Steel snare drums are just one of the drum options available to drummers. While these drums have qualities that set them apart from other metal or wood drums, their sound may not be appropriate for every performance. Steel snare drums project better in general, but they are more difficult to blend.
The shell of a steel snare drum is typically thinner than that of a wood snare drum. Because the drum has less mass, it can vibrate more freely when the drummer performs, resulting in a better response.
Furthermore, the surface of a wood snare drum shell is porous nature, with tiny groves and pits created the wood grain. When the drummer plays, the sound becomes more diffused. A steel snare drum’s shell, on the other hand, is very smooth, allowing sound to bounce off the surface with less muffling.
When compared to a wood drum, the lack of mass, combined with the smoothness of the steel, results in a resonant, bright instrument with a long decay. These are the qualities that are sought after in certain musical genres, such as rock. They also allow the steel snare drum to be used in situations where the drummer requires more projection.
Most instruments, including drums, expand and contract slightly in response to temperature changes in the environment. Temperature changes in a wood drum can cause issues such as warping and cracking if there is too little or too much moisture in the environment. At best, this alters the drum’s tone slightly; at worst, it renders the drum unstable and thus unusable. A steel drum does not have this issue, and most steel drums are rust resistant because they are made of stainless steel.
A steel snare drum, on the other hand, can sound very biting, making it difficult for the drummer to blend. A steel drum can be overpowering in situations where a band or other ensemble wants to reduce volume and achieve a soft sound.
Another issue with steel snare drums is that they can produce a lot of overtones, which causes “bleeding.” Bleeding occurs when audio equipment designed for other instruments picks up the drum’s frequencies. Bleeding is a major problem in studio recording because it makes mixing tracks difficult. Many drummers discover that they need to replace their steel drums with wood drums in order to achieve a mellower sound and avoid the bleeding effect.