For many drummers, the snare drum is considered one of the most important components in the sets. It is the drum that produces those distinctive sounds that make your accessories kit sound good.
Matching snares are part of a marching band, and it has to come with specific features, especially in terms of weight. There are so many manufactures for these snares, but not every one of them will give you what you need.
Yamaha is one of those companies you can always rely on for the best snare drums. This is a reputable brand with a wide range of products for the modern market.
Therefore, you can trust that any of Yamaha’s matching snare will be a good deal.
In this guide, I will be reviewing some of the most popular Yamaha’s marching snare drums. It is all about getting the best sounds from one of the most admired manufactures.
What is the best marching snare drum?
A matching snare drum is the snare drum used by marching bands. Since they are mostly carried, they come with some specifications that are not common in other snare drums.
Matching bands play their instruments while carrying them and matching around. This is why they are called matching.
And a matching snare drum is part of such a team. When it comes to picking the best matching snare drums, there are certain things you should look for.
Most importantly, these drums must be light but strong.
They have other parts similar to the normal snare. From the heads to the badge, to the shell, they are all the same. Only that snares used for matching come with removable feet. This means they can be placed on the ground when the drummer does not want to carry them.
I have been using the Yamaha SFZ series matching snare drum, and I think it’s one of the best on the market right now. It comes with a distinctive sound, wide dynamic range, and an explosive rim shot that makes it stand out from any other matching snare out there.
How much does a Yamaha marching snare drum weigh?
Any matching snare drum has to be lightweight. Otherwise, it would be very hard for the drummer to carry it around.
However, the question of weight is harder to answer than it seems. This is because a lot of reviews and websites do not give the weight details. They only focus on the sound and other features of the drums, leaving you to guess the size.
This is why I decided to carry out my own investigation with the Yamaha’s marching snare drum. A 14-inch by 12-inch snare drum for this case will weigh 17lbs.
This weight is only for the drums alone, but the real weight can be a bit complex.
To play these drums, you will need to wear hardware and equipment that help you carry and play with ease. These carries can weigh even more than 10lbs. Therefore, you can find the drums a bit weightier than you might have expected.
Yamaha marching snare drum
Yamaha has never disappointed in making the best snare drums, even for matching purposes. There are many options, but my favorite ones are reviewed below.
Yamaha’s marching snare drum parts
Before we look at these drums, it would be best to understand a Yamahas snare drum’s anatomy. Their drums come with the following parts:
• Air vents that allow air to escape from the inside
• A badge where the serial and model numbers are written.
• Batter head, which is the top head that is hit
• Bottom hoop, the bottom rim of the drum
• Butt side strainer where the snares attach to the drum
• Fine-tuning adjustment for setting the snare strainer
• Removable feet
• The shell, typically made of wood,
• Snare head, which is the head on the bottom of the snare.
• The snare strainer, a system that holds all the snare strands in place.
• Snares, the synthetic strands or guts that produce the buzzy sound on the snare drum,
• Sound posts
• Suspension hoop tension rods
• Throw off
• Top hoop
• Tube posts
Yamaha marching bass drum
The Yamaha matching bass drum measures 20-inch by 14-inch and weighs 16.5 lbs. It produces the deep sounds you hear with matching bands, which are most the rhythm and timekeepers.
Yamaha SFZ marching snare
The Yamaha SFZ marching snare drum is well known for its distinctive sound, wide dynamic range, and explosive rim shot. Yamaha has used a high-end structural innovation and approach that allows the use of a high-tension Kevlar drum head on the SFZ (Sforzando) series.
It to years of testing and building to make this drum perfectly fit for the field. Its unique design offers an incredible projection, precise articulation, and durable performance.
The strainer systems allow you to quickly and easily remove the snare assembly for the snare heads’ urgent changing. The use of FiberTech snares allows for the creation of crisp and articulate sounds that ring through with perfection.
Aluminum die-cast construction on the butt-side strainer ensures strength and durability. Instead of a full bodies 14-inch snare, Yamaha has made a 13-inch model that is lighter and achieves a higher fundamental pitch.
SFZ has the thickest wall in the industry, where the suspension ring lets you achieve high-tension tuning without warping.
It is a solid and excellent-sounding matching snare drum that will leave you satisfied.
Pros
• Thickest snare drum wall
• Extra-long lug nut for sufficient threading.
• Easy to adjust and change the heads
Cons
• There are so far no complaints about this snare drum
Yamaha Stage Custom Birch 14×5.5 Snare Drum, Cranberry Red
Yamaha’s Stage Custom, Birch 14×5.5 snare drum is another product that will leave you feeling good about your playing style. It is a snare drum perfect designed for matching bands.
It comes with all-birch shells, which give it the expensive sound needed by every modern drummer. This makes it easy for the drummer to achieve high-end performance without much struggle. Every good sound you can think of is offered in this snare.
It features ten lugs, ensuring more precise tuning. You can tune to the highest without feeling any warping effect from the drums.
The high-gloss lacquer finish is a beautiful idea that gives this snare drum the appearance of a professional product. And the 45-degree bearing edges ensure a smooth performance.
The drum is continued from the success of a highly accepted Yamaha Stage Custom series. Stage Custom Birch is redesigned to feature among the best class drums.
Pros
• All birch shells
• 10 Absolute-style lugs for easy tuning
• Red color finish
Cons
• It is not as good as the higher-end snare drums from Yamaha
Yamaha Recording Custom Snare Drum – 8 Inches X 14 Inches – Classic Walnut
Recording drums can be quite challenging if you don’t get the right tools. Yamaha offers this 14-inch by 8-inch recording drum as the ultimate solution for modern drummers.
The drum is known for delivering a wide range of tuning and dynamic responses. It comes with extra depth and a wide tonal range that creates a fat, powerful classic tone.
The 100% North American birch on the shells ensures great frequencies, cut through, lower mids, nice low punches, and cutting wood features.
It’s made with 6-ply, 6.0mm/30-degree bearing edges. These features give it a sharper response and a clearer snare response.
One-piece lug design delivers optimum sustain of the core sound. With this, you can be sure of a crisp, articulate tone.
Pros
• Sturdy yet lightweight
• Good sounding drum
• Great quality
Cons
• The 30-degree bearing may not be what may drummers are used to.
Yamaha Recording Custom 14×5.5 Brass Snare Drum
The Yamaha Recording Custom 14-inch by 5.5-inch brass snare drum is another matching snare drum you may want to try out. Its design was repeatedly evaluated by Steve Gadd, leading to the creation of a groundbreaking snare.
It comes to the new inclusion of metal snare lineup, which adds it to Yamaha’s finest snares. It is built on experienced drummers’ ideas, which is why it has received a lot of positivity among drummers.
It’s all about consistency, which lets the user utilize every sound functionality of their kit. The snare weighs 12.3 pounds, with a 1.2mm brass shell.
A newly designed one-piece lug ensures smooth tuning and setting of the snare drum. The 20-strand snare strainer ensures perfect sound production.
With a 45-degree bearing edge, this drum performs just like any other high-end snare drum. It is a perfect machine for those who need good sounds from the snares.
Pros
• Designed by Steve Gadd
• One-piece lug
• 20-strand snare strainer
Cons
• Not the best quality of all Yamaha snare drums
Yamaha Recording Custom Snare Drum – 5.5 Inch X 14 Inch – Real Wood
Another Yamaha snare made for recording is this Custom Recording snare drum. This product features the look and response of the market’s most admired recording kit. This matching wood snare has everything good to can expect from a modern snare drum.
It’s constructed with six thin plies of select birch, which ensures a crisp and cutting sound. With 30-degree bearing edges featuring light 1.6mm triple-flanged hoops, this snare drum delivers a dry, focused attack, perfect for the recording situation.
It has a wide tuning range, allowing it to work with many music styles. The Q-snare mechanism ensures smooth adjustments and studio-silent transitions.
The sound feature is crowned by stock Remo USA heads and a 25-strand high-carbon snare wire. This should give you the perfect tone for studio recording.
Pros
• Perfect for studio recording
• All birch
• Quality sounding snare drum
Cons
• Nothing to complain about this snare drum yet.
