning

There may be some repetition here, as many of the techniques are the
same regardless of the type of drum you are tuning.

Heads
Heads that are new are essential. Your snare drum is the most used (abused?) drum in
your set and is tuned to a relatively high tension, compared to your other drums. You
should be changing batter heads every one to three months, and snare heads at least
once a year for optimum results. This will vary, depending on how tight the heads are,
and how aggressive your playing style is.
Snare Strands
Just 'cos they ain't broke - don't mean they're working right. This is often an overlooked
part of a snare drum, but it is responsible for a large part of the sound of it, so it had
better be right. The main problem with the snare strainer is that it applies pressure
unevenly to the strands, so some will stretch more than others. This uneven wear can
cause problems such as snare "buzz" or "dead" snares. When in doubt - change it!
Preparation
Remove the old heads and snare. Clean the hoop and bearing edges, removing dust,
stick debris, and any build-up that is found. Cleaning and polishing should be done now,
as there are no tension rods, hoops or snare in the way. Do not use any liquid (your
snare drum is wooden, remember?).
Note: If you have any damping mechanism which presses a felt pad against the batter
head, remove it completely now! These items are bad news, causing more problems
than they solve. If you must dampen your snare drum, use e-rings or other methods.
More on damping methods in a later article.
Fit New heads
Place the head onto the drum and spin it around the bearing edge to ensure clean
contact. Tighten the tension rods until they make contact with the hoop. Do not tune yet.
Batter Tuning
Put the snare flat on the floor. This deadens the snare (bottom) head, allowing you to
isolate the batter (top) head.
Following the order in the diagram below, begin tensioning by turning each key rod 1
complete turn, then continue using a quarter turn at a time, until the lowest possible pitch
the head will resonate a is reached. Tap around the circumference of the head listening
for high and low spots and correct accordingly.

Alan Ratcliffe