Editing Marching percussion (section)

====Snare drums====
{{Main |Snare drum}}
[[Image:17th Tonbridge Scout and Guide Band.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1|A drumline with sling-harness snares]]

Marching [[snare drums]] have high-tension heads made out of [[Kevlar]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Taylor |first= Nancy|author-link= |date=February 12, 2016 |title= Teaching Healthy Musicianship: The Music Educator's Guide to Injury Prevention and Wellness|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Td1_CwAAQBAJ|location= |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |page= |isbn=9780190497576}}</ref> or [[PET film (biaxially oriented)|PET film]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Cook |first= Gary|author-link= |date= 1997|title= Teaching Percussion|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_oAJAQAAMAAJ |location=[[University of Michigan]] |publisher=[[Schirmer Books]] |page= 28|isbn=9780028701912}}</ref> In the past, snares were typically carried with slings. Slings caused the drums to tilt right causing discomfort in the left hand. Due to this discomfort, [[traditional grip]] was created.<ref name="payne">{{cite magazine |last=Payne |first= Jim|date= September 21, 2012|title= MD Education Team Weighs In On: Traditional Grip |url= https://www.moderndrummer.com/2012/09/md-education-team-traditional-grip/ |magazine= [[Modern Drummer]]|location= |publisher= |access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref>

Most modern snare drums have rigid over-the-shoulder harnesses that hold the drum with the playing surface parallel to the ground, which affords the option of performing with matched grip. Even with the option of performing matched grip, most competitive groups opt to use traditional grip. Traditional grip allows for more exciting visuals or tricks which are important in the competitive drumming world.

The center, or head, snare player (a position typically held by the most experienced snare drummer) is usually the ensemble's leader.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.wgi.org/what-does-it-take-to-be-center-snare/| title=What Does It Take To Be Center Snare?| date=2016-02-10| website=WGI| language=en-US| access-date=2019-10-21}}</ref>  When rehearsing or performing, the center snare may "tap off" the ensemble, setting the tempo with a solo rhythm.

Musically, the snare drum section has the most rudimentarily challenging "book", or music. The instrument's role is that of the soprano line, typically carrying the melody or the main rhythm of the ensemble.

Marching snare drums are deeper in size than snares normally used for [[orchestra]]l or [[drum kit]] purposes. This gives the drum the big, full sound necessary for outdoor use. Standard sizes (listed as diameter x depth) are 13x11 and 14x12 inches. Smaller sizes such as 13x9 have become increasingly popular in recent times with the proliferation of indoor drum lines.

The modern "high tension" snare was developed in response to the higher head tensions made possible with the development of Kevlar and other high strength fibers bonded into the drumhead. High tension drums began and were perfected in the pipe band market and later moved into the marching band and drum corps areas. The bottom (or ''resonant'') side of the drum has a tightly tuned head and synthetic gut or metal snare wires, which are often secured to the drum using a strainer to limit their movement and make the sound more [[staccato]]. For outdoor use, a projector or "scoop" - a piece of curved plastic - may be attached to the back of the bottom hoop to help project the sound forward to the audience.

Snare drums used in pipe bands are similar in construction to standard marching snare drums, with two key differences. First, the drum has an additional set of snares, directly under the batter (top) head. Second, the snares under the bottom head are made of coiled steel wires, similar to a drum set (as opposed to the synthetic "gut" snares on a corps-style drum). These differences tend to give the pipe drums a "snappier" snare sound, emphasizing the higher frequencies of the drum. Recently, corps-style drums have been produced with steel wire snares underneath the batter head (while remaining the gut snares under the bottom head). These snares are able to be switched on and off separate from the bottom snares, which allows units to use the second snares as a specific effect or as a permanent modification to the sound of the drum.

The head of the snare drum can also be varied to give the drum a different sound. Depending on the music or style that the drumline plays, different brands and types of heads may be used. For maximum volume and stick articulation, a head made of woven Kevlar fibers is used and usually tuned to very high tension. If the player desires a slightly "softer" feel, then an [[aramid]] fiber head may be used. Additionally, if more overtones and the softest head-feel are desired, the player may want to consider a heavy clear head with a center reinforcement dot. This type of head is rarely used today among competitive drumlines, mostly owing to its lack of outdoor projection in comparison with Kevlar, but nonetheless, it may still be used if a unique [[timbre]] is desired. One of the most famous marching bands utilizing this head is the [[Ohio State University Marching Band]], however, recently, they have switched to the more modern high-tension Aramid-fiber heads.