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{{Short description|Type of musical instrument of the percussion family}}
{{otheruses}}
{{hatgrp|
]
{{Other uses}}
The '''drum''' is a member of the ] group that can be large, technically classified as a ]. Drums consist of at least one ], called a ] or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with parts of a player's body, or with some sort of implement such as a ], to produce ]. Drums are the world's oldest and most ubiquitous musical instruments, and the basic design has remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years.Most drums are considered "untuned instruments", however many modern musicians are beginning to tune drums to songs; ] has constructed a kit using Diatonic and Chromatically tuned drums, few such as ] are always tuned to a certain pitch. Often, several drums are arranged together to create a ] that can be played by a musician.
}}
{{pp-pc1}}
], at the ], 1863]]
]]]
]]]
] from 3rd to 2nd century BC]]
] drums]]

The '''drum''' is a member of the ] group of ]. In the ] classification system, it is a ].<ref name=grove>{{cite book|title=The New Grove Encyclopædia of Music and Musicians|edition=2nd|first=George|last=Grove|author-link=George Grove|editor=Stanley Sadie|editor-link=Stanley Sadie|date=January 2001|publisher=Grove's Dictionaries of Music|pages=Volume 5, pp638–649|isbn=978-1-56159-239-5|title-link=Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians}}</ref> Drums consist of at least one ], called a ] or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a ], to produce sound. There is usually a resonant head on the underside of the drum. Other techniques have been used to cause drums to make sound, such as the ]. Drums are the world's oldest and most ubiquitous musical instruments, and the basic design has remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years.<ref name=grove/>

Drums may be played individually, with the player using a single drum, and some drums such as the ] are almost always played in this way. Others are normally played in a set of two or more, all played by one player, such as ] and ]. A number of different drums together with ]s form the basic modern ].

==Uses==
Drums are usually played by striking with the hand, a beater attached to a pedal, or with one or two sticks with or without padding. A wide variety of sticks are used, including wooden sticks and sticks with soft beaters of felt on the end. In jazz, some drummers use brushes for a smoother, quieter sound. In many traditional cultures, drums have a symbolic function and are used in religious ceremonies. Drums are often used in ], especially hand drums, because of their tactile nature and easy use by a wide variety of people.<ref>{{Cite news
| last= Weiss
| first= Rick
| title= Music Therapy
| newspaper= The Washington Post
| issue= Jul 5, 1994
| url= https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/72257976.html?dids=72257976:72257976&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=JUL+05%2C+1994&author=Rick+Weiss&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=MUSIC+THERAPY&pqatl=google
| date= July 5, 1994
| access-date= July 6, 2017
| archive-date= February 10, 2013
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130210003117/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/72257976.html?dids=72257976:72257976&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=JUL+05,+1994&author=Rick+Weiss&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=MUSIC+THERAPY&pqatl=google
| url-status= dead
}}</ref> In the 2000s, drums have also been used as a way to engage in aerobic exercise and is called ].<ref name="Loncaric 2022 j598">{{cite web | last=Loncaric | first=Denis | title=What is Cardio Drumming? | website=DRUM! Magazine | date=2022-02-22 | url=https://drummagazine.com/cardio-drumming/ | access-date=2023-07-06}}</ref><ref name="Drumming Review 2019 u851">{{cite web | title=Cardio Drumming: Lose Weight While Playing Drums? | website=Drumming Review | date=2019-04-27 | url=https://drummingreview.com/cardio-drumming/ | access-date=2023-07-06}}</ref>

In ] and ], "drums" usually refers to a ] or a set of drums (with some ], or in the case of harder ] genres, many cymbals), and "]" to the person who plays them.

Drums acquired even divine status in places such as Burundi, where the '']'' was a symbol of the power of the king.


==Construction== ==Construction==
The shell almost invariably has a circular opening over which the drumhead is stretched, but the shape of the remainder of the shell varies widely. In the western musical tradition, the most usual shape is a ], although ], for example, use ]-shaped shells. Other shapes include a frame design (], ]), truncated cones (], ]), ] (]), and joined truncated cones (]),


The shell almost always has a circular opening over which the drumhead is stretched, but the shape of the remainder of the shell varies widely. In the Western musical tradition, the most usual shape is a ], although ], for example, use ]-shaped shells.<ref name=grove/> Other shapes include a frame design (], ]), truncated cones (]s, ]), ] (]), and joined truncated cones (]).
Drums with cylindrical shells can be open at one end (as is the case with ]), or can have two drum heads. Single-headed drums normally consist of a skin or other membrane, called a head, which is stretched over an enclosed space, or over one of the ends of a hollow vessel. Drums with two heads covering both ends of a cylindrical shell often have a small hole somewhat halfway between the two heads; the shell forms a ] chamber for the resulting sound. Exceptions include the African slit drum, made from a hollowed-out tree trunk, and the ], made from a metal barrel. Drums with two heads can also have a set of wires, called snares, held across the bottom head, top head, or both heads, hence the name ].


A drum contains cylindrical shells can be open at one end (as is the case with ]), or can have two drum heads, one head on each end. Single-headed drums typically consist of a skin stretched over an enclosed space, or over one of the ends of a hollow vessel. Drums with two heads covering both ends of a cylindrical shell often have a small hole somewhat halfway between the two heads; the shell forms a ] chamber for the resulting sound. Exceptions include the African ], also known as a log drum as it is made from a hollowed-out tree trunk, and the ], made from a metal barrel. Drums with two heads can also have a set of wires, called snares, held across the bottom head, top head, or both heads, hence the name ].<ref name=grove/> On some drums with two heads, a hole or ] port may be cut or installed onto one head, as with some 2010s era ]s in rock music.
On modern ] and ] drums, the drumhead is affixed to a ] (also called a "rim"), which in turn is held onto the shell by a "counterhoop", which is then held by means of a number of tuning ]s called "tension rods" (also known as lugs) placed regularly around the circumference. The head's tension can be adjusted by loosening or tightening the rods. Many such drums have six to ten tension rods. The sound of a drum depends on several variables, including shape, size and thickness of its shell, materials from which the shell was made, type of drumhead used and tension applied to it, position of the drum, location, and the velocity and angle in which it is struck.


On modern ] and ] drums, the drumhead is placed over the opening of the drum, which in turn is held onto the shell by a "counterhoop" (or "rim"), which is then held by means of a number of tuning screws called "tension rods" that screw into lugs placed evenly around the circumference. The head's tension can be adjusted by loosening or tightening the rods. Many such drums have six to ten tension rods. The sound of a drum depends on many variables—including shape, shell size and thickness, shell materials, counterhoop material, drumhead material, drumhead tension, drum position, location, and striking velocity and angle.<ref name=grove/>
Prior to the invention of tension rods drum skins were attached and tuned by rope systems such as that used on the ] or pegs and ropes such as that used on ].
], ] ]]


Prior to the invention of tension rods, drum skins were attached and tuned by rope systems—as on the ]—or pegs and ropes such as on ].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kirby |first1=Percival |title=The Musical Instruments of the Indigenous People of South Africa |chapter=DRUMS |chapter-url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.18772/12013086055.10 |website=JSTOR |date=2013 |pages=19–63 |publisher=Wits University Press|doi=10.18772/12013086055.10 |jstor=10.18772/12013086055.10 |isbn=978-1-86814-605-5 }}</ref> These methods are rarely used today, though sometimes appear on regimental marching band snare drums.<ref name=grove/> The head of a talking drum, for example, can be temporarily tightened by squeezing the ropes that connect the top and bottom heads. Similarly, the tabla is tuned by hammering a disc held in place around the drum by ropes stretching from the top to bottom head. Orchestral timpani can be quickly tuned to precise pitches by using a foot pedal.
==Sound of a drum==
Several factors determine the sound a drum produces, including the type of shell the drum has, the type of ]s it has, and the tension of the drumheads. Different drum sounds have different uses in music. For example, a ] drummer may want drums that sound crisp, clean, and a little on the soft side, whereas a ] drummer may prefer drums that sound loud and deep. Because these drummers want different sounds, their drums will be constructed differently.


==Sounds==
The drumhead has the most effect on how a drum sounds. Each type of drumhead serves its own musical purpose and has its own unique sound. Thicker drumheads are lower-pitched and can be very loud. Drumheads with a white ] coating on them muffle the ]s of the drumhead slightly, producing a less diverse ]. Drumheads with central silver or black dots tend to muffle the overtones even more. And drumheads with perimeter ]s mostly eliminate overtones (Howie 2005). Some jazz drummers avoid using thick drumheads, preferring double ply drumheads or drumheads with perimeter sound rings. Rock drummers often prefer the thicker or coated drumheads.
]-style drums for sale at the ]]]


The second biggest factor affecting the sound produced by a drum is the tension at which the drumhead is held against the shell of the drum. When the hoop is placed around the drumhead and shell and tightened down with bolts, the tension of the head can be adjusted. When the tension is increased, the ] of the sound is reduced and the ] is increased, making the pitch higher and the volume lower. Several factors determine the sound a drum produces, including the type, shape and construction of the drum shell, the type of drum heads it has, and the tension of these drumheads. Different drum sounds have different uses in music. For example, the modern ]. A ] drummer may want drums that are high pitched, resonant and quiet whereas a ] drummer may prefer drums that are loud, dry and low-pitched.


The drum head has the most effect on how a drum sounds. Each type of drum head serves its own musical purpose and has its own unique sound. Double-ply drumheads dampen high frequency harmonics because they are heavier and they are suited to heavy playing.<ref> - Drumbook.org</ref> Drum heads with a white, textured coating on them muffle the ]s of the drum head slightly, producing a less diverse ]. Drum heads with central silver or black dots tend to muffle the overtones even more, while drum heads with ] sound rings mostly eliminate overtones. Some jazz drummers avoid using thick drum heads, preferring single ply drum heads or drum heads with no muffling. Rock drummers often prefer the thicker or coated drum heads.
The type of shell also affects the sound of a drum. Because the vibrations ] in the shell of the drum, the shell can be used to increase the volume and to manipulate the type of sound produced. The larger the ] of the shell, the lower the pitch of the drum will be. The type of ] is important as well. ] generates a bright, crisp, and clean sound, ] reproduces the frequency of the drumhead as it resonates and has a warm, wholesome sound while ] raises the frequency of low pitches and keeps higher frequencies at about the same speed. When choosing a set of shells, a jazz drummer may want smaller maple shells, while a rock drummer may want larger birch shells. For more information about ] drums or the physics of a drum, visit the external links listed below.


The second biggest factor that affects drum sound is head tension against the shell. When the hoop is placed around the drum head and shell and tightened down with tension rods, the tension of the head can be adjusted. When the tension is increased, the ] of the sound is reduced and the ] is increased, making the pitch higher and the volume lower.
==Uses==
Drums are usually played by the hands, or by one or two sticks. In many traditional cultures drums have a symbolic function and are often used in religious ceremonies. Drums are often used in ], especially hand drums, because of their tactile nature and easy use by a wide variety of people.<ref>{{Citation
| last=Weiss
| first=Rick
| year= 1994
| title= Music Therapy
| periodical= The Washington Post
| issue= Jul 5,1994
| url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/72257976.html?dids=72257976:72257976&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=JUL+05%2C+1994&author=Rick+Weiss&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=MUSIC+THERAPY&pqatl=google
}}</ref>


The type of shell also affects the sound of a drum. Because the vibrations resonate in the shell of the drum, the shell can be used to increase the volume and to manipulate the type of sound produced. The larger the diameter of the shell, the lower the pitch. The larger the depth of the drum, the louder the volume. Shell thickness also determines the volume of drums. Thicker shells produce louder drums. ] raises the frequency of low pitches and keeps higher frequencies at about the same speed. When choosing a set of shells, a jazz drummer may want smaller maple shells, while a rock drummer may want larger birch shells.
Within the realm of ] and ], "drums" usually refers to a ] or a set of drums, and "]" to the actual band member or person who plays them.


==History== ==History==
] ceramic vessel depicting a drummer. ] Collection. Lima-Peru]]
] percussionist playing a drum for a dancing woman, from a 12th century remake of ]'s 10th century original, ].]]
In the past drums have been used not only for their musical qualities, but also as a means of ], especially through signals. The ]s of Africa can imitate the inflections and pitch variations of a spoken language and are used for ] over great distances. Throughout ] drums have been used for communication between the state and the community, and Sri Lankan drums have a history stretching back over 2500 years. Japanese troops used ] drums to motivate troops, to help set a marching pace, and to call out orders or announcements. Fife-and-drum corps of ] mercenary foot soldiers also used drums. They used an early version of the ] carried over the player's right shoulder, suspended by a strap (typically played with one hand using ]). It is to this instrument that English word "drum" was first used. The oldest known drums are from 6000 BC.


] have been found in ] located in China, dating to a period of 5500–2350 BC. In literary records, drums manifested shamanistic characteristics and were often used in ritual ceremonies.<ref>Liu, Li (2007). ''The Chinese Neolithic: Trajectories to Early States''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN|0-521-01064-0}}, p. 123</ref>
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
*Howie. 2005. Tuning. Available from: <http://www.drummingweb.com/tuning.htm#Heads> via the worldwide web. Accessed 2005 Apr 22.
*Johnson. 1999. Drum Woods. Available from: <http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/id14.html> via the worldwide web. Accessed 2005 Apr 22.


The bronze ] was fabricated by the ] ] of northern Vietnam. They include the ornate ].
==See also==

]-style drums for sale at the ].]]
===Animal drumming===
{{commonscat|Drums}}
]s drum objects in a rhythmic way to show ] and this has been shown to be processed in a similar way in their brains to vocalizations, suggesting an evolutionary origin to drumming as part of social communication.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Remedios | first1 = R | last2 = Logothetis | first2 = NK | last3 = Kayser | first3 = C | title = Monkey drumming reveals common networks for perceiving vocal and nonvocal communication sounds | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 106 | issue = 42 | pages = 18010–5 | year = 2009 | pmid = 19805199 | pmc = 2755465 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.0909756106 | bibcode = 2009PNAS..10618010R | doi-access = free }}</ref> Other ]s including ]s make drumming sounds by chest beating or hand clapping,<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Clark Arcadi | first1 = A | last2 = Robert | first2 = D | last3 = Mugurusi | first3 = F | title = A comparison of buttress drumming by male chimpanzees from two populations | journal = Primates; Journal of Primatology | volume = 45 | issue = 2 | pages = 135–9 | year = 2004 | pmid = 14735390 | doi = 10.1007/s10329-003-0070-8 | s2cid = 8141024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1007/s10329-009-0130-9 | last1 = Kalan | first1 = AK | last2 = Rainey | first2 = HJ. | year = 2009 | title = Hand-clapping as a communicative gesture by wild female swamp gorillas | journal = Primates | volume = 50 | issue = 3| pages = 273–5 | pmid = 19221858 | s2cid = 24427744 }}</ref> and rodents such as ]s also make similar sounds using their paws on the ground.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Randall | first1 = JA. | year = 2001 | title = Evolution and Function of Drumming as Communication in Mammals | journal = American Zoologist | volume = 41 | issue = 5 | pages = 1143–1156 | doi = 10.1668/0003-1569(2001)0412.0.CO;2 | citeseerx = 10.1.1.577.2992 | s2cid = 198156546 }}</ref>
* ]

* ]
===Talking drums===
* ]
{{main|Talking drum}}
* ]
Drums are used not only for their musical qualities, but also as a means of ] over great distances. The talking drums of Africa are used to imitate the tone patterns of spoken language. Throughout ] drums have been used for communication between the state and the community, and Sri Lankan drums have a history stretching back over 2500 years.
* ]

* ]
===Drums in art===
* ]
]]]
* ]
Drumming may be a purposeful expression of emotion for entertainment, spiritualism and communication. Many cultures practice drumming as a spiritual or religious passage and interpret drummed rhythm similarly to spoken language or prayer. Drumming has developed over millennia to be a powerful art form. Drumming is commonly viewed as the root of music and is sometimes performed as a kinesthetic dance. As a discipline, drumming concentrates on training the body to punctuate, convey and interpret musical rhythmic intention to an audience and to the performer.
* ]

* ]
===Military uses===
* ]
{{Further|Military drums}}
* ]
{{listen
* ]
|filename=Drum - Cadence A.ogg
* ]
|title=Drum - Cadence A
* ]
|filename2=Drum - Cadence B.ogg
* ]
|title2=Drum - Cadence B
* ]
|filename3=Drums - Four Flams.ogg
|title3=Drum - Four Flams
|description3=] ] performed by the ]
}}
Chinese troops used ] drums to motivate troops, to help set a marching pace, and to call out orders or announcements. For example, during a war between Qi and Lu in 684 BC, the effect of drum on soldiers' morale is employed to change the result of a major battle. Fife-and-drum corps of Swiss mercenary foot soldiers also used drums. They used an early version of the snare drum carried over the player's right shoulder, suspended by a strap (typically played with one hand using ]). It is to this instrument that the English word "drum" was first used. Similarly, during the ] rope-tension drums would be carried by junior officers as a means to relay commands from senior officers over the noise of battle. These were also hung over the shoulder of the drummer and typically played with two drum sticks. Different ]s and companies would have distinctive and unique ]s only they recognized. In the mid-19th century, the Scottish military started incorporating ]s into their Highland regiments.<ref>{{cite web|last=Chatto |first=Allan |year=1996 |url=http://www.cadre-online.ca/drumhistory.html |title=Brief History of Drumming |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315214859/http://www.cadre-online.ca/drumhistory.html |archive-date=March 15, 2010 |url-status=dead |website=cadre-online.ca}}</ref>

During pre-Columbian warfare, Aztec nations were known to have used drums to send signals to the battling warriors. The Nahuatl word for drum is roughly translated as ''huehuetl''.<ref>Aguilar-Moreno, Manuel. (2006). </ref>

The ], one of the oldest religious scriptures in the world, contains several references to the use of the ''Dundhubi'' (war drum). Arya tribes charged into battle to the beating of the war drum and chanting of a hymn that appears in Book VI of the Rig Veda and also the Atharva Veda.<ref name="Blades 1992 p. 134">{{cite book | last=Blades | first=J. | title=Percussion Instruments and Their History | publisher=Bold Strummer | year=1992 | isbn=978-0-933224-61-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a8V3Z6j2ExEC&pg=PA134 | access-date=20 May 2023 | page=134}}</ref> The dundhuhi was considered sacred and to capture one in battle would signal defeat of the enemy.<ref name="Halid 2022 p. 26">{{cite book | last=Halid | first=R.I.B.R. | title=The Malay Nobat: A History of Power, Acculturation, and Sovereignty | publisher=Lexington Books | series=The Lexington Series in Historical Ethnomusicology: Deep Soundings | year=2022 | isbn=978-1-6669-0089-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3Ah0EAAAQBAJ&pg=PA26 | access-date=20 May 2023 | page=26}}</ref>


==Types of drum== ==Types==
]'s 10th-century originals, ].]]
] (later Emperor ]) with a toy drum, c. 1830]]
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* ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]s
* ] * ]
* ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ] * ]
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* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ] * ]
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* ] * ]
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* ] * ]
* ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ] (Marching snare drum)
* ]
* ]
* ] (marching snare drum)
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] (steel drum) * ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ] (Tasha drum)
* ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
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{{div col end}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Music}}
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* ]
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* ]
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{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}


==External links== ==External links==
{{Spoken Misplaced Pages|Drum.ogg|2005-04-13}} {{Spoken Misplaced Pages|Drum.ogg|date=2005-04-13}}
*{{Wikibooks-inline|Learn to Play Drums}}
* &mdash; one of the internet's largest drum information portals, with drum lessons, drumtabs, drum tips, and more.
*{{Wikiquote-inline}}
* &mdash; 120+ original free streaming video drum lessons.
*{{Commons category-inline|Drums}}
* &mdash; encyclopaedic drum information since 1998 - all drum types
*{{Wiktionary inline}}
* &mdash; resources on drummers from 1900 to the present.
*{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Drum |volume=8 |short=x}}
* &mdash; drumming news, drum tab search and a directory of drum resources.
*
* &mdash; a large collection of online drum clinics as well as drum videos.
* &mdash; drum notation for various drumming styles.
* &mdash; articles and lessons
* &mdash; Downloadable Video Drum Lessons
* and resources for drummers
*


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Latest revision as of 18:52, 22 December 2024

Type of musical instrument of the percussion family For other uses, see Drum (disambiguation).

Drum of Company B, 40th New York Infantry Regiment, at the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863
Talking drum
A drum kit
A Đông Sơn drum from 3rd to 2nd century BC
A pair of conga drums

The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a percussion mallet, to produce sound. There is usually a resonant head on the underside of the drum. Other techniques have been used to cause drums to make sound, such as the thumb roll. Drums are the world's oldest and most ubiquitous musical instruments, and the basic design has remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years.

Drums may be played individually, with the player using a single drum, and some drums such as the djembe are almost always played in this way. Others are normally played in a set of two or more, all played by one player, such as bongo drums and timpani. A number of different drums together with cymbals form the basic modern drum kit.

Uses

Drums are usually played by striking with the hand, a beater attached to a pedal, or with one or two sticks with or without padding. A wide variety of sticks are used, including wooden sticks and sticks with soft beaters of felt on the end. In jazz, some drummers use brushes for a smoother, quieter sound. In many traditional cultures, drums have a symbolic function and are used in religious ceremonies. Drums are often used in music therapy, especially hand drums, because of their tactile nature and easy use by a wide variety of people. In the 2000s, drums have also been used as a way to engage in aerobic exercise and is called cardio drumming.

In popular music and jazz, "drums" usually refers to a drum kit or a set of drums (with some cymbals, or in the case of harder rock music genres, many cymbals), and "drummer" to the person who plays them.

Drums acquired even divine status in places such as Burundi, where the karyenda was a symbol of the power of the king.

Construction

The shell almost always has a circular opening over which the drumhead is stretched, but the shape of the remainder of the shell varies widely. In the Western musical tradition, the most usual shape is a cylinder, although timpani, for example, use bowl-shaped shells. Other shapes include a frame design (tar, Bodhrán), truncated cones (bongo drums, Ashiko), goblet shaped (djembe), and joined truncated cones (talking drum).

A drum contains cylindrical shells can be open at one end (as is the case with timbales), or can have two drum heads, one head on each end. Single-headed drums typically consist of a skin stretched over an enclosed space, or over one of the ends of a hollow vessel. Drums with two heads covering both ends of a cylindrical shell often have a small hole somewhat halfway between the two heads; the shell forms a resonating chamber for the resulting sound. Exceptions include the African slit drum, also known as a log drum as it is made from a hollowed-out tree trunk, and the Caribbean steel drum, made from a metal barrel. Drums with two heads can also have a set of wires, called snares, held across the bottom head, top head, or both heads, hence the name snare drum. On some drums with two heads, a hole or bass reflex port may be cut or installed onto one head, as with some 2010s era bass drums in rock music.

On modern band and orchestral drums, the drumhead is placed over the opening of the drum, which in turn is held onto the shell by a "counterhoop" (or "rim"), which is then held by means of a number of tuning screws called "tension rods" that screw into lugs placed evenly around the circumference. The head's tension can be adjusted by loosening or tightening the rods. Many such drums have six to ten tension rods. The sound of a drum depends on many variables—including shape, shell size and thickness, shell materials, counterhoop material, drumhead material, drumhead tension, drum position, location, and striking velocity and angle.

Prior to the invention of tension rods, drum skins were attached and tuned by rope systems—as on the Djembe—or pegs and ropes such as on Ewe drums. These methods are rarely used today, though sometimes appear on regimental marching band snare drums. The head of a talking drum, for example, can be temporarily tightened by squeezing the ropes that connect the top and bottom heads. Similarly, the tabla is tuned by hammering a disc held in place around the drum by ropes stretching from the top to bottom head. Orchestral timpani can be quickly tuned to precise pitches by using a foot pedal.

Sounds

Several American Indian-style drums for sale at the National Museum of the American Indian

Several factors determine the sound a drum produces, including the type, shape and construction of the drum shell, the type of drum heads it has, and the tension of these drumheads. Different drum sounds have different uses in music. For example, the modern Tom-tom drum. A jazz drummer may want drums that are high pitched, resonant and quiet whereas a rock drummer may prefer drums that are loud, dry and low-pitched.

The drum head has the most effect on how a drum sounds. Each type of drum head serves its own musical purpose and has its own unique sound. Double-ply drumheads dampen high frequency harmonics because they are heavier and they are suited to heavy playing. Drum heads with a white, textured coating on them muffle the overtones of the drum head slightly, producing a less diverse pitch. Drum heads with central silver or black dots tend to muffle the overtones even more, while drum heads with perimeter sound rings mostly eliminate overtones. Some jazz drummers avoid using thick drum heads, preferring single ply drum heads or drum heads with no muffling. Rock drummers often prefer the thicker or coated drum heads.

The second biggest factor that affects drum sound is head tension against the shell. When the hoop is placed around the drum head and shell and tightened down with tension rods, the tension of the head can be adjusted. When the tension is increased, the amplitude of the sound is reduced and the frequency is increased, making the pitch higher and the volume lower.

The type of shell also affects the sound of a drum. Because the vibrations resonate in the shell of the drum, the shell can be used to increase the volume and to manipulate the type of sound produced. The larger the diameter of the shell, the lower the pitch. The larger the depth of the drum, the louder the volume. Shell thickness also determines the volume of drums. Thicker shells produce louder drums. Mahogany raises the frequency of low pitches and keeps higher frequencies at about the same speed. When choosing a set of shells, a jazz drummer may want smaller maple shells, while a rock drummer may want larger birch shells.

History

Moche ceramic vessel depicting a drummer. Larco Museum Collection. Lima-Peru

Drums made with alligator skins have been found in Neolithic cultures located in China, dating to a period of 5500–2350 BC. In literary records, drums manifested shamanistic characteristics and were often used in ritual ceremonies.

The bronze Dong Son drum was fabricated by the Bronze Age Dong Son culture of northern Vietnam. They include the ornate Ngoc Lu drum.

Animal drumming

Macaque monkeys drum objects in a rhythmic way to show social dominance and this has been shown to be processed in a similar way in their brains to vocalizations, suggesting an evolutionary origin to drumming as part of social communication. Other primates including gorillas make drumming sounds by chest beating or hand clapping, and rodents such as kangaroo rats also make similar sounds using their paws on the ground.

Talking drums

Main article: Talking drum

Drums are used not only for their musical qualities, but also as a means of communication over great distances. The talking drums of Africa are used to imitate the tone patterns of spoken language. Throughout Sri Lankan history drums have been used for communication between the state and the community, and Sri Lankan drums have a history stretching back over 2500 years.

Drums in art

A well-used African drum

Drumming may be a purposeful expression of emotion for entertainment, spiritualism and communication. Many cultures practice drumming as a spiritual or religious passage and interpret drummed rhythm similarly to spoken language or prayer. Drumming has developed over millennia to be a powerful art form. Drumming is commonly viewed as the root of music and is sometimes performed as a kinesthetic dance. As a discipline, drumming concentrates on training the body to punctuate, convey and interpret musical rhythmic intention to an audience and to the performer.

Military uses

Further information: Military drums
Drum - Cadence A
Drum - Cadence B
Drum - Four Flams Snare drum cadences performed by the United States Navy Band
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Chinese troops used tàigǔ drums to motivate troops, to help set a marching pace, and to call out orders or announcements. For example, during a war between Qi and Lu in 684 BC, the effect of drum on soldiers' morale is employed to change the result of a major battle. Fife-and-drum corps of Swiss mercenary foot soldiers also used drums. They used an early version of the snare drum carried over the player's right shoulder, suspended by a strap (typically played with one hand using traditional grip). It is to this instrument that the English word "drum" was first used. Similarly, during the English Civil War rope-tension drums would be carried by junior officers as a means to relay commands from senior officers over the noise of battle. These were also hung over the shoulder of the drummer and typically played with two drum sticks. Different regiments and companies would have distinctive and unique drum beats only they recognized. In the mid-19th century, the Scottish military started incorporating pipe bands into their Highland regiments.

During pre-Columbian warfare, Aztec nations were known to have used drums to send signals to the battling warriors. The Nahuatl word for drum is roughly translated as huehuetl.

The Rig Veda, one of the oldest religious scriptures in the world, contains several references to the use of the Dundhubi (war drum). Arya tribes charged into battle to the beating of the war drum and chanting of a hymn that appears in Book VI of the Rig Veda and also the Atharva Veda. The dundhuhi was considered sacred and to capture one in battle would signal defeat of the enemy.

Types

Handscroll detail of a Chinese percussionist playing a drum for a dancing woman, from a 12th-century remake of Gu Hongzhong's 10th-century originals, Song dynasty.
Pedro de Alcântara, Prince Imperial (later Emperor Pedro II of Brazil) with a toy drum, c. 1830

See also

References

  1. ^ Grove, George (January 2001). Stanley Sadie (ed.). The New Grove Encyclopædia of Music and Musicians (2nd ed.). Grove's Dictionaries of Music. pp. Volume 5, pp638–649. ISBN 978-1-56159-239-5.
  2. Weiss, Rick (July 5, 1994). "Music Therapy". The Washington Post. No. Jul 5, 1994. Archived from the original on February 10, 2013. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  3. Loncaric, Denis (2022-02-22). "What is Cardio Drumming?". DRUM! Magazine. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  4. "Cardio Drumming: Lose Weight While Playing Drums?". Drumming Review. 2019-04-27. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  5. Kirby, Percival (2013). "DRUMS". The Musical Instruments of the Indigenous People of South Africa. Wits University Press. pp. 19–63. doi:10.18772/12013086055.10. ISBN 978-1-86814-605-5. JSTOR 10.18772/12013086055.10. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  6. Drum Lessons - Drumbook.org
  7. Liu, Li (2007). The Chinese Neolithic: Trajectories to Early States. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-01064-0, p. 123
  8. Remedios, R; Logothetis, NK; Kayser, C (2009). "Monkey drumming reveals common networks for perceiving vocal and nonvocal communication sounds". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 106 (42): 18010–5. Bibcode:2009PNAS..10618010R. doi:10.1073/pnas.0909756106. PMC 2755465. PMID 19805199.
  9. Clark Arcadi, A; Robert, D; Mugurusi, F (2004). "A comparison of buttress drumming by male chimpanzees from two populations". Primates; Journal of Primatology. 45 (2): 135–9. doi:10.1007/s10329-003-0070-8. PMID 14735390. S2CID 8141024.
  10. Kalan, AK; Rainey, HJ. (2009). "Hand-clapping as a communicative gesture by wild female swamp gorillas". Primates. 50 (3): 273–5. doi:10.1007/s10329-009-0130-9. PMID 19221858. S2CID 24427744.
  11. Randall, JA. (2001). "Evolution and Function of Drumming as Communication in Mammals". American Zoologist. 41 (5): 1143–1156. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.577.2992. doi:10.1668/0003-1569(2001)041[1143:EAFODA]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 198156546.
  12. Chatto, Allan (1996). "Brief History of Drumming". cadre-online.ca. Archived from the original on March 15, 2010.
  13. Aguilar-Moreno, Manuel. (2006).
  14. Blades, J. (1992). Percussion Instruments and Their History. Bold Strummer. p. 134. ISBN 978-0-933224-61-2. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  15. Halid, R.I.B.R. (2022). The Malay Nobat: A History of Power, Acculturation, and Sovereignty. The Lexington Series in Historical Ethnomusicology: Deep Soundings. Lexington Books. p. 26. ISBN 978-1-6669-0089-7. Retrieved 20 May 2023.

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