If I were to put the batter head from a pipe snare onto a marching band snare, would it still sound like a marching band snare, or since it would be a pipe band batter head, would it cause the marching band snare to sound different? I heard different materials are used in pipe band snare heads than normal marching band snares. I am using the white max.
Kevlar batter heads are used in both. However, pipe band snare drums have wires under the batter (top) head and the reso (bottom) head giving them their unique sound. They do not tape or muffle these wires which encourages "snare" response. Marching Band/Drum Corps have wires or nylon strands only under the reso (bottom) head, and often tape or remove strands to reduce "snare" response.
Dodger Posey Yamaha had a double-strainer system on their SFZ Snares (MTS) where one would be under the batter head. They discontinued it when bringing up the newest generation of SFZ Snares because most people can barely hear a difference in the sound, and if they did, it certainly did not warrant paying a few extra hundred dollars for. Dynasty still offers a double-strainer system, but I’m not sure if it’s popular.
