Drum Heads
Heads that are new are essential to a good sound. If you practice and play your snare drum a lot, you should be changing the batter head and the snare head at least once a year for optimum results. (The batter head is the top head of the drum, the one you hit when you play. The snare head is on the bottom of the drum, it is the one that makes contact with the snares).
Snare Strainer (the pieces of twisted metal that stretches across the underside of the drum)
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, ask about having it changed.
Preparation for Changing Drum Heads
Remove the old heads and snare. Clean the hoop and drum 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 because your drum is wooden.
Fit New heads
Place the head onto the drum and spin it around the edge to ensure clean contact. Tighten the tension rods until they make contact with the hoop. Do not tune it yet.
Batter Head 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, take your drum key and begin tensioning by turning each key rod 1 complete turn, then continue using a quarter turn at a time, until the pitch is the same all the way around the drumhead. (Personally, I like a medium- or high-sounding batter head.) Tap around the circumference of the head listening for high and low spots and correct accordingly.
Snare Head Tuning
Flip the snare drum around, dampening the batter head on the floor, and tune the snare head to approximately the same pitch as the batter head to start. Then tune to the desired tension. The way you tune your snare head controls the sound the snares produce. If you tune looser, you will get more “ringing”; if you tune tighter, the sound will be more controlled.
Snare Strand Tuning
Once again, experimentation is the key here, but as a general guide: The looser a snare strainer is, the more it will work and the "fuller" it will make the sound of the drum, as well as adding sustain. Tighter will give more controlled sounds, but be prone to "buzzing" sypathetically with other drums or instruments. If you can hear the pitch of the drum change as you tighten the strainer, you are tuning it too high.
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