Image sourced from Reddit 

Are you looking for snare drums but need help determining which one suits you? Then don't worry—you are in the right place!

When choosing a snare drum, there is always a question about which one to choose, as there are two options: piccolo wood snare drums and standard snare drums.

Both of these snare drums have advantages and disadvantages. In this blog post, we will discuss both basic types thoroughly and provide enough guidelines to help you choose the right one for yourself. 

An Overview of the Piccolo Wood Snare Drums

The Piccolo wood snare is a smaller snare drum than the standard size. It is often 3 to 4 inches deep and has a diameter of around 13 to 14 inches.

They are renowned for their characteristic crisp sound production. While the other drums produce a slightly low-pitched sound, they make a high-pitched bright sound, which is ideal for certain music styles.

These snare drums provide this distinctive pop sound, and when you have a musical arrangement, this sound pops out, which gives a fantastic touch to the sound production.

The snare drum has been evolving for a long time, and this piccolo snare drum is also a product of this evolution process. This snare drum is used in playing diverse musical styles. The most common genres in which it is used are rock, fun, and pop.

These snare drums present a distinctive sound that complements these styles of play.

Material and Design 

The Piccolo snare drums are often made with wood. The manufacturers and the customers also opt for poplar wood, which is usually recommended for making the piccolo snare drum.  

Multiple wood piles are used to make the shells of the snare drums. This helps in making a strong and durable snare drum. The piles of wood are compressed with heat and pressure into a cylindrical shape, which is then used as the drum.

Other methods that are used are steam bent or stave shell construction. All these methods mold the piles of wood into the desired snare drum shape.

The snare drum must remain round, and to ensure this, rungs are sometimes installed into the inside surface of the drum.This makes the drum round, reinforces it making it more sturdy and durable in the long term.

Standard Snare Drums

Standard snare drums provide a versatile sound that suits most music genres. They are considered a fundamental part of any drum kit.

As these are widely used, they are widely available in the market, and most users demand this standard snare drum.

The standard snare drum has a diameter of 14 inches and a depth of 5-8 inches. The size and depth are larger than those of the piccolo snare drum.

The standard snare drum provides a balanced sound that is suited for a wide variety of styles, and it has a distinctive crisp buzzing sound that is suited for these styles.

Construction Material & Configurations 

The construction materials used in the making of the standard snare drum are usually steel, brass, copper, and aluminum.All these materials offer unique sound characteristics, which help shape the sound of the snare drums.

The steel snare drum provides bright and pronounced overtones, making it versatile for different styles.

Brass snare drums provide a warmer tone, which is preferred in most styles.

With aluminum snare drums, the sound profile is brighter than steel.

Darker tones are usually produced with copper. Because the tone changes a bit with these different materials, drummers have a bunch of options.  

The standard snare drum's configuration can include shallower or deeper depths depending on the sound you want to project. A slightly shallower drum provides a pitch-sharp sound, while deep drums provide fuller tones.  

Sound Comparison of Piccolo Snare Drums and Standard Snare Drums

Here is a detailed comparison of the piccolo and the snare drum stand on the basis of the different sound factors.

Pitch and Tone

In terms of pitch and tone, the piccolo snare drums produce a high-pitched-sharp tone, whereas the standard snare drums produce a lower pitch and a rich and full tone.

The higher pitch sound the piccolo snare drum produces is due to the drum shells. The drum shells are shallow for the piccolo snare drum, making this high-pitched sound.

The lower pitch sound produced by the standard snare drum is also due to the shell, which is deeper in their case. The tone is richer, and the sound produced is more resonating.     

Volume and Projection

Regarding volume and sound projection, the piccolo snare drum has excellent projection and a higher piercing. The standard snare drum has a higher volume, but its projection is not that piercing.

The piccolo snare drums have a sound that can cut through dense mixers. The sound's volume is also higher, so it covers a larger area. The frequency of the sound, on the other hand, is high, which makes it piercing.

The standard snare drums have low-frequency sounds that are less piercing. This type of sound produced by the snare drum can be easily blended into the overall sound of different equipment.

Sensitivity and Responsiveness

Both drums are sensitive and responsive. The piccolo drum is highly sensitive compared with the standard snare drum.

The piccolo snare drum can respond to even the lightest of touches, making it highly sensitive. These drums can respond quickly to any sort of playing dynamics, so they are very responsive.

The standard snare drum, on the other hand, is also quite responsive, but its shells are deep. The deep shells dampen the light strokers, so they become less sensitive and responsive compared with the piccolo snare drums.  

Dynamic Range

The piccolo snare drum's dynamic range is narrow compared to that of the standard drums.

The piccolo snare drums have higher dynamics, and therefore, they are more suitable where a sharp sound is required.

Standard snare drums offer a broader dynamic range. They can produce very soft to very loud sounds, making them more versatile in various musical styles. 

Application in Music Styles

Both of these snare drums have applications in different music genres. The piccolo snare drum is used most often in jazz and fusion music. It is also used in contemporary orchestral music, where high-pitched sound is desired.

Standard snare drums are used in genres like rock, pop, and country music. Country music requires a deeper, more resonating sound, and this standard snare drum provides this sound, making it ideal for this style.

So overall both of the snare drum stands can provide amazing sound quality. But the choice depends on your preferences in terms of all these above explained factors.By going through them you can find out whether a piccolo snare drum is best suited for you or a standard one.  

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Snare Drum

Here, we have seven factors you must look at while choosing a snare drum. 

Size

The size of the snare drum is important to consider as it impacts the pitch of the sound. The 14-inch standard snare drum is often used, but smaller-diameter snare drums are also available on the market.

All these types differ in size, so the sound production is also different. The depth of the drum evaluates the richness of the sound production. The shallower ones produce a higher pitch, and the deeper ones produce low pitch sound.

Material of Construction

The shell material impacts the drum tone and overall quality. Different materials, like brass, steel, and aluminum, have characteristic sounds.

In terms of the wooden snare drum, different woods create different sounds. The harder wood creates a bright sound, while the softer one produces a dark and pitched sound.

Shell Construction

Shell making is also an important factor to consider when choosing the snare drum. The thickness of the shell plays a key role in sound production.

If the shell is thick, around 12 ply or more, it will create a brighter sound. A deeper and warmer sound is achieved if it is thin and made up of around six or fewer.

Playing with the thickness of the shell highly impacts the sound quality produced. So you must understand what shell thickness you want in your snare drum and how it will impact sound production.

Aesthetic Appeal

The drum's visual appeal is an important factor.A snare drum that looks good will not only catch the listeners' eyes but also make the environment more appealing overall. If an attractive snare drum is placed in the studio, it elevates the mood of everybody present. 

Wood grain patterns mostly enhance the instrument's visual appeal. Sometimes, exciting, different colors are used to make it look attractive. All this is done to make the drum look more presentable.       

Budget

Budget is one of the most critical factors in selecting a snare drum. The budget is not just related to the money you will spend on the drum; it also highly impacts the material size construction of the drum.

Drummers need to consider all these factors and then choose a snare drum with the desired material in their construction, the required size, and overall construction.

Construction materials like brass or wood are expensive, so if you are a drummer who cannot spend that much on a snare drum, you can opt for cheaper options like steel or aluminum.

Overall, it is crucial not to break the bank while buying snare drums. Look for the one with the features you need at a cheaper price.

Playing Style

The drummer's playing style also influences the snare drum's choice. If the player wants to play heavy and driving rhythms, a snare drum with a deeper and fuller sound is needed. The standard snare drum can achieve this.

When a drummer plays the snare drum so that a lot of ghost notes and intricate patterns are used, a snare drum with a quick decay but crisp attack is required. So, to fulfill this requirement, the piccolo snare drum is mostly used.   

Musical Genre

The musical genre is also a key factor to consider when choosing the right snare drum.The sound and role of the snare drum are important for executing the music genre you are looking to play.

Different musical genres require certain types of sounds. Each genre has small details that must be taken care of to execute it properly.

If we look at the rock genre, the music style needs a snare with a bright sound. An aggressive sound can also save the deal.

For jazz and classical music, a subtle sound is required. These preferences are different for different genres.

So, an idea of which music genre you want to play is critical in choosing your snare drum.

In case you want to learn more in order to make the right decision of choosing the appropriate snare drum then here is a quick youtube video answer all your queries

List of Some Top Snare Drums

Here we have four top snare drums.  

Zebra Piccolo Snare Drum

  Image sourced from Geekstands 

The zebra piccolo snare drum has this zebra wood finish, which adds to the visual appearance of the snare drum.

Specifications

• The zebra snare drum has a clear drum head bottom
• The top of the drumhead is white coated.
• The thickness of the shell is 7.5 mm
• The drum is 13 inches in diameter and 3.5 inches deep.
• The weight of the snare drum is 5 pounds.

 

Pros

• The zebra wood finish helps in providing a unique touch to the visual appearance of the snare drum.
• The stand is quite versatile, and it can be used as a primary as well as a secondary snare drum.

Cons 

• The zebra wood might need intensive care to maintain its attractive visual appearance.
• This snare drum produces high-pitched sounds, which might not fit some playing styles.

 

Here is what our client Aisha Goldner has to say about the product

Worth the money if you invewt in it further with different batter heads and throw off switch

Love this snare drum because of its 13 inch size and 3.5 inch shallow depth if you replace the batter drum head with what I recommend the "Evans hybrid" and "Evans 500 " resonant head and snare throw off because it is cheaply made but as far as the shell I think it's great quality wood construction.

Flat Hickory Wood 13” Piccolo Snare Drum 

  Image sourced from Reddit 

The flat hickory wood 13 piccolo snare drum is 13 inches by 3.4-inch snare drum. The snare drum has a flat, hickory wood finish. This helps in giving a classy look to the snare drum. 

Specifications

• The snare drum is made up of a hundred percent poplar wood shell.
• The finishing of the snare drum is made up of flat hickory wood.
• The snare wire is 12 strand 
• The weight of the stand is 5 pounds 
• The hardware finish is chrome 

 

Pros

• The flat hickory wood is used, and it provides a unique and classy look to the snare drum.
• The snare drum offers a wide range of versatility, expanding the options for drummers and empowering them to explore different sounds.
• The stand provides high-quality quality, brighter sounds.  

Cons

• The wood finishing maintenance is a con for some users
• It is not for the ones that want a pitch drum sound.

 

Black Wood Piccolo Snare Drum 

 

 Images sourced from Reddit 

The black wood piccolo snare drum is a black wood PVC-finished snare drum. 

Specifications

• The drum is made up of 100 poplar wood shell material
• The size of the snare drum is 13 by 3.5 inches
• The hardware is chrome-finished
• The snare wire is 12 strand
• The weight of the snare drum is 5 pounds      
• The drum head top is white coated 
• The drum head bottom is not coated with anything.

 

Pros

• The tuning stability is a major pro of this snare drum. Six tuning lugs help in quality sound adjustment.
• The snare drum is highly versatile and can be used as a primary or secondary snare drum. 

Cons

• The snare drum is not ideal for low-pitch sound production
• Not suited for low-pitch playing styles

 

Here is testimonial from our client Lakshmi Murty about the product

piccolo snare drum {griffin}

I thought the qualitu for the price was amazing. though I am not a drummer and was looking for something for a four yr.old. The review on the toy drums for a ten dollar difference didn't make sence to me.So I'm glad I went with this one who knows maybe a drummer will be born.At least I know it will last and they come from a family of musicians   

Oak Wood 13” Piccolo Snare Drum 

 

 Image sourced from Reddit

The oak wood piccolo snare drum has an oak wood finish which is the main highlight of this snare drum.

Specifications

• The snare drum has an oak wood finish.
• The size of the snare drum is 13 inches in diameter and 3.5 inches deep.
• The weight of the drum is 5 pounds
• The lug count is 6
• The hardware has a chrome finishing

 

Pros

• Oakwood helps in appealing to the customer by providing an excellent look to the snare drum
• The sound quality of the snare drum is top-notch

Cons 

• The maintenance might be a concern
• The pitch sound is not suited for playing styles

 

Here is a comparison table for these products 

Product	Best For	Highlighting Feature	Pros	Cons
Zebra 13” Piccolo Snare Drum	Secondary snare with a bright tone	Zebra wood finish, versatile as primary or secondary snare	High-pitched, sensitive sound, brilliant attack, includes a drum key, 6 tuning lugs	Finishing needs care
Flat Hickory Wood 13” Piccolo Snare Drum	Unique, bright attack sounds	Flat hickory wood finish, high pitched	Bright, high-pitched sound, suitable for various music styles, durable construction	May be too bright for some styles
Black Wood Piccolo Snare Drum	Tight, controlled sound	Black wood finish, high sensitivity	High-pitched, bright attack, thinner body for a unique sound, durable	Less versatile limited to high pitch sound
Oak Wood 13” Piccolo Snare Drum	Distinctive, crisp sound	Oak wood finish, high-pitched and crisp	Crisp, distinctive voice, great for both primary and secondary use, 6 tuning lugs	Specific sound may not suit all musical needs

Why Choose Geekstands For Piccolo Snare Drums 

Geekstands are often the first choice, and the reason is the quality craftsmanship, reliable product, and great testimonials.

At Geekstands, we tend to focus on making quality products, and the quality of the craftsman plays a great role in making these amazing products. We have craftsmen with tons of experience who are committed to making the best quality products for the customers.

Their professionalism and experience help us in making reliable and quality products overall.

We have tons of satisfied customers, and they do word-of-mouth marketing for us. This is also one of the main reasons why people choose Geekstands.  

So, in case you are also looking for some quality piccolo snare drums, what are you waiting for? Go grab yours now!