Friends, have you ever wondered what musical instruments were the first to appear on our Earth? Perhaps now thoughts are running through your head: what could it be?
Everything is very simple - these are percussion musical instruments, in other words, drums.
I admit honestly, when I was looking for materials for this article, I discovered a lot of interesting things, one might say I plunged headlong into history =).
Origin of drums and percussion instruments.
So, perhaps, the first prerequisites for the appearance of drums were, surprisingly, we are people! This is how, when our great-great-ancestors lived in caves and fought for life while hunting, they knocked on their chests, throwing out all their emotions - creating a dull sound. But if you think about it, we are modern drummers, we also throw out these same emotions, only by playing the drums. Amazing, isn't it!?
Time passed, and people gradually learned to extract sounds from things at hand, and devices reminiscent of today's drums appeared. It is interesting that the first drums were designed almost the same way as they are now: a hollow body was taken as a basis and membranes were stretched over it on both sides. The membranes were based on the skin of animals and tied together with their own veins, later with ropes, and in our time special metal fastenings are used. 
The first mention of drums.
More recently, in the caves of South America, scientists discovered cave paintings in which people beat their hands on objects resembling drums, and during excavations in Mesopotamia, some of the oldest percussion instruments, made in the form of small cylinders, there are suggestions that these events are more than 6000 years old BC.
In addition, drums found in Moravia, Ancient Egypt and Sumer date back to 5000, 4000, 3000 BC respectively.
Since ancient times, drums have been used not only to create music and accompany various ritual rites, dances and ceremonies, they were also widely used as signaling instruments for transmitting messages during military processions and actions, and even as a warning of danger. The drum was the best tool for such tasks because it is easy to manufacture, it creates a lot of noise and its sound travels well over long distances.
The history of the drum set as a whole.
Looking at a standard drum kit, it is very difficult to understand how it came to be? How did it become such a unified mechanism for producing sounds? As I said, I’m already surprised myself ;D
Therefore, in order to structure information in your head, consider first drum kit not as a whole, but in parts:
Bass drum.
What immediately catches your eye when you look at a drum set? That's right, it's massive" barrel "=) or in other words, the bass drum, in itself it has quite impressive dimensions and a low sound.
For a long time, the bass drum was an element of various orchestral performances, and was used during military operations and marches.
In the 1500s, the bass drum was brought from Turkey to Europe, where it became very popular due to its powerful sound, and later began to be used in various musical events.
Tom-toms and snare drum.
Many people, looking at the tom-toms, can say that these are the most ordinary drums, and this is partly true. Tom-toms appeared in Africa and they were called at that time tom-toms . They were made from hollow tree trunks, which served as the shell of the drum, and animal skins were used as membranes. The sounds made by tom-toms were used to bring their fellow tribesmen into combat readiness or to create a special state of trance during rituals and ceremonies.
But as for the snare drum, it is known that its prototype, which is often called the military drum, or snare drum, was borrowed from the Arabs who lived in Palestine and Spain. Later it became an integral part of military operations.
Hi-hat and other plates.
In the early 1920s, the first prototype of the modern hi-hat appeared, the so-called “ Charlton pedal " - a device that combines a foot pedal on a stand with small plates attached on top. Other names " short boy " or " sock plates ».
However, this invention was very low and the plates were of small diameter, which in itself is very inconvenient, and already in 1927, an improved hi-hat model appeared, popularly called “ tall hats ».
Now the hi-hat stand has become higher, and the hi-hat cymbals are larger, which gave the drummer the opportunity to play with his foot, hands, or combine performance options, which means complete freedom of action =)
Against the backdrop of all this, more and more more people began to get interested in playing percussion instruments. New people and new ideas, as a result, new types of cymbals began to appear, playing on which the drum patterns were well “decorated”, experiments were carried out with different sizes and shapes of cymbals, and later alloys, thereby obtaining more and more new types of sounds produced.
Bass drum pedal.
To this end, drummers and instrument manufacturers began to develop mechanisms to control the bass drum, such as various levers controlled by the hands or feet.
The first bass drum pedal, similar in design to the modern one, was invented by William F. Ludwig in 1909. The invention made it possible to play the kick drum more easily and quickly - there was some freedom of hands to concentrate on the snare drum and other instruments.
You won't believe it! But the very first pedal was invented and patented in 1885 by George R. Olney.
Up to this point, a full performance required a minimum of 3 drummers: one to play the snare drum, another to play the cymbals, and a third to bang the bass drum.
Olney's device consisted of a pedal that was attached to the rim of the bass drum, and a leather strap attached the base of the pedal to a ball-shaped mallet. By pressing the pedal, the strap pulled behind it a beater, which in turn beat the bass drum.
The history of pedals does not end there; already in 1909, William F. Ludwig and his brother Theobald patented a completely new model of bass drum pedal, which changed the drum world forever.
It was the first raised-shaft floor pedal and had unique features such as:
- return beater,
- direct drive system (on modern language- direct drive) pedal plates.
An additional cymbal beater, it was connected to the pedal, but it was possible to change its position to allow the drummer to play only the bass drum. Later, other pedal models appeared, such as Ludwig - Super Speed, New Speed (the use of bearings in the shaft began with them).
Drumsticks.
I'll say a few words about drumsticks. Drumsticks as such did not appear immediately - initially the sound from the drums was extracted by hand. Later they began to use drumsticks wrapped with thick fabric on one side.
Drumsticks as we see them now appeared not so long ago, only in 1963, when Everett “ Vic» Vic Firth, seeing how uncomfortable and large they are, and often different in weight, suggested new standard for sticks, characterized by the fact that the sticks were made equal and identical, both in size and weight, and it is important that each of the sticks in a pair produced a sound of the same tonal color and timbre when struck.
Now the choice of sticks on the market is huge, every drummer can find a suitable pair of sticks for himself =)
History of modern drum kits.
The drum kit in its modern form was not assembled at any particular moment - throughout almost the entire 20th century. drumset "was constantly improved not only by musicians, but also by instrument manufacturers.
Beginning in the 1900s, drummers began experimenting with different placements of the snare drum, bass drum, tom-toms, and cymbals. So, through trial and error, the drummers looked for a position in which they could use as many percussion instruments as possible and at the same time be comfortable to play.
This is how the very first drum kits, similar in configuration to modern ones, appeared; they were known under the name “ trap kits ”, and truly belong to the modern instruments of the membranophone family.
The package consisted of:
- bass drum,
- snare drum on a stand,
- small plate,
- other percussion instruments attached to a bass drum or small table.
All of these instruments, except the bass drum, were played with sticks or brushes. The bass drum was periodically kicked to produce sound, which is why the name " kick drum " Nowadays, the bass drum is struck exclusively with a pedal.
By the way, the term " Trap Case " (these are cases used for transporting stands, pedals, sticks and other percussion instruments and accessories) came to us from the above mentioned " trap kits».
In the mid-1930s, the talented drummer Gene Krupa proposed his own drum arrangement in “ percussion system", using a set of four drums that included tom-toms, and could be tuned on both sides. His brilliant move immediately turned the entire drumming world upside down at that time.
In general, Gene Krupa is just outstanding man, he had his own unique performance style; at his performances he captivated audiences with mind-blowing drum solos. Inspired by these performances, many talented drummers came into the world.
In fact, this person deserves a separate article, which I will write soon, so as not to miss it, subscribe to blog updates and join social groups!
So, by the end of the 1930s, a set of drums already included:
- bass drum,
- snare drum,
- one or more tom-toms,
- cymbals of different sizes, at that time the best-sounding cymbals were considered Zildjian; they were also called “Turkish” cymbals,
- bell from the neck of a cow (cowbell),
- as well as various wooden devices, from which quite diverse and beautiful sounds could also be extracted.
The imagination of drummers of those times did not end there; many added various additions to their drum set, such as vibraphone, bells, gongs, etc.
By the way, in 1932, the development of a certain device code-named Rhythmicon ended - it was the first prototype of modern drum machines, which became popular only in the 1980s.
In the 1940s, the development of drums, amid the outbreak of war, decreased significantly, but, nevertheless, Gretsch mastered the technology of multi-layer lamination of wood and applied it to the production of drum bodies. This technology is not at all outdated and is still used today.
In the post-war period, the drum world stirred up again, and the improvement of all components and devices of the drum set began:
- the racks became stronger,
- hanging equipment has become more convenient,
- the pedals worked faster
- the bass drum has become smaller,
- New types of cymbals appeared, they became larger and sounded much better.
In 1956, Remo Belli and Chick Evans, completely unaware of each other, developed plastic membranes that were much more resistant to moisture and held tuning better, displacing the obsolete leather membranes.
In the 1960s and 1970s, drummers greatly expanded drum sets, creating the rather complex drum sets that are now the absolute norm. In pursuit of speed, some began to use a second bass drum, which later served as the impetus for the creation of " cardan».
Guitars connected to amplifiers produced a very powerful and loud sound, and often it was so that the drummer's playing was barely audible, so in order to amplify the sound of the drums, deeper and more voluminous drums were used.
In addition, developments in the world of electronics prompted the invention of the first electronic drums, which could create sounds inaccessible to traditional drums. This invention became a breakthrough in the world of music. The use of synthesized drum sounds has begun to be used in many musical styles.
In the 1980s, the selection of drums in stores expanded significantly, and prices became quite reasonable, it became very easy to buy a drum set, which gave rise to a new wave of talented drummers and the emergence of completely new musical styles. At this time, drum machines and various samplers began to be widely used.
Today, drummers successfully use modern musical technologies, combining them with traditional models of percussion instruments.
The development and improvement of drum sets does not stop to this day, I believe that the history of drums is not over, which means that together we will continue to supplement this article.
Friends, do you think that it is possible to invent something new in the drum industry in the near future? Write your thoughts and guesses in the comments =)
Drum set(drum kit, drumkit from English. drumkit) - a set of drums, cymbals and other percussion instruments, adapted for convenient play by a drummer. Commonly used in jazz, rock and pop music.
Individual instruments of the installation are played with drumsticks, various brushes and mallets. Pedals are used to play the hi-hat and bass drum, so the drummer plays while sitting on a special chair or stool.
Different genres of music dictate the stylistically appropriate composition of instruments in a drum kit.
Origin of drums and percussion instruments.
So, perhaps, the first prerequisites for the appearance of drums were, surprisingly, we are people! This is how, when our great-great-ancestors lived in caves and fought for life while hunting, they knocked on their chests, throwing out all their emotions - creating a dull sound. But if you think about it, we are modern drummers, we also throw out these same emotions, only by playing the drums. Amazing, isn't it!?
Time passed, and people gradually learned to extract sounds from things at hand, and devices reminiscent of today's drums appeared. It is interesting that the first drums were designed almost the same way as they are now: a hollow body was taken as a basis and membranes were stretched over it on both sides. The membranes were based on the skin of animals and tied together with their own veins, later with ropes, and in our time special metal fastenings are used.
The first mention of drums.
More recently, in the caves of South America, scientists discovered cave paintings in which people beat their hands on objects resembling drums, and during excavations in Mesopotamia, some of the oldest percussion instruments were found, made in the form of small cylinders, there are suggestions that these events are more than 6000 years ago AD.
In addition, drums found in Moravia, Ancient Egypt and Sumer date back to 5000, 4000, 3000 BC respectively.
Since ancient times, drums have been used not only to create music and accompany various ritual rites, dances and ceremonies, they were also widely used as signaling instruments for transmitting messages during military processions and actions, and even as a warning of danger. The drum was the best tool for such tasks because it was easy to make, made a lot of noise, and its sound travels well over long distances.
Compound
Drum set
A standard drum kit includes the following elements:
- Plates:
- Crash - a cymbal with a powerful, hissing sound.
- Ride - a cymbal with a ringing but short sound for accents.
- Hi-hat (hi-hat) - two cymbals mounted on one rod and controlled by a pedal.
- Drums:
- The snare drum is the main instrument of the kit.
- 3 tom-toms: high tom-tom, low tom-tom (middle tom-tom) - both are colloquially called violas, floor tom-tom (or simply tom, floor tom-tom).
- Bass drum (“barrel”, bass drum).
1. Plates | 2. Floor tom-tom | 3. Tom-tom
4. Bass Drum | 5. Snare drum | 6. Hi-hat
The history of the drum set as a whole.
Looking at a standard drum kit, it is very difficult to understand how it came to be? How did it become such a unified mechanism for producing sounds? As I said, I’m already surprised myself ;D
Therefore, in order to structure the information in your head, first consider the drum kit not as a whole, but in parts:
Bass drum.
What immediately catches your eye when you look at a drum set? That's right, it's massive" barrel "=) or in other words, the bass drum, in itself it has quite impressive dimensions and a low sound.
For a long time, the bass drum was an element of various orchestral performances, and was used during military operations and marches.
In the 1500s, the bass drum was brought from Turkey to Europe, where it became very popular due to its powerful sound, and later began to be used in various musical events.
Tom-toms and snare drum.
M Many people, looking at the toms, can say that these are the most ordinary drums, and this is partly true. Tom-toms appeared in Africa and they were called at that time tom-toms . They were made from hollow tree trunks, which served as the shell of the drum, and animal skins were used as membranes. The sounds made by tom-toms were used to bring their fellow tribesmen into combat readiness or to create a special state of trance during rituals and ceremonies.
But as for the snare drum, it is known that its prototype, which is often called the military drum, or snare drum, was borrowed from the Arabs who lived in Palestine and Spain. Later it became an integral part of military operations.
The drum set has changed greatly over time and is constantly changing. Popular musical styles, famous musicians and designers, as well as the development of instrument production technology play a significant role in the development.
IN late XIX century, jazz appears. Around 1890, New Orleans drummers began adapting their drums to suit the stage so that one player could play multiple instruments at once. Early drum kits were known by the short advertising name "trap kit". The bass drum of this set was kicked or used a pedal without a spring that did not return to its original position after being struck, but in 1909 F. Ludwig designed the first bass drum pedal with a spring return.
In 1920, Gretsch began producing drum shells using laminated wood technology. The first shells were three-layer, later this technology was improved: in the early 1940s the company changed the structure and method of connecting the shells, this method is still used today.
In the early twenties, the “snowshoe” or Charleston was popular - a foot pedal consisting of two foot-sized plates with two cymbals attached to them. Around 1925, drummers began using "low boy" or "sock" cymbals. These paired plates were located on a short rod and were also controlled by the foot. In 1927, the first “high boys” or “high hat” appeared, allowing the performer to play it with either a pedal or sticks, or a combination of both methods.
In 1918, the first Ludwig “Jazz-er-up” drum kit went on sale. The kit included a 24'x8' bass drum (with beater and wood block attached), a 12'x3' snare drum, and a hanging cymbal. Drummers began using custom tom-toms, rig racks various instruments. In 1931, Ludwig and Slingerland began producing cast drum fittings. The components of the installation were selected and developed, and the assembly became of higher quality.
In 1935, Gene Krupa, drummer for Benny Goodman's orchestra, first began using a "standard" 4-drum kit manufactured by Slingerland. The playing technique developed, and Gene performed for the first time as a full-fledged soloist of the orchestra.
In 1940-1960, another significant change occurred - jazz and rock drummers added a second bass drum to their kit. Around the same time, another event occurred: Chick Evans and Remo Belli independently invented plastic drum heads to replace leather ones. New heads made it possible to tune the drum more accurately and were not affected by weather or humidity fluctuations.
In 1962-1964, Ringo Starr was part of The Beatles appeared on American television on the Ed Sullivan Show. Beatlemania had begun. Ludwig drum production doubles
The next stage (1970-1980) is associated with the origin and development of hard rock. The musicians began to search for a new sound for the drum kit: they began to use toms without resonant plastic, increase the depth of the drum and add new drums to the kit. The sound became louder, more piercing. Drum recording technology began to develop widely. Drum synthesizers and drum machines appeared, but they could not replace live drummers.
The first double bass drum pedal was released by Drum Workshop in 1983. Now drummers don't have to use two bass drums, but simply install one and play it with two pedals at once.
1990 Pearl and Tama invent the RIMS mounting system, which mounts the tom to the stand without drilling an additional hole in the drum. This avoids unwanted vibrations and unnecessary holes in the housing.
Hi-hat and other plates.
In the early 1920s, the first prototype of the modern hi-hat appeared, the so-called “ Charlton pedal " - a device that combines a foot pedal on a stand with small plates attached on top. Other names " short boy " or " sock plates ».
However, this invention was very low and the plates were of small diameter, which in itself is very inconvenient, and already in 1927, an improved hi-hat model appeared, popularly called “ tall hats ».
Now the hi-hat stand is higher and the hi-hat cymbals are larger, which gives the drummer the opportunity to play with his foot, hands, or combine performance options, which means complete freedom of action.
Against the backdrop of all this, more and more people began to get involved in playing percussion instruments. New people and new ideas, as a result, new types of cymbals began to appear, playing on which the drum patterns were well “decorated”, experiments were carried out with different sizes and shapes of cymbals, and later alloys, thereby obtaining more and more new types of sounds produced.
Bass drum pedal.
To this end, drummers and instrument manufacturers began to develop mechanisms to control the bass drum, such as various levers controlled by the hands or feet.
The first bass drum pedal, similar in design to the modern one, was invented by William F. Ludwig in 1909. The invention made it possible to play the kick drum more easily and quickly - there was some freedom of hands to concentrate on the snare drum and other instruments.
You won't believe it! But the very first pedal was invented and patented in 1885 by George R. Olney.
Up to this point, a full performance required a minimum of 3 drummers: one to play the snare drum, another to play the cymbals, and a third to bang the bass drum.
Olney's device consisted of a pedal that was attached to the rim of the bass drum, and a leather strap attached the base of the pedal to a ball-shaped mallet. By pressing the pedal, the strap pulled behind it a beater, which in turn beat the bass drum.
The history of pedals does not end there; already in 1909, William F. Ludwig and his brother Theobald patented a completely new model of bass drum pedal, which changed the drum world forever.
It was the first raised-shaft floor pedal and had unique features such as:
- return beater,
- direct drive system (in modern language - direct drive) pedal plate.
An additional cymbal beater, it was connected to the pedal, but it was possible to change its position to allow the drummer to play only the bass drum. Later, other pedal models appeared, such as Ludwig - Super Speed, New Speed (the use of bearings in the shaft began with them).
Drumsticks.
A few words about drumsticks. Drumsticks as such did not appear immediately - initially the sound from the drums was extracted by hand. Later they began to use drumsticks wrapped with thick fabric on one side.
Drumsticks as we see them now appeared not so long ago, only in 1963, when Everett “ Vic» Vic Firth, seeing how inconvenient and large they were, and often different in weight, proposed a new standard for sticks, distinguished by the fact that the sticks were made even and identical, both in size and weight, and it is important that each of sticks in a pair produced a sound of the same tonal color and timbre when struck.
Now the choice of sticks on the market is huge, every drummer can find a suitable pair of sticks for himself
Species
Installations are conventionally divided in terms of quality and cost:
- sub-entry- are not intended for use outside the classroom.
- entry level- designed for beginner musicians.
- student- good for practice, used by non-professional drummers.
- semi-pro- quality of concert performances.
- pro- standard for recording studios.
- custom hand built drumsets- Best sound, look, wood, quality, attention to detail. Drum kits assembled specifically for the musician.
According to the sound production mechanism Drum sets are divided into the following types:
Electronic drums Roland V-drums
Drum kit muted for practice
Hydrogen drum machine
Sound production occurs due to air vibration created by the membrane and reinforced by the drum body.
ElectronicInstead of instruments, more compact and silent pads are used. The pad is similar to a cylinder, with a diameter of 6 to 12 inches, with a height of 1 to 3 inches, in which a sensor (or several) is located that “removes” the blow. Signals from the sensors are sent to an electronic module that processes the shock. The module can generate the sound itself or transmit MIDI data to the sequencer. It is convenient to practice on electronic drums at home, since they are silent and you can adjust the sound volume.
Electronic single-module
The implementation scheme is the same as in electronic drums. Only everything is implemented in one small case within 20x10x5 inches.
Acoustic with electronic componentsSound production is the same as in acoustic ones, however, sensors are attached to the membranes that convert the vibration of the membrane into an electrical signal, which can then be processed (recording, amplification, distortion). It is also possible to use electronic installation components in conjunction with an acoustic installation.
TrainingExternally similar to electronic ones. Instead of pads, rubber-coated metal plates or acoustic drums with silent heads and plugs are used. They do not have an electronic module and do not make sounds, since the main purpose is training. Often used at home for activities that do not disturb others. You can also use an electronic one with headphones for training, but the training setup is much cheaper.
DigitalMost often this is a set of MIDI sounds in special programs or software and hardware systems (drum machine). Even someone who doesn’t know how to play drums can pick up a drum part and use it during a performance or for recording. As a rule, all individual drum machines (one program) are of poor quality [source not specified 1798 days] Therefore, there are special VST plugins for programs such as Cubase or FL Studio. At the moment, the most advanced VST plugin is Superior Drummer.
The role of the drum kit in music
The main function of the drummer as part of the rhythm section of a musical group is to create a rhythmic pattern (together with the bass guitar and keyboards). As a rule, drummers use repeatedly repeating figures. The rhythm is based on the alternation of a low bass drum sound and a high, sharp snare drum sound.
In addition to this main function, the drummer embellishes, emphasizes the main accents and changes in the melody. This uses mainly cymbals, especially crash or roll on the snare drum. Some pieces feature drum solos while other instruments fade into the background.
Mickey Dee, Motörhead drummer, said in an interview:
On stage, the energy and the stage show itself are as important as the act of playing the instruments. Playing the drums is only part of the profession of a drummer, for expressiveness you need to be a showman, and I always remember this during performances. The public wants to see a show, not just a group of musicians performing some kind of body movements.
Differences between drum parts in different styles
Jazz different complex designs, small breaks and sections of compositions specially designated for solos.
Drum parts rock more expressive, strong, with large fills and energetic transitions.
For metal Characterized by playing at high speed, using a blast beat, two bass drums or a double pedal.
In styles such as progressive rock and progressive metal, drummers experiment widely with musical size, complicate meter and rhythm.
IN hip hop, rap the rhythm is often programmed using a drum machine or sampled.
IN pop music drums are used very sparingly, at one volume and at the perfect tempo.
Notation (notation in sheet music)
Initially, the drum set was notated in the bass clef. Nowadays, a neutral key of two parallel vertical lines is usually used. On standard stave The drum kit part can be written in different notations. Usually at the beginning of each game there is a description of the location of the instruments and all the symbols encountered. In some cases (quite often - in exercises) the fingering is indicated - the order of alternating hands when striking. Below is the most common version of drum notation.
Drums
Dimensions
Sonor 1007 drum kit with Paiste 101 cymbals
The size of drums is usually expressed as diameter x depth, in inches. For example snare drums are often 14×5.5. Some manufacturers use the reverse order of depth x diameter, including Drum Workshop, Slingerland, Tama Drums, Premier Percussion, Pearl Drums, Pork Pie Percussion, Ludwig-Musser, Sonor, Mapex, and Yamaha Drums.
Standard rock kit sizes are 22" x 18" bass drum, 12" x 9", 13" x 10" overhead toms, 16" x 16" floor tom, and 14" x 5.5" snare drum. Another common combination is “fusion”. It includes a 20" x 16" bass drum, 10" x 8", 12" x 9" mounted toms, a 14" x 14" floor tom and a 14" x 5.5" snare drum. Jazz drum kits often lack a 2nd tom.
Bass drum sizes also differ for various styles. In jazz, small bass drums are used, since the role of this drum in jazz is more of an accent than a heavy beat. And for metal, hard rock, very large bass drums (often several) are used for a heavy, resonant tone.
Plate sizes are also measured in inches.
The smallest cymbals are splash (6-12 inches), the largest are ride (18-24 inches)
The drum is considered an instrument of shamans, because the sound of this instrument is believed to have magical powers. Perhaps the ancient people thought that the vibration that comes from the drum when struck is a message from higher powers. There are many legends and beliefs associated with the drum, for example, the Indians believe that the drum itself is the Universe, and its measured strong beat is the pulse of the heart beating in its center. Indians use the rhythms of powwow drums to symbolize their connections to the Earth. They say: “As long as the beat of the drum is heard, the earth will not die.”
The drum is one of the most ancient musical percussion instruments, the sounds of which are produced using special drumsticks or a beater.
The first cylindrical drums were found during excavations in Mesopotamia, and they date back to the sixth millennium BC. Around the same time, and perhaps earlier, rock paintings in the caves of Peru with images of drums date back. However, ancient tribes and peoples did not use drums as a musical instrument or a children's toy. With their help, tribes performed various religious rituals and passed on important information to each other. And all because the instrument creates a lot of noise and is clearly audible over long distances. The materials from which the drums were made also differed. For example, Native American tribes used pumpkin and wood. The Mayans made the body of the drum from a piece of hollow wood and the membrane from monkey skin. The Incas made a membrane for musical drums from dried llama skin. But they also had other drums, the task of which was to frighten the enemy not with sound, but with their appearance. Typically, such a drum was demonstrated during military campaigns, and its membrane was made from the skin of the leader of the enemy tribe.
There are different sizes of drums, and larger drums may sound quieter than smaller ones. This is because small drums have a higher pitch and are therefore louder to hear. However, larger drums vibrate more air, which gives the drum a deeper sound. Drumsticks appeared much later than the drums themselves. Initially, sound was extracted from the instrument by hand. The first drumsticks were wrapped in cloth, imitating the blows of human hands; they could be different sizes and even weight.
The percussion sticks that are familiar to us appeared relatively recently in 1963, it was then that the stick standard was first proposed. From that moment on, each drumstick began to produce a sound of the same pitch and timbre when struck.
Separately, it is necessary to say about the drum set. The familiar device of a drum set began to be used at the beginning of the 20th century. Before that musical groups, mostly orchestral, used several people for drums. The first drum set was introduced in 1918. It included a kick drum, snare drum, kick pedal, and a hanging cymbal. Interesting fact: The largest drum set consists of 813 instruments. Its construction took the American priest Mark Temperato about 35 years.
The long history of the development of drums is confirmed by the presence of a large variety of them today. And with the advent of electric musical instruments, electronic drum sets were also invented. Then it became possible to combine the sounds of acoustic and electronic drums.
How to play?
– Familiarize yourself with a standard drum kit.
– Learn to hold sticks. There are two main grips for poles: traditional and symmetrical.
- Sit correctly. The back should be flat and vertical, elbows down, parallel to the body. Move as close to the unit as possible, maintaining a comfortable distance for your feet on the pedals.
– Practice! Everything is in your hands!
Toy drums are suitable for children aged 1 year and older. As a rule, they have a belt so that the child can comfortably hold the chopsticks with both hands without being distracted by anything. It develops hearing, sense of rhythm, musical abilities child and memory, and drumsticks allow you to stimulate fine motor skills of the hands and train the child’s coordination of movement.
Nowadays, drums are an integral part musical culture, craftsmen all over the world make them from various shapes and sizes, different timbres and tonalities. More recently, African drums and oriental drums have won the love of young people and these instruments have become widely used to perform modern pop music. Eastern drums attracted listeners with their unusual timbre and wide range of sound production capabilities. Usually the technique of playing such drums is taught by the bearers of the tradition, and in a very interesting way: the student, using only his ear, repeats after the teacher all sorts of complex rhythmic patterns.
These days, many companies around the world produce toy drums for children. Well-known Chinese manufacturers, such as Shantou or Shenzhen Toys, offer their products to customers. On store shelves you can also see toys from the companies “1TOY”, “ABtoys” or “We Play Together”. All toys are different in their own way, so you can easily choose exactly the toy that is ideal for your child.
https://www.toy.ru - official website of the manufacturer 1TOY
https://www.abtoys.ru - official website of the manufacturer ABtoys
Every musician should be at ease with his instrument. Drummers are no exception. To be a professional, of course, you need to know what a drum kit is made of.
Composition and appearance Drum kits have changed and evolved over the course of 120+ years.
Let's see what a classic drum kit looks like today. Its main components are cymbals and drums.
Chief of skeet...
The variety of plates is very large - there are hundreds of types of plates. They differ in diameter, alloy, shape and other parameters. The main classification of plates includes the following types:
- Hi-hat (het). Double plate mounted on one rod. Often the main rhythm is driven precisely with the help of a hat. The hi-hat is mounted on a special stand equipped with a pedal. As a rule, the duration of the hi-hat sound is adjusted with the left foot.
- Crash (crash). A cymbal that gives a powerful, rich sound. Used for both leading line and emphasis.
- Ride. It has a ringing and dry sound. Compared to other cymbals, it usually has less sustain (duration of sound).
- Splash (splash). A small diameter cymbal that produces a rich, sharp sound.
- China Curved plate. It has a loud and harsh sound.
What drums are included in a drum kit?
Drums include:
- Bassdrum (bass drum, “barrel”). To play, a pedal with a beater attached to the drum is used. Gives a powerful, dense sound, which, as a rule, is the basis of the party.
- Snaredrum (snare, snare). One of the main elements that make up a drum kit. It has a ringing, slightly “rattling” sound.
- Tom-tom (tom-tom). These are suspended or floor drums. The sound of tom-toms depends on the size. Generally, the larger the size, the lower the sound of the drum.
What a drum kit consists of is determined by each drummer himself. Contents may vary depending on musical style and playing techniques. The minimum set for a drum kit is a bass drum, a snare drum, and a hi-hat.
Additional drum kit components
Of course, a drum kit consists of more than just cymbals and toms. The equipment is supported by racks and fixtures. In addition, some drummers use additional cowbell and other percussion elements: xylophones, gongs, tambourines etc.
There are also many other interesting elements that are not included in the classic drum kit. Typically this is ethnic instruments– bongos, shakers, tablas and others. Well, perhaps, what a drummer definitely can’t do without is – !
Setting up for success
As you can see, the basic configuration of a drum kit is not that great. Drummers have the opportunity to choose different configuration options. It is possible to purchase a ready-made installation, or a prefabricated version - for example, buying the tools you like from different manufacturers for one set.
Of course, a lot depends on the configuration of your drum kit. The quality of the extracted sound, the possibilities, the variety of sounds. However, no matter what your drum kit consists of, you will not be able to achieve serious success in your business without constant and persistent training. Being a drummer is hard work, and you shouldn't forget about constant growth and development.
What musical instruments do you think were the first to appear on our planet? Right, percussion instruments! At a stretch, even the human chest can be considered the progenitor of drums - ancient people beat it for various reasons, producing a powerful dull sound. But the first real drums appeared at the dawn of mankind - it is known that drums existed in ancient Sumer about 3000 years ago. Drums in those ancient times were used to perform music during ceremonies and rituals (for example, drums American Indians), warning of danger or instructing the army during battles. Rock paintings in Peruvian caves they say that drums were most often used in religious rites and to raise spirits during hostilities.
The structure of the ancient drum is approximately the same as the one we are used to today - a hollow body and membranes stretched over it on both sides. To tune the drum, the membranes were tied together with animal tendons, ropes, and later metal fasteners were used. Some tribes used the skin from the body of a killed enemy as membranes, but fortunately these fun times passed without us, and now we use a variety of plastics made from polymer compounds.
Drumsticks also did not appear immediately - initially the sound from the drum was extracted by hand. Over time, a wide variety of percussion instruments of different peoples and civilizations appeared. How, so to speak, did a modern drum set emerge from all this diversity, so to speak, practically universal for music of different styles and directions?
Looking at a standard kit, you might think that tom-toms are just ordinary drums, but it’s not that simple. Tom-toms appeared in Africa and they were really called tom-toms back then. Hollow tree trunks served as drum shells, and animal skins were used as membranes. African residents used them to put their fellow tribesmen on alert. The sound of drums was also used to create a special state of trance during rituals. It is interesting that it was from ritual music that rhythmic patterns emerged, which became the basis of some modern styles music.
Later the Greeks came to Africa, and, having learned about African drums, were very surprised by the powerful and strong sound of the tom-toms. The Greek warriors took several drums with them, but could not find a use for them. Some time later, the Roman Empire began to fight for new lands, and the Catholics went on a crusade. Approximately 200 BC. e., their troops invaded Greece and North Africa. The more practical and savvy Romans, having learned about African drums, began to use them in military bands.
The bass drum, or as it is now called the bass drum, is the largest, low-sounding drum, which is the basis for all rhythms, one might say the foundation. With its help, rhythm is formed; it is the starting point for the entire orchestra (group), and for all other musicians. Around 1550, the bass drum came to Europe from Turkey, where it was used in military bands. The powerful sound of this instrument captivated many, and it became fashionable to use it in musical works, and thus the drum spread throughout Europe.
In the 20th century, more and more people began to get involved in playing percussion instruments, many began to study African rhythms and perform them. Cymbals began to be used more and more often for playing, their size increased, and the sound changed. Over time, the Chinese toms that were previously used were replaced by Afro-European drums, and hi-hat cymbals increased in size in order to play them with sticks. Thus, the drums gradually acquired a modern appearance.
The drum set in its modern form was not invented at any particular moment - throughout the entire 20th century, the drumset was perfected by both musicians and instrument makers. Around the 1890s, drummers began experimenting with using military band drums on stage. Combining various options With the placement of the snare, kick and toms, drummers tried to find a position where one person could play all the drums at once.
To this end, drummers and instrument manufacturers began to develop mechanisms to control the bass drum, such as various levers controlled by the hands or feet. The first bass drum pedal, similar in design to the modern one, was invented by William F. Ludwig in 1909. The invention made it possible to play the kick drum more easily and quickly - there was some freedom of hands to concentrate on the snare drum and other instruments.
Soon (around the beginning of the 1920s) the prototype of the modern hi-hat appeared on the scene - the Charlton pedal - a foot pedal on a stand with small cymbals mounted on top. And a little later, around 1927, the almost modern hi-hat (“high hat”) design saw the light for the first time - a high stand and larger cymbals allowed drummers to play with both their hands and feet, as well as combine these options.
By the 1930s, drum kits included a bass drum, a snare drum, one or more toms, Zildjian “Turkish” cymbals (better resonating and more musical than Chinese cymbals), a cowbell, and wooden blocks. Of course, many drummers assembled their own kits - using a variety of vibraphones, bells, gongs and many other additions.
Over the ensuing years, drum manufacturers have greatly strengthened and expanded the range of drums to make the drum kit versatile for playing a variety of styles of music. Around the 50s, drummers began to use a second barrel, and soon the first cardan was invented by DW. At the end of the 50s, there was finally, in a sense, a revolution in the drum world - manufacturers Evans and Remo launched the production of membranes from polymer compounds and freed drummers from calf skins, which were so sensitive to weather changes. This is how the drumset we use today was formed.
