What are the different types of drum heads?
There are two main types of drum heads: natural animal skins or synthetic. Different styles of drum heads in each of these categories provide different characteristics of sound and reflection. So the drummer can choose one type of head for one situation and the other head of the drum for another place.
Natural Animal Skin was a "original" drum head, not only for Snares, but also for other drums. It has been used for centuries in countries around the world. The accurate skin depends on the available or raised animals. This has a huge impact on the sound of the drum, because different skin has different thicknesses. The heads of the skin of the skin snare were standard until the mid -1950s, probably the most common with the heads of the drum in the calf. It is much more difficult to control not only the pitch of the drum, but the feeling of the drum in terms of resistance. Also, some people do not defend the use of animal skins of concerns about animal rights. Some groups trying to provide authentic sound of older guns still regularly use veal leather heads.
In 1956 Chick Evans invented the head of polyester. The idea was that the synthetic head of the drum would be more resistant and stable than traditional animal skins. The following year, Remo Belli and Sam Muchnick have developed a biaxially oriented polyethylene terefthalate head (Bopet), which is launched on the market under brands such as Mylar® and Melinex®. This type of head quickly gained kindness and is one of the two main selections of the synthetic head of the drum.
The second primary option in the synthetic drum head category is Poly-Paraphenylen Tereftalamide, better known as Kevlar®. IKEVLAR® was originally developed for tires in 1964-1965 by Stephanie Kwolek, but the development teams quickly recorded the alternative use of material. The head of the snare drum made of Kevlar® is one of the strongest due to the number of Kevlar® bonds.
When comparing Mylar® and Kevlar®, Mylar® provides more "giving". So there is less taxation on thefist and hands. The disadvantage of Mylar® is that the head of "giving" means that the drum requires more accurate tuning. Kevlar® will rebound to a large extent and last high voltage, which is desirable in some types of drums, such as those in marching files. As a result, it provides very pure articulation, but the head rigidity is less suitable for people who do not have absolute control over their technique.
Looking at different types of drum head, it is important to realize that no type of drum head is necessarily better than another. The drum to choose for Snare is simply a matter of preference of the sound of the drummer and the physical needs of the drummer. Each type of drum head has a suitable musical place.