If one part of the drum is loose and another is tight, the drum won’t produce a good tone. When tuning drum heads, you’ll need to adjust this tension evenly across all the tension rods. As you might guess, the tension rods provide tension on the drum heads. One end of the tension rod is threaded the other end has a square head. The tension rods are placed through the hoops and tightened or loosened to achieve the sound that you want. This gives them a louder and brighter tone. Snare drum shells can also be made of metal. Some drums have a natural, stained wood finish, and others have a “wrap,” a colored synthetic material that’s very durable. Each type of wood produces a slightly different tone. Maple, birch, oak, cherry, and mahogany are common woods used for drums. Each drum usually has a top and a bottom hoop, one for each of the drum heads.

Snare drum and kick drum hoops are sometimes made of wood. The drum hoop is a round piece of metal that holds the heads onto the drum.