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We've already navigated the potential minefields surrounding the tuning of bass drums and toms, and now it's the turn of the all-important snare drum. While it too offers up a number of hazards, the snare does give us the best opportunity to experiment with different sounds.

So let's have some fun, test our tuning skills to their limits and avoid those pitfalls. Here are the 14 simple steps to tuning your snare drum…

1. Understand your drum

Firstly, let's split the shell types into broad groups: wood, metal, synthetic (acrylic, carbon fibre, etc) and others (paper, glass and other bizarre materials) and try to understand the key properties of these types.

For instance, metal-shelled drums tend to produce more ring and volume than wood, but even then the spectrum of sounds across the different types of metal is quite wide. Aluminium will normally produce a much drier sound than brass, and steel is very different to copper.

2. Don't eliminate ring completely, tune without wires

One of the biggest villains in tuning drums is the obsession many drummers have with eliminating ring. In live situations in particular – even when miked – some ring is healthy, as long as it's even and not discordant. Removing it will make your snare sound boxy to the audience, especially if you are playing at a moderate/loud volume.

Most of the ring will be absorbed by the rest of the band. Tune the snare drum without the wires at first (except in a gig situation). Why? Well, how can you really know if the drum is in tune if you have this other sound going on? The setting of the snare wires is also very important and a fundamental part of the snare drum's sound.

3. Start with the resonant head

Start with the resonant head with the snare wires and batter head off the drum. Bear in mind that the resonant (snare-side) head is generally very thin, weaker than other heads but light enough to seat itself (without pressing). Make sure that it is installed in a centred way and use the two-key method initially to settle it into place…

WARNING: Be very careful not to over-tighten as it is possible (albeit unlikely) to pull the head out of its hoop!

4. Begin to tune

To begin tuning, start from finger tight. You should have wrinkles between the lugs either side of the snare bed. Rather than removing them by tuning the rest of the head really tight, use two keys (one either side) and tension enough to remove wrinkles.

5. Hit it, use your ears

Now, take each lug (except the lugs either side of the snares – more on that later) up by quarter-turns until they are fairly tight and the head starts to produce quite a tinny or toppy sound with a little ring. The head needs to be evenly pitched and, in the case of the snare, we have to be even more fussy than usual.

The pitch you choose is up to you, but in most cases the drum will work at its best if the resonant head is pretty tight, regardless of size. We're talking much tighter than we've had before on other drums, but ultimately always use your ears to determine the point at which you stop.

6. Now the batter head…

Turning to the batter head, seat the head using the same method described for toms and bass but tension the batter head very tight using the two-key method described before and, if possible, leave the drum overnight so that the head really forms to the drum.

Take the batter head back to finger tight and using the two-key method take the tension up in half-turns around two or three times depending on the drum's diameter. Check to make sure the head is evenly tuned across the drum and continue on with smaller turns. The main focus of the batter head is to get the feel right but think about the amount of ring you want (or don't want) from your drum.

7. Tune the top head lower

To get the best all-round sound, it's usually effective to tune the top head a little lower than the snare side. Some drummers aim for a pitch difference of a third or fifth. You can simplify that approach by listening out for a pleasing and obviously harmonious pitch difference. - mute one head while tapping the other and adjust as necessary.

Next page: return to the wires, checklists and playing the drum (finally!)

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