A Brief History of Drums

0 Comments | Rating: 0 | |

Have you ever wonder where drums come from? You see them in bands and hear their sound on your MP3 player but not too many people actually think about the history of these musical instruments. When you think about the legends and myths about guitars, this lack of thought to drums is surprising given that they are one of the most important instruments in a band. Perhaps they don't have the same mystique as other musical instruments or because the drum is place at the back of the band.

Drums have been in around for thousands of years. They first appeared in around 6000 BC. They were used not just for musical purposes but also for messaging, religious activities and even magic. Almost every major culture in the world has used drums in one form or another throughout history.

Perhaps one of the strongest influences on drums were the African cultures. They played an essential part in their rituals and religious activities. When the slave trade began, the drums and their influences followed the African across the world.

Japanese soldiers used drums during Middle Ages to motivate soldiers and set the pace when marching. They were also used to make announcements. In Sri Lanka, drums have been used for communication purposes for over 2500 years.

Drums kits originated when people discovered that a drummer could play more than one drum at a time. By the 1930s, most drummers playing sets of drums with additives like cowbells, wooden blocks and chimes. The standard drum set then evolved into consisting of a bass drum with foot pedal, snare, tom toms, hi-hat cymbal and hanging cymbals - the modern drum kit was established.

As Rock and Roll developed in the 1950s, so did the drum kits change to match the new music. As the sound became more complex the drummer started to add more cymbals and tom toms. A further bass drum was added to increase speed of playing. Soon, electric drums can into play, further diversifying the sounds that could be created.

Today, there are a wide range of companies that make drum kits. The most famous are Ludwig, Pearl, Tama and Gretsch. These companies make sets that range in price from cheap drum sets to the extremely expensive for the ultimate professional.

Beginners will typically only need a cheap set of drums. A Pearl or Yamaha drum set would be the best option or they could browse the many used drum sets that are available online. More experienced drummers should go for the more expensive and higher quality drums.