Drums


Researched by Garrhett P.
2007-08

Project Report

Research Introduction

Did you know that drums were first created in the Stone Age? Some early versions of drums stood over 7 feet tall. Some cave men even made drums just by putting cloth over a hollow log tying it down and hitting it with their hands.
 
History

Did you know that one of the first drums to ever be made were the kettledrums.  A long time ago people used to use drums in court for ceremonial reasons and some people used to dance to the beating of a drum for ceremonial reasons too. Drums were also used in different wars.  In the 13th century, the Middle East sent drummers to come and associate with trumpeters.  In 1565, the first known use of the kettledrum in an orchestra happened in France. In 1700, the first symphony to use a kettledrum for the first time.  In 1775, the first known concert to use a kettledrum took place.
 
Materials

Drums can be made up of practically anything that is hollow and has something like leather tied over it.  Drums fall into these categories, synthetic, barrel, congo, goblet and bowl.  Drums are made out of hollow logs, clay, metal, or they can also be molded out of clay, after that they are covered with skin from goats, cows, antelope or sometimes even synthetic material. The material is tied down with rope or string. The next step is to tighten the strings or sometimes with newer models tighten the bolts to make the drum have different sounds and put more emphasis in the music. After the drum is made you can tell what kind of drum this is by the size of the drum and by the shape.
 
Cymbals

There are three different cymbals the ride, crash and hi-hat. The crash cymbal is one of the loudest and most used cymbals. The crash cymbal has a resound sound. Drumsticks strike the crash cymbal. The crash is extended from a stand which makes it the highest cymbal. During a song that’s stressful like Jaws the crash cymbal is brought in to add dramatic climax. The biggest cymbal is the ride.  The ride cymbal is played with rhythm to add beat to the song. A drumstick strikes the ride cymbal.  The smallest cymbal is the hi-hat. The hi-hat is a pair of cymbals mounted on a stand. Pressing a pedal makes the two cymbals crash together this makes a short crash. The drummer may hit the top cymbal by hitting it with their drumstick and may stop the ringing by pressing the pedal.

Bass drum

An early version of the bass drum stood seven feet tall, these early versions were installed in permanent positions in a court or a palace.  Bass drums are best known in Asia in 3500 B.C. and thousands of years later. Bass drums are part Sumerian culture. The bass drum can appear in many different forms.  Marching bass drums are played on their side with straps around them so they are easy to carry and play at the same time. Regular bass drums are played on a stand upward.  To beat the bass drum on a drum set you have a pedal that you hit with your foot to make a beat. If you try and stand the instrument vertically without a stand it will roll away.  The bass drum was made about 5000 years ago.  The bass drum has been reduced in size for more usage and now it stands about 3 feet off the ground without a stand.
 

Snare drum

The snare drum got its name because it has tight wires on the bottom that make the drum vibrate. You can release the wires by releasing a lever which makes the wires drop the metal wires which in turn makes the drum sound hollow. A drumstick is used to strike the snare drum.
 
Tenor drum

The tenor drum is a long drum that can hold 3-6 drums.  When you hit the tenor drum it has dry tone.  The tenor drum is a marching instrument and is used to add emphasis which is why it is used a favored drum for the military.
 
Tom-toms and floor toms

The floor tom got its name because it is the only drum that is played on the floor. The floor tom has a deep note that adds emphasis.  You can hit the floor tom with a mallet, drumstick, or your palm. There are two tom-toms on a drum set which are mounted on. They both have high pitch mellow notes. These are mainly used during fill in beats, which are beats you play after a long time of playing the same, beat over and over again.
 
Drum sticks and claves.

Claves and drum sticks come in a set of 2 and are both up to 10 inches long. They also are made up of wood and make a click sound when you hit them together. The difference is that you use drum sticks to hit the drum and claves were made to be hit together.
 

Conclusion

Through out history drums have played an important role in society. I have showed their wide range of use, how they were made and the different varieties.  I hope that when you see a drum or hear the beat of a drum it will be even more of an interest to you now that you know some of its history.

Who I Interviewed And What I Learned

I interviewed Ben Scott Taylor.  Ben has been involved in drumming for 29 years. He started playing at age 3 and started performing at age 11. He also started teaching at age 17. Ben is currently involved with drumming by teaching private lessons in Seattle for his business called Smooth Groove Percussion. Ben said he is mainly focusing on his band, Dead Scene Celebrity. Ben said he was first interested in drumming after watching Animal from “ The Muppets”. Ben said his dad just gave him a pair of sticks and a book and he taught himself. Until sixth grade Ben had always played on a bucket. During 6th grade he started working under a guy named Bill Kunze which was the only teacher he ever had that was a percussion major ( high ranked percussion teacher). Ben said that Bill taught him how to read music as well as challenging rudiments like flams and rolls. Ben enjoys seeing people enjoy music. Whether it’s a student understanding something new or an audience going crazy for his new beats. Ben says that the thing that has changed the most about drumming over recent years is the technology. He says that the gap is closing between the acoustic drum and the ease of the electronic drum. Ben played in his school band 5th grade through his senior year at the Selah high school. When Ben was asked if he thought that drumming will ever change from real drums to electronic drums. He responded by saying: more and more I hear them but the difference is electronic drums are usually not programmed by drummers but they are programmed by producers. It is easy for them to create a beat and mood, but with out feel of time. Drum machines have no soul and it is because of that that the world will always need the real thing. Ben is one of the most interesting drummers I ever knew so it was a privilege to interview him.

The Products I Created


The first product I created was a buzzer board. First I typed up all the questions and my title with the by Garrhett Petrea. Next I cut out the boarders with the questions. Then I found a picture of a kettle drum in clip art and I drew it with my mom in sharpie marker. Next I glued on the questions and title to my drum. Next I punch holes where the tin foil went and than I put the tape over the tin foil and I was done with my buzzer board.

The next product I made was a pamphlet. First I did the cover page with the title, picture and my name with soar 5th.  On the back page I did a word scramble and I just took main words from the report.  On the left page I did a fact sheet and on the right page I did true or false questions. Than I was done with my pamphlet.


 

Bibliography


Derling, Robert.  Percussion and Electronic Instruments. Chelsea house publisher.
Philadelphia, 2001 pp.1-40.

Neil, Ardley. Music. New York. Alfred A. Knolf. 1989 pp. 50 and 51.

“Drums.” Feb. 18, 19, 20, 21, 20, 21. 2008.. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drums>.


“Drums” Mar 5, 7, 7, 8, 9, 2008. <http://www.ask.com/pictures?!=dir&0=0&q=snare%20drums&qsrc=0&qid-42>.

“Snare Drum” Mar 12, 2008. <http://www.Davethedrummer.com>.


“Electrical drums.” Feb 3, 4, 5, 6, 2008.  <http://www.drum-sets-for-sale.com/zzounds_images/v-session.jpg
 

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