History of Drums

by Victor Epand

History of drums began with the emergence of human civilization. Drum beating as it is popularly known has been associated with the birth of humankind. Drum and bass (commonly abbreviated to DnB, drum n bass and drum and bass) is a sort of electronic dance music also known as jungle. It is also called a membranophone, means an instrument that makes sound by striking a prolonged membrane with some type of object, typically a curved stick.

Drums consist of a hollowed out piece (called the body), a covering extended over the end of the drum, and tuning keys or pegs which stiffens or loosens the membrane to achieve different tones. It is a common notion that the body of the drum generates the sound; it is in fact the membrane and its vibration that creates the sound when struck.

Following the history of drums, it is presumed origination of drums to be as early as in 6000 BC. Mesopotamian excavations discovered small cylindrical drums dated 3000 BC. Inside caves in Peru several wall markings were found which show the use of drums in various aspects of communal life. The American Indians used gourd and wooden constructed drums for their rituals and ceremonies. Drums are not always used for creating music only. It has also been used for communication purpose.

In African tribal cultures (also in the regional culture), drums bore an important part in the use of rituals and religious ceremonies. The people of different African tribes relied on the use of drums to express themselves and important messaging was done through series of drum beats along the length of the jungle. African drums and drummers provided an addictive and unique sound that deeply influenced Western Rock and Roll music

When it was discovered in the history of drums that one player could play two or more drums at the same time, people started placing groups of drums together for one musician to play. The player not only played drums of similar types but also imported from other cultures and around the globe. The early 1930s discovered a newly found trick. Musicians found out with the proper drum placement and a lot of practice, a single player could handle a set of drums, and an entire group of drum players was not necessary anymore. This leads to the origin of the Drum kit.

Double drumming is an important development in the history of drums. Double drumming is one drummer playing more than one drums. Cymbals and tom toms, invented in China were added to drum kits of the drummer, which was fast to accommodate different set of drums. Cowbells, wooden blocks, and chimes which were the percussion additions were incorporated as well. In the flow of the history of drums, by the 1930s the typical drum kit had taken shape with the various instruments in its armory. The kit consisted of a foot pedal and bass drum, snare, hi hat cymbal, tom toms, and large hanging cymbals.

1960s saw the rise of rock drummers, who began the development of drum kits that are the standard today. More toms and cymbals, as well as the accumulation of another bass drum to boost speed were added. Electronic drums then came into being with the intention of creating sounds that traditional drums were unable to generate. The history of drums thus echoed the variable sounds and rhythms of human development.
History of Drums