Snare Drum

The snare drum is an incredibly old instrument, as its roots extend back thousands of years. It has evolved immensely into the current version of a snare drum. Much of the snare drum's change and popularity was caused by its use in the military, which plays an important role in the snare drum's history. Below you will find some of the most significant information about the history of the snare drum.

Drums evolved over the years into more advanced designs. Tribal people discovered that they could use animal hide (usually calf skin) that stretched over the drum, called the drumhead, to create more noise. The first drum related to the snare drum was created in Medieval Europe around 1300. This was called the Tabor. The Tabor was a double-headed drum that only had one snare drum strand across the bottom of the instrument.

In the 1900s, the snare drum entered the trap set, more commonly known as the drum kit. The snare drum began to be used in a large variety of music, including anything from rock and roll to jazz. The modern snare drum is now produced by a huge number of companies, and found in almost every type of music.