The snare drums used in a pipe band are unique in having a second set of snares on the bottom (internal) side of the top (batter) head.  The drum can be sounded by hitting it with a drum stick or by using brushes, which produce a softer-sounding vibration from the wires.  When using a stick, the drummer may strike either the head of the drum, the rim, or the shell.  When the drummer strikes both the rim and the head, this is known as a rim shot.  Because of the dramatic, sudden vibration on the shell of the drum, the rim shot is generally louder than other snare drum sounds.  Originally, snare drums were military instruments originating from Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries.

    They were commonly called a tabor and were used with the fife in the Swiss military.  Today, the snare drum can be found in nearly every form of western music.  Snare drums are used by fife and drum corps, marching bands and drum and bugle corps to provide a steady source of rhythm.  The sound of a marching snare is a classic military sound.  The snare drum was incorporated into classical music to provide color, or timbre, for march-like segments of music.  It is used in popular music styles like rock and roll and jazz to provide an accented backbeat. In jazz styles, the snare drum is often used for "comping", or accompanying, supporting, and interacting with another musician's part.  The snare drum (specifically, a caixa) is the driving force in samba music: ghost notes are played continuously with accented strokes outlining the rhythm.  The snare is also used extensively in extreme metal, to provide a "blast beat": a rapid alternation of snare and bass drum beats.