Rock is one of the most popular styles of music to play on the drums. Nothing feels better than smashing out some beats to anthem songs with heavy guitar riffs and powerful vocals. Whether you want to play like John Bonham or Chad Smith, you need a good snare drum to help you on your rocking journey.
Since rock music tends to get quite loud, the snare needs to have a lot of power and authority. Luckily, most snare drums do.
Sticking with high-quality expensive snare drums, the Gretsch USA Bell Brass is a massive heavy-hitter. It’s perfectly suited for rock music thanks to the fact that it produces a loud and slapping tone.
Firstly, it weighs a large amount, meaning you’re going to need a very sturdy snare drum stand to keep it safe in place. Once it’s secure, you’re going to have yourself a beautiful snare drum that is warm, full, and focused.
One of the defining features of this snare is the 42-strand snare wire. A large number of wires makes the snare drum incredibly sensitive and responsive. The subtlest of ghost notes will be heard very clearly.
Overall, it’s a powerhouse snare drum with a bell-like sustain. Perfect for drummers who play rock music.
Another interesting cheaper option if you are looking for a Gretsch Snare drum is the Brooklyn snare.
Another incredible addition to the Gretsch Snare Drum Lineup is the Signature Ash Soan.
DW’s Collector’s Series has introduced another stellar product with its 8-inch x 14-inch snare in Satin Black Over Brass. The combination of the drum’s dimensions and the brass material creates a robust and resonant sound profile, a staple for DW.
Visually, the drum doesn’t disappoint. The satin black finish, complemented by the contrasting black nickel hardware, provides a modern and sophisticated aesthetic.
Diving into its sound, I was blown away. Brass, as we know, brings a characteristic brightness, but this drum, with its satin finish, subtly takes the edge off, giving you a sound that’s both punchy and warm, versatile for various musical landscapes but specificaly for the Rock style.
As with most DW snare drums you can expect premium features. The MAG throw-off ensures a seamless snare engagement, while the True-Pitch tuning rods offer precise and consistent tuning. Such features not only enhance the drum’s playability but also its longevity and reliability.
While its price point may be on the higher end, its top-notch build quality, aesthetics, and sound performance make it a valuable addition to any drummer’s kit.
The Supraphonic was the favorite snare drum of John Bonham, one of the most famous rock drummers of all time. If Bonham used it with Zeppelin, you can definitely use it with your rock band.
The tone it produces is cavernous, sounding very big in any environment you put it in. The snare is also extremely versatile, working well in many other styles as well. It’s for this reason that it’s one of the most recorded snare drums in history.
The overtones sound really nice if you tune the snare right. They’re a great change of pace from other snares that have awful overtones no matter how well they’re tuned. This means you don’t need to muffle the snare at all to get a great sound.
The one downside is the stock drumhead that the snare comes with. Replace that and you’ll be good to go!
Tama’s S.L.P. drums are designed to offer drummer more affordable products from Tama that still have several high-tier design qualities. This snare is slightly cheaper than the others, but it holds its own against them.
It’s made of brass and it has a sound that is very warm, loud, and deep. The shell is thick and supported by Tama’s Steel Mighty Hoops. These allow the drum to have a wide open sound that cuts easily through most mixes. This makes the snare a great option for rock music with distorted instruments.
It’s one of the loudest snares on this list, so you don’t need to hit too hard to get a seriously punchy sound. It’s also incredibly heavy! Similar to the Gretsch snare, it also has 42 wires underneath. This makes it responsive to soft dynamics.
The heaviness of the snare drum might be a turn-off for some drummers. Other than that, there isn’t much to complain about.
Pearl’s Matt Halpern Signature Snare stands out in both design and performance. With clear influence from Halpern, it boasts a unique aesthetic that fits seamlessly into any drum set.
The sound is impeccable. I’ve played many snares over the years, but this one strikes a balance between clarity and depth, a nod to Halpern’s dynamic drumming style. It doesn’t pigeonhole itself into a single genre. Whether you’re into jazz, rock, or funk, this snare will surprise you with its adaptability.
Pearl ensures functionality isn’t overlooked. The snare mechanism is straightforward and robust, and the tuning rods deliver consistent sound every session. It’s not just a showpiece; it’s built to last.
It might be on the pricier side, but when I think about the investment in terms of performance, aesthetics, and durability, it’s worth every penny. For any drummer looking to elevate their kit and their sound, this snare is a brilliant choice.
One of the most important aspects of a good rock snare drum is the rimshot sound. If the snare doesn’t have a great rimshot sound, it’s not going to cut it in a heavy rock setting.
So, great snare drums for rock will have rimshot sounds that cut and echo through the room.
Another key aspect is the depth of tone. Great rock snares have deep tones with a lot of weight behind them. You need to be able to feel the force of the snare drum when you play it.
While the answer to this is highly subjective, the snare drum on the above list that has been used by many famous rock drummers over the years is the Ludwig Supraphonic.
With so many rock drummers choosing to use it, it gives the impression that it’s one of the best snare drums for rock.
It’s an incredible sounding snare with a rich history and fantastic build quality.
The quality of sound on a snare drum depends on how well you’ve tuned it and what drum head you’ve equipped it with. Every snare drum on this list sounds extremely good.
However, we personally think the DW Collectors Series Metal snare sounds the best out of all of them. Many drummers love the sound of a DW Collectors Series snare.
The size of the snare you get should depend on what you need it for. If you want a huge sounding snare with a deep growling atmosphere, a 14” snare with an 8” depth would work well. The larger the depth, the deeper the snare will sound.
If you want a tight snare with a high cracking attack, a shallower snare would be better. Most snares are 14”. However, a few are 13” or 12”. Anything smaller than that would be considered as an auxiliary snare drum.
Most of the best snare drums on the market cost between $500 and $1000. Anything that costs below that would be considered as an intermediate snare drum. Custom drum companies make snares that are over $1000. However, those are very personal to the buyer and aren’t sold in large quantities.
Although good snare drums cost a large amount of money, they’re well worth the investment seeing as the snare drum is the drum you hit the most.
When it comes to rock music, drummers often opt for drum skins that offer durability and a punchy, resonant sound. Some of the top choices for rock include:
Selecting the right drum skin is crucial for achieving your desired sound, so it’s worth experimenting with different options to find the perfect fit for your drumming style and kit.
Every snare drum on this list sounds beautiful and is backed by extremely efficient design qualities. They can all be tuned low to sound fat and beefy. They can also all be tuned high to produce a significant amount of crack.
If you pair these snare drums up with some bright cymbals, you’ll have yourself a drum kit ready to take on the biggest rock stages you can think of.
Drum Teacher
Brett Clur has a Drum Performance Diploma from Trinity College London has been playing drums for over 20 years. He is passionate about advanced concepts and uses his years of experience to teach his students about them. While he is a full-time drum teacher, he is also working on growing a YouTube channel where shares his insights. You can see him playing there, or on Instagram where he posts daily videos.
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