How to Play Soft Dynamics on Snare Drum
- Nathan Coles
- 9 hours ago
- 4 min read
Beyond Technique: Making Thoughtful Musical Decisions with Shaun Tilburg
As percussionists, we often chase speed and power, honing our chops for dazzling solos and thunderous accents. But what about the other end of the spectrum? The truly soft, delicate, and nuanced moments that breathe life into a musical phrase? Achieving extreme soft dynamics on snare drum isn't just about playing quietly; it's about a refined approach to touch, timing, and musical intention. In this post, we'll dive into the insights of Shaun Tilburg (Black Swamp Artist) to discover how to achieve truly expressive soft playing, moving beyond mere technical execution to make thoughtful musical decisions.
Table of Contents
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Meet Your Instructor
Shaun Tilburg is the Principal Percussionist of the Phoenix Symphony and a dedicated Black Swamp Percussion Artist. With a distinguished career that includes serving as Principal Percussion of the Hong Kong Philharmonic and performing with elite ensembles like the Chicago and Detroit Symphonies, Shaun brings a wealth of orchestral expertise to the podium. An alumnus of Rice University, the University of Houston, and DePaul University, he has studied under masters such as Ted Atkatz and She-e Wu. Beyond the stage, Shaun is an influential educator at Arizona State University and the Lynn Conservatory, and the founder of Pocket Publications, known for his acclaimed snare drum method book, The Regimen.
Gear Tour: The Titanium Advantage
To demonstrate the nuances of extreme soft dynamics on snare drum, Shaun utilizes a Titanium 3.5 x 13" SoundArt Mercury Snare Drum. This specific instrument is a masterclass in selecting gear that supports musical intent, as it is engineered for high-stakes sensitivity. The titanium shell provides a crisp, clean response that isn't overly bright, allowing the performer to play at the threshold of silence without losing articulation. The shallow 3.5" depth offers an immediate "speak," while the titanium metal provides sensitivity without the harsh "ring" of thicker brass or steel shells.
Equipped with a mini SoundArt strainer specifically designed to fit the smaller shell, the drum retains three individual snare controls. This level of customization is vital; you can set one snare unit to be incredibly tight for dry articulation and another slightly looser for depth. This ensures that even the lightest touch engages the wires. When your equipment responds to the lightest "drop" of a stick, you can stop fighting the instrument and focus entirely on the music. Check out our full blog post on how you can dial in your SoundArt snare drum sound.
Rethinking Soft Snare Drum Playing
A common mistake student percussionists make is trying to "micro-manage" the stick when playing quietly. We spend years developing intense finger and wrist control to produce powerful, consistent strokes, but that same level of muscular engagement can actually hinder your performance of extreme soft dynamics on snare drum.
When you over-manipulate the stick at a low volume, you often introduce tension into your grip. This tension makes the stick feel heavy and makes it significantly harder to maintain a consistent sound.
Instead of "muscling" the quiet notes, the goal is to get out of the way of the instrument and let the stick do the work for you.
The Power of the Drop: Timing and Bouncing for Delicate Doubles
Instead of active manipulation, Shaun suggests focusing on the "drop." While "dropping the stick" is sometimes viewed negatively in percussion pedagogy, it is a vital concept for extreme soft dynamics on snare drum.
At a medium or loud dynamic, you are likely engaging your fingers and wrists to drive the second note of a double. At an extremely soft level, you should instead focus on timing the natural bounce of the stick. It becomes less about "chops" and more about the coordination and timing between your limbs. By allowing the stick to fall and rebound naturally, you eliminate the tension that causes "choppy" or unintentionally loud soft playing. Black Swamp Artist, Josh Jones, expands on this concept when demonstrating how the natural rebound of the drum stick can be used to your advantage when producing multi-bounce rolls.
Extreme Soft Dynamics on Snare Drum: Applying the Concept to Musical Passages
Think about the challenging soft grace notes found in the works of Delécluse or Rimsky-Korsakov’s Kijé. When you encounter a three-stroke rough, don't view it as a test of your finger speed.
Instead, view it as a timing exercise. You are simply calculating the space between the initial right hand and the natural "dropped" double in the left hand leading into the downbeat. When you stop trying to force the notes to happen and start timing when they land, the passage becomes much more fluid and consistent.
Student Action Plan: Practical Exercises for Softer Playing
To master extreme soft dynamics on snare drum, Shaun recommends a daily five-minute routine based on feeling half-note pulses.
Step 1: The Foundation
Practice double-stroked eighth note triplets while feeling the half note. Focus entirely on the timing of the bounce rather than the strength of the stroke.
Step 2: Swiss Army Triplet Application
Work on soft Swiss Army Triplets to refine the coordination between a "dropped" flam and the following tap.
Variation A (Right-handed): lR R L (Right flam, Right tap, Left tap)
Variation B (Left-handed): rL L R (Left flam, Left tap, Right tap)
Step 3: The Integration
Cycle through these stickings at the softest possible volume you can comfortably sustain. The goal is for the grace note of the flam to be a whisper-quiet "drop."
Step 4: Speed and Consistency
Gradually increase the tempo as long as you remain relaxed. If you feel tension creeping into your wrists, slow down and return to the "drop" feel.
Reflective Practice: Your Journey to Expressive Dynamics
True control of the snare drum isn't found in how loud you can play, but in how much authority you have over the silence. By shifting your mindset from "manipulating" the stick to "timing" the stick, you open up a new world of expressive possibilities. Next time you approach a soft passage, ask yourself: "Am I trying to force this note, or am I letting the drum speak?"
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