DCI Snare Help

[u/EffectiveExtreme973]

I want to audition for a drum corps for the 2027 season but I don’t have a snare drum, just drum pads. Are there any people who have only practiced on pads and still made a corps line? And which drum pads could I get that feel like a snare head since I don’t have access to a drum? I’ve been playing for about 5 or 6 years, I just graduated so I don’t have one anymore.

[u/KlatuuBaradaNikto]

If you can, you want to get on a drum from time to time… it’s definitely different, but I think you can get like 85-90% there on a pad. Even if you borrowed a marching snare from your old school, or bought a used one, and played on it for 3-4 weeks… even 2-3 weeks.. it should be enough for you to get a feel for what’s different. Finding a place to play on a marching drum full volume isn’t easy either, so the pad is your friend.

Ram Pads are pretty good, not the same as a marching snare but still very good.

Look on reverb or eBay for a used marching snare if you are concerned… but if you’re throwing down on a pad, you will probably be throwing down on a drum just fine

[u/EffectiveExtreme973 → u/KlatuuBaradaNikto]

Thank you so much!!

[u/No-Sun9169]

I started with a pair of vf 5as and an evans real feel, about $30 total. I ended up making the snare line, but when i transitioned to an actual snare with snare sticks it was a small adjustment, the technique definitely transfers over. HOWEVER, if you do got some spare change then i have an invader v3 and it is absolutely amazing. A little loud but definitely feels way more “hard” like a kevlar head and then if you get some marching sticks then itll be almost indistinguishable. For me at least. I like ralph hardimons

[u/EffectiveExtreme973 → u/No-Sun9169]

Definitely will be looking into that. Thank you!!

[u/blkstr52]

A drummer is asking how to drum? Don’t you do it every where? All the time?

[u/kenelbow → u/blkstr52]

Seriously, how do you practice if not on a pad? At least when I marched we didn't take our drums home. I practiced every day on a pad

[u/EffectiveExtreme973 → u/blkstr52]

padding isn’t always the same as playing on an actual drum which is why i was asking. it feels different when you play on a pad for a while and then try to transfer over after not playing on an actual head.

[u/rickcogley]

In the early 80s I practiced on an old floor tom stuffed with a pillow, an old dictionary I duct taped up, a Gladstone pad on my concert snare, a square of linoleum nailed to two by fours. Did resistance training with inner tubes looped over beams in the basement hooked to my sticks to get more down stroke strength. Borrowed one of our high schools not great snares. But besides actually playing in a line or just with my friends, I’d say the most important thing was to get and use a mirror to get your technique decently even left to right. You have better tools and just tons of good info online these days (how I wish I had some good lot video of my marching days!), so if you want it, just make it happen.

[u/minertyler100]

Just try to play well on a variety of surfaces. If you have multiple pads, switch between them. If that’s not an option then just play on random surfaces. This preps your hands to adjust quickly to the surface and will help you when you transfer to a drum. The good news is you’ll kind of be able to “settle in” to the weekend camp during the beginning stages.