Sound FX

Snare Drum FX 13

″Though it′s hard to admit it′s trueI′ve come to depend on you.You, and your angelic shout,Loud enough for two.″

— ″THAT IS WHY,″ BELLYBUTTON, JELLYFISH (CHARISMA RECORDS, 1990)

The role of the snare drum in popular recorded music cannot be overstated. It′s backbeat drives the vast majority of all pop and rock tunes in western music. That energetic pulse on beats two and four is essential.

There is no such thing as a correct snare sound. The broad range of tone elements within this instrument offer the engineer great freedom in tailoring the sound. Evaluating a snare sound is not unlike criticizing modern, abstract art. Individual viewers have an instinctive, internal reaction to the art. Two people looking at the same abstract ...