When was the snare drum invented?

500 BC, Drums as signals. Sri Lankan history shows that drums were once used as a form of communication between cities or tribes. The pattern or tone of a drum beat might mean a variety of messages. read more

The snare drum is constructed of two heads—both usually made of plastic—along with a rattle of metal wires on the bottom head called the snares. The wires can also be placed on the top, as in the tarol snare, or both heads as in the case of the Highland snare drum. read more

The snare drum was invented in the 1300s. It is a descendant of the tabor, which was used in Medieval times. Tabors were drums with a single snare that was tied to the drum. read more

In 1898 the percussionist Ulysses Grant Leedy made the first adjustable stands for the snare drum. In about 1914 Robert Danly invented the snare strainer to lift off the snares, making it possible to produce a kind of tom-tom effect on the snare drum. In 1957 the first drum with a synthetic head appeared on the market. read more