The history of drums. The History of Drums and Modern Percussion Instruments Percussion Message Drum

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.

To be honest, when I was looking for materials for this article, I discovered a lot of interesting things, I can say I plunged into history \u003d).

The origin of drums and percussion instruments.

So, perhaps, the first prerequisites for the emergence of drums were, surprisingly enough, we are humans! So, when our great-great-grandfathers lived in caves and fought for life on the hunt, they knocked on the chest, splashing out all their emotions - they generated a dull sound. But if you think about it, we are drummers of our time, we also throw out these very emotions, only already playing the drums. Amazing, isn't it !?

Time passed, and people gradually learned to extract sounds from improvised things, devices that resemble today's drums appeared. It is interesting that the first drums were arranged in almost the same way as now: a hollow body was taken as a basis and the membranes were stretched onto it from both sides. The membranes were based on the skin of animals and tightened with their own veins, later with ropes, and nowadays special metal fasteners are used.

The first mention of drums.

More recently, in the caves of South America, scientists have discovered rock paintings in which people beat their hands on objects resembling drums, and during excavations in Mesopotamia, one of the oldest percussion instruments made in the form of small cylinders was found, there are suggestions that these events are more than 6000 years before ad.

In addition, drums found in Moravia, Ancient Egypt and Sumeria date back to 5000, 4000, 3000 BC respectively.

Since ancient times, drums have been used not only to create music and accompany various ritual rituals, dances and ceremonies, they are also widely used as signaling instruments for transmitting messages during military marches and actions, and even as a warning about danger. The drum was the best tool for such tasks because it is easy to make, it makes a lot of noise and its sound travels well over long distances.

The history of the drum kit as a whole.

Looking at a standard drum kit is it very difficult to understand how it came about? How did it become such a unified sound extraction mechanism? I'm surprised myself as I said; 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 the drum kit? That's right it's massive " barrel "\u003d) Or in other words the bass drum, by itself it has quite impressive dimensions and low sound.

For a long time, the bass drum was an element of various orchestral performances, and was used in 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 it was used in various musical events.

Toms and snare drum.

Many looking at tom-toms can say that these are the most ordinary drums, in part they are. Volume-tomes appeared in Africa and they were called at that time tom-toms ... They were made from hollow tree trunks, which served as a drum shell, and animal skins were used as membranes. The sounds made by tomtams 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 cymbals.

In the early 1920s, the first prototype of the modern hi-hat’a appeared, the so-called “ Charlton Pedal "- a device that combines a foot pedal on a stand with small cymbals fixed on top. Other names" short boy " or " sock plates ».

However, this invention was very low and the cymbals were small in diameter, which in itself is very inconvenient, and already in 1927, an improved hi-hat model appeared, popularly called it “ tall hats ».

Now the hi-hat stand has become taller, and the hi-hat cymbals are larger, which made it possible for the drummer to play with his foot, hands, or combine performance options, what to say, complete freedom of action \u003d)

Against the background 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 drum patterns were well "decorated", experiments were carried out with various sizes and shapes of cymbals, and later alloys, thereby getting more and more new types of sounds produced.

Bass Drum Pedal.

To this end, drummers and instrument makers began to develop mechanisms to control how the bass drum is played - for example, various levers operated by 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 more easily and quickly - there was some freedom of hands to concentrate on the snare drum and other instruments.

You will not believe! But the very first pedal was invented and patented as early as 1885 by George R. Olney.

Up to this point, at least 3 drummers were required for a full-fledged performance: one of whom played the snare drum, another for playing the cymbals, and the third to bang the bass drum.

Olney's device was 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 beater. Pressing the pedal, the strap dragged the mallet along with it, which in turn beat the bass drum.

The pedal story does not end there, as in 1909 William F. Ludwig and his brother Theobald patented a completely new bass drum pedal that changed the drumming world forever.

It was the first raised shaft floor pedal to offer unique features such as:

returnable beater,
direct drive system (in 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 on the bass drum. Later, other pedal models appeared, such as Ludwig - Super Speed, New Speed \u200b\u200b(with which the use of bearings in the shaft began).

Drumsticks.

Let me say a few words about drumsticks. Drum sticks as such did not appear immediately - initially, the sound from the drums was extracted by hand. Later, they began to use drumsticks wrapped in thick cloth on one side.

Drum sticks 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, proposed a new standard for sticks, characterized by the fact that the sticks were made even and the same, both in size and weight, and it is important that each of sticks in a pair produced the sound of the same tonal coloration 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 \u003d)

The 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 a variety of snare, bass, tom, and cymbal layouts. So, by 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 appeared, in terms of configuration, similar to modern ones, they were known under the name " trap kits ”, And truly belong to the modern instruments of the membranophones family.

The complete set 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 ". Currently, the bass drum is played exclusively with the pedal.

By the way, the term “ Trap case "(Called trunks used to transport 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 Jin Krupa proposed his own drum arrangement in “ shock system”Using a set of four drums that included toms and were tunable on both sides. His ingenious move immediately turned the whole drumming world upside down at that moment.

In general, Jin Krupa is simply an outstanding person, he had his own unique style of performance, during his performances he captivated the audience with breathtaking 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, the drum kit already included:

bass drum,
snare drum,
one or more volume-volumes,
cymbals of different sizes, while Zildjian considered the best-sounding cymbals, they were also called "Turkish" cymbals,
bell from the neck of a cow (cowbell),
as well as various wooden devices, from which it was also possible to extract quite varied and beautiful sounds.

The fantasy of the drummers of those times does not end there, many made various additions to their drumset, such as: vibraphone, bells, gongs, etc.

By the way, in 1932, the development of a certain device, codenamed Rhythmicon, was completed - it was the first prototype of modern drum machines that became popular only in the 1980s.

In the 1940s, the development of drums, against the background of the outbreak of war, declined significantly, but, nevertheless, Gretsch mastered the technology of multilayer wood lamination and applied it to the production of drum bodies. This technology is not nearly outdated and is still in use today.

In the post-war period, the drumming world stirred up again, the improvement of all components and devices of the drum kit began:

the racks were getting stronger
hanging equipment has become more convenient,
the pedals worked faster
the bass drum has become smaller
new types of cymbals appeared, they got bigger 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 better retained tuning, while displacing obsolete leather membranes.

In the 1960s and 1970s, drummers expanded their drum kits significantly, 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 an impetus for the creation of “ cardan».

Guitars connected to amplifiers produced a very powerful and loud sound, and it was often so that the drummer's playing was barely audible, so deeper and more voluminous drums were used to amplify the sound of the drums.

In addition, the development in the world of electronics pushed for the invention of the first electronic drums that could create sounds inaccessible to traditional drums. This invention became a breakthrough in the world of music. The use of synthesized drum sounds began to be applied in many styles of music.

In the 1980s, the choice of drums in stores expanded significantly, and prices became quite reasonable, it became very easy to buy a drum kit, which gave 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 kits does not stop to this day, I believe that the history of drums is not over there, which means that together we will continue to supplement this article.

Friends, do you think that in the near future it is possible to invent something new in the drum industry? Write your thoughts and guesses in the comments \u003d)

Sergey Mishchenko, December 2012

Drums appeared in Russia in the 17th century, although numerous sources move the date of the appearance of the drum back centuries, giving the name "drum" to older instruments. This is usually due to translation errors in ancient sources. They are presented in a form adapted to our time, and the scribes, wanting to be understood, mistakenly assign modern names old instruments.

The appearance of drums on the territory of the state does not at all mean their entry into the culture and life of the people. The process of recognizing these instruments, as we imagine them, stretched out in Russia for a century.

The study of the history of the appearance and recognition of drums in Russia and is devoted to this work... It only deals with the history of drums, not all percussion membrane instruments known at that time. Stories about tulumbases, alarm bells, tambourines, nakras, etc. remain outside the brackets of this story.

The history of drums cannot be considered separately from the history of the development of society itself, therefore it is necessary to highlight those areas that could be the impetus and have the greatest impact on their development. And there are only three such possible areas: religious life, social life and military affairs.

Secular and religious life in Russia until the end of the 17th century excluded the possibility of using instrumental music, since the Moscow Orthodox principality adhered to the views of the early Christians. "Domostroy" considered playing musical instruments "a sin equal to drunkenness," and the Orthodox clergy considered those who were an admirer of this art to be pagans and blasphemers, distracting human souls from God. Only church polyphonic singing was considered music worthy of a Christian, only church music should be listened to and sung. Under the threat of a fine, peasants and urban people were forbidden to keep musical instruments, let alone play them. “So that they (the peasants) do not play demonic games of snuffling and gusli and whistles and domras and do not keep them in their homes ... five rubles per person ”. (From legal acts of the 17th century.). The resolutions of the Stoglav Cathedral of 1551 prohibited all sorts of games "in the harp, and in the bows, and snuffled." The struggle against musical amusements is reflected in literary monuments, in which musical instruments are the subject of idolatry, demonic attribute. So in the life of Isaac tells about the temptation of him by demons, who sneered at him, playing different instruments - "strikes in the snuffle and in the harp and in tambourines." About the buffoons, Metropolitan Iosaph wrote to Ivan the Terrible: "For God's sake, sir, lead them to let them know that they would not be in your kingdom ...". According to the royal decrees of 1648, buffoons with their "demonic games" and accomplices in their "godless deed", that is, spectators, were subject to punishment with batogs and exile. Musical instruments, buffoons masks and everything connected with buffoonery games were ordered to be broken and burned by the royal letters.

The church conventionally divided musical instruments into two groups: good and demonic. The “good” ones were used in the army “tulumbases, alarm bells, nakry, pipes (surnas) and others. To "demonic" - musical instruments (tambourines, snuffles, etc.), used in pagan festivals and buffoons. Thus, in the ancient Russian teaching literature, the trumpet "gathering warriors" was compared with a prayer gathering the angels of God, while snuffling and common harp were considered "tools" "gathering shameless demons."

Comprehending the above, it becomes clear that until the end of the 17th century (the time of the beginning of Peter's reforms) there could be no talk of the appearance and development of musical instruments, drums, including, neither in the secular nor in the religious life of Russia.

Thus, the only area of \u200b\u200bpossible emergence and development of drums remains - this is the military sphere. This is where it is necessary to look for the causes and roots of the appearance of drums. Therefore, consider what signal devices were used in the armies. different countries and consider in more detail the history of the development of military affairs in the West and in the East.

The widespread use of gunpowder and firearms stimulated the development of military affairs, starting in the XIV century. The next two centuries of bitter interstate strife and rivalry led to a divergence of Eastern and European military traditions. If in Western Europe the bet was made on the development of the infantry, then the East was guided by the irregular cavalry. This was due to both the centuries-old military tradition and the peculiarities of the theater of military operations.

Russia was influenced by both military schools. However, since in XV - XVI centuries For her main opponents were the nomads and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, she eventually adopted the experience of the eastern military tradition. The main idea behind this model is dominance in the structure armed forces light irregular local cavalry, supplemented by infantry units with firearms and artillery.

Management of thousands of horse masses required a wide variety of techniques. The idea of \u200b\u200bthe battle was usually discussed by the governors and heads at a general council, where the battle order, the sequence of actions and conventional signals were established. Visual signals were transmitted by banners of various kinds. The banners indicated the location - the voivode and his headquarters, or the movement of hundreds. With swift equestrian maneuvers, the banners helped the men of arms to follow their hundredth head, which was very important in the steppe war. Also, at the beginning of the campaign and immediately before the battle, the military leaders agreed on conditional signals - the so-called "yasaks". In a broad sense, yasak was understood as conditional signals given both by sound and visually (banners or bunchuk). However, in military practice, sound signals were actually called "yasaks".

At the voivodship headquarters, there was a complete set of signaling tools necessary for sending signals. It included an alarm, cover, surna. Before the appearance of drummers, signals in the Russian army were given by non-combatants (alarm bells, bikers, etc.). The "painting of the yasaks" of the tsar's camp (1655) mentions special signals given by these instruments for setting out on a campaign, for alarm - "flashing", for collecting hundreds of heads to the sovereign's tent, for another hundred to perform to guard the tsar's exit. At the end of the XVI century. "Big nobles" could carry with the saddle a small copper "riding tulumbas", "into which they beat, giving an order or rushing to the enemy."

Here is what a foreign mercenary Jacques Marget wrote at the end of the 16th century: “... they have no trumpeters and drummers ... In addition, each general (voivode) has his own personal alarm, as they say. Nabat are brass drums, carried by horse, and each has ten or twelve, and the same number of pipes and several oboes. All this sounds only when they are ready to join the battle, or during some kind of skirmish, with the exception of one of the alarm bells, which they beat in order to march or mount horses. "

Of particular importance are the rituals used when viewing the regiments. The "Record of Prince BA Repnin's entry into the service of the sovereign" says that in Belgorod, on the Kamenny Bridge, 11 trumpeters are participating in the marching column during the inspection of the regiment. 2 timpani, 1 nabatcher and 1 surnach; Sukin has 6 trumpeters and 2 surnach; Mikulin has 5 trumpeters, 1 seam and one timpani. Here are the personal non-combatant signalmen of the military leaders participating in the show, and there is not a single drummer among them.

All elements of the above-described command and signal issuance system begin to be mentioned in domestic sources in the 1480s - 1550s. Basic terms such as esauls and yasaks, as well as signal (musical) instruments, originate from Central Asia, more precisely, from the combat and hunting practice of the Timurid states. For that time, they had the most developed system of commanding large masses of cavalry, and the choice of the Moscow commanders was quite justified.

From the above, we can conclude that the visual and sound warning system of the Russian troops until the end of the 16th century did not have drums or drummers on their armament. Drums could only be in demand with professionally trained and highly disciplined soldiers and drummers.

Earlier it was mentioned that Europe focused on the development of the infantry. The era of regular European armies began with the defeat of the knightly troops. Professional soldiers - individuals were defeated by properly organized infantry.

The main features of the troops of the new type were a stable organizational and staff structure, partial or full state support, unified weapons and equipment, a departure from class manning, and modern military communications. In the book "The Art of War" Machiavelli states: "... the fourth exercise is to teach the soldiers to understand the command of the commander by the sound of the music or the movement of the banner ... the orders given by the music are especially important ... with the chief of battalions ... there are drummers and flutists ... by the sound of the trumpet the commander will indicate whether the troops should stand still, go forward or retreat, whether it is necessary to shoot artillery; a variety of trumpets will clearly show the soldiers all the necessary movements, and after the trumpets the drums will repeat the same command ... ”.

Figure: 1. Operational detachment control group: flutist, standard bearer, drummer. Engraving of the first third of the 16th century.

The main and original function of music is signaling. In military music, the history of which we have known for certain only for about three hundred years, we see everywhere the "first stage" of military music - signal service - which served to transmit commands to troops with the help of musical instruments. That is, speaking of military music, we mean, first of all, the signal service.

Complex rearrangements with the whole system required rhythmic movements. Company bands, especially drums, became the main type of operational command and control of troops on the battlefield. Of course, each national army had its own structure, its own command and control signals, but the drums firmly took their place in all European armies, as the most reliable element of sound communication.

The advent of firearms, well-organized professional soldiers (mercenaries) led to the emergence of professional drummers. When the role of mercenaries and firearms became a decisive force on the battlefield, a new form of war music emerged. Each detachment or company received its own musical accompaniment - a drummer, beating the rhythm, and a "musician" (flutist) (Fig. 1).

The first professional mercenaries were the Swiss infantrymen, who were particularly brutal in combat. They were the first to use drums to transmit order signals. The Battle of Sempak in 1386 was the first recorded use of drums in a military campaign in history. That is why it is the Swiss who claim the primacy in the use of drums in warfare. In 1588 the book Orchestrography by Arbeau was published. In it, he described the "Swiss Stroke" and the "Swiss Storm Stroke". These beats were presented in various combinations, but the fingering was not specified for them. Dr. Fritz Berger's manual for drum and flute orchestras, The Art of Drumming Basel, provides examples from early history, as well as a picture of a drum and flute orchestra depicted on a building dating back to 1525.

The first challenge in the early days of drumming was to establish uniformity among drummers by using equal numbers of drummers and flutists in military bands. The drummers had to play in unison. All this was about four hundred years ago. The musical notation as we know it today was not known at that time. Drummers played by heart - by sound, from memory, such as tra-da-dum, tra-da-dum, tra-da-dum-dum-dum. The long roll then looked like da-da-ma-ma and started with the left hand, so that the weaker hand was trained from the very beginning. The main drum signals, for example, "Readiness", "Attention", "Attack", "March" were formed only in the 17th century.

By the end of the 16th century, German mercenaries - landsknechts dominated the European theater of operations and accordingly dictated the fashion for the use of drums. Thus, for a company of 400 landsknechts, there was a company orchestra, which included one drummer, although each national army had its own composition.

The drummer's dress code was freestyle, but all the mercenaries dressed very richly. All landsknechts had one status ("soldier"), had their own justice, hierarchy, customs and even folklore. They wore colorful, defiant clothes from the loot, for they were free from the prescriptions of the appearance of the estates. A suit made of velvet, brocade or silk with wide sleeves, trousers with a codpiece and a lot of cuts, a huge hat with ostrich feathers deliberately shocked those around them, emphasizing the independence of the mercenaries. Emperor Maximilian said: “Their life is short and dreary, and magnificent clothes are one of the few joys. Let them wear it. "

Figure: 2. Engraving "Five Landsknechts" by Daniel Hopfer (16th century).

The engraving shows all the members of the gang (as the mercenary detachment was officially called) of the Landsknechts: musketeer, flutist, drummer, standard-bearer, pikeman.
The medieval drum did not have a specific shape or size. Its main characteristics were a cylindrical body and two leather bottoms, fastened together with a rope constriction. The drummer could change the tension of the leather by changing the length of the rope or cord. Initially, the drum was played with one hand (the other often had a pipe or flute), later both hands began to be used. To play the drum, they used wood or bone sticks. Special techniques of the game (shot, tremolo, short strikes) were developed initially for practical military purposes: to cheer up their own people and frighten the enemy. It was for this purpose that the playing of the war drum was often accompanied by the shrill sounds of flutes.

Figure: 3. Drum of German mercenaries - landsknecht thrommel (from German military drum).

Russia in the 16th century had its own military doctrine, which was sharply different from the European one, and used its sound operational communications - alarm bells, tulumbases, nakry. The drums did not participate in the hostilities. And only later, the borrowing of the latest military technologies from the West led to the appearance of drums in Russia.

The appearance of drums in the Russian army

The Russian army at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries could not withstand collisions with a modern military machine - the army of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth reformed according to the Western model. It was in these armies that an important role was assigned to the warning system. The centuries-old historical experience of European armies has made it possible to create a modern military warning system, which has been constantly refined in endless battles. The drums played an important role in this system. The Western school of military drummers, which already had a theoretical basis, received recognition from contemporaries, and drummers stood out among the rest of the warriors.

Russia faced a difficult task at the beginning of the 17th century. To fight the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, it was necessary to reform the army according to the European model, create its own new communications system in the troops, including training drummers, using the modern European experience. The drums were seen as a necessary and integral element of the new army, and only in this capacity could they become part of it. Thus, it was only during the reform of the army that the appearance of drums was possible. This, in fact, was later confirmed by the history of Russia.

The clash of the Russian army of the 16th century, "sharpened" under the opposition of the light irregular horse armies of the Tatars and Lithuanians, with the reformed army of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth ended very sadly for Russia. It was necessary to find an effective means against the military machine of the Commonwealth. Such opposition was found in using the experience of the European military school in the Netherlands. Reforms began in the army, which lasted almost the entire 17th century. The reforms took place in 3 stages.

The first stage of reforming the Russian army

The first stage of reform began during the Troubles at the beginning of the 17th century. The leading role in the formation of the new Russian army belonged to the famous military leader Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky (Fig. 4). He was appointed a voivode who led the united army of Russian soldiers and mercenaries to fight the invaders.

Figure: 4. "Prince Mikhail Vasilievich Skopin-Shuisky." Lithograph, 1876

Taking part in the battle near Tver on July 11, 1609, he drew attention to the resilience of the infantry of foreign mercenaries. Unlike the mercenary cavalry, which was destroyed at the beginning of the battle, the mercenary infantrymen, being in the center of the battle, repeatedly repulsed the attacks of the heavy Polish cavalry, the famous flying hussars, and then retreated in an organized manner, nullifying the initial success of the Poles. The well-coordinated action of the detachment, the precise execution of orders and commands by the drum, high military discipline on the battlefield made an impression. The young voivode decided to organize Russian regiments of the "foreign system". In just two months, the recruited peasant militias, armed with urgently purchased modern weapons, were trained in the intricacies of foreign soldiers' affairs.

Figure: 5. Teaching military men to handle a lance according to the Dutch charter in the MV Skopin-Shuisky camp near the Klyazin monastery (August 1609). Oleg Fedorov.

The Dutch model was taken as the basis for creating a new type of troops. The regiment became an administrative unit in the Dutch infantry, small in number - 800-1000 people. It consisted of 10-16 companies. One company of the Dutch army, the number of which did not exceed 100 soldiers, had two drummers, and a regiment - from 20 to 32 drummers.

Figure: 6. Complete military band of the Dutch army (consisting of a drummer, flutist and musician with a bunchuk). Woodcut from an illustrated book of battles, 17th century.

A similar orchestra was to be present in the new army of the governor Skopin-Shuisky (Fig. 6). Complicated evolutions with a whole system with long peaks (up to 5 meters) or muskets required rhythm, which was set by the drums.

So, at the beginning of the 17th century, in the Russian troops there were regiments of a foreign system according to the Dutch model, and with them drummers. The new troops showed themselves from the best side. The troops of the "Tushinsky thief" were defeated near Moscow. They drove out of Moscow the troops of Bolotnikov, who captured almost the entire capital, and then defeated him near Tula and Kaluga, finally crushing the uprising. They lifted the blockade from the Sergiev-Trinity Lavra, and, cutting off enemy communications, forced the Poles to retreat to Smolensk. The successes of the young governor, popularly called the second Alexander Nevsky, aroused the envy and fears of the supreme power. As a result of palace intrigues, he was poisoned at a feast by the daughter of Malyuta Skuratov. Two months after the death of the commander M. Skopin-Shuisky, the regiments were disbanded. Reforms are on hold. The drums were forgotten, the troops returned to the old sound communication system.

So the appearance of drums at the beginning of the 17th century in Russia became just an episode, and the organization of the regiments of the "foreign system", and, accordingly, the reforms in the army, were postponed for several decades. And there are no reforms, no drums and drummers.

The year 1612 was ahead ...

The second stage - the organization of the regiments of the "foreign system"

In the thirties of the 17th century, Russia rebuilt its economy. The term of the armistice with Poland was coming to an end. There was a war for Smolensk. The government of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich clearly realized that the Russian army, consisting of noble cavalry and rifle infantry, was not able to fight on an equal footing with regular troops. The Russian government saw a way out of the situation in the creation of Russian regiments of a foreign system and the hiring of regiments of Western mercenaries. Consider the state of the art of the latest military technology in the West at this time.

The Thirty Years' War (1618-1638) in Europe demonstrated the ever-increasing role of the latest military technologies. Armies acquired the new kind... The use of faster-firing rifles increased the firepower of the infantry units. An increase in the optimal density of fire made it possible to reduce the size of the companies and increase their mobility. A new type of troops - dragoons - began to be used en masse. Dragoons are horse-mounted infantry capable of operating on foot. The number of drummers for the dragoons was the same as for the infantry. That is, in fact, the number of drummers in the army has increased. The role of operational management increased, which was reflected in the drummers and the drums themselves.

The number of drummers in the company, with a decrease in the number of its composition, increased to 2-4 people. And in the regiment up to 20-40 people. The increase in the total number of drummers led to the emergence of the position of the regimental foreman of drummers - tambour major, who, first of all, was responsible for the coordination of actions of subordinates and the clarity of the commands given.

The increased role of the drummer on the battlefield as a means of command and control made him an active target. Their death led to the disorganization of the detachment, no less than the death of the commander. The mercenaries, who are the main force of the Thirty Years War, found a peculiar but cruel way out here. They stole little boys 8-10 years old in villages (they were more difficult to kill than large men) and taught to play the field drum to give military signals. After two or three weeks of training, they were given a choice: to stay as a drummer or to go home. During the training, the army went a long distance from their native places, and many students remained in the army. This is how the "drummer boy" or regimental young drummers appeared.

The unification of weapons, uniforms, and ammunition has become a common phenomenon. Drummers wear uniforms no less fancy than officers.

Figure: 7. Drummer during the Thirty Years War.

The color of the uniform usually matches the color of the banner. Sometimes drummers wore reverse colors to emphasize their importance. The unification requirements carry over to the drums as well. Their shape is standardized, while they themselves undergo changes: the diameter becomes smaller and the height is larger. The drums are also painted in the colors of the regiment's banner.

The national armies of Europe had their own beat combinations for military drum signals. This helped to raise the military spirit, and disorientated the enemy on the battlefield, who did not understand what action the enemy would take. In the 17th century, the main signals used by drummers were "Attention", "Build", "Readiness", "March", "Attack", "Retreat" and others. The variety and development of these signals led to qualitative changes in signal music - the emergence of functions of marching music. “Only during the Thirty Years War the function of military music began to manifest itself as a 'marching' music and a form of military march began to emerge that did not exist before ...”. In this case, it is said about the origin of the musical accompaniment of the march, but not about the movement in leg to the measured rhythm of percussion instruments. It's about rhythmic accompaniment. This is the invention of the German mercenaries in the Thirty Years' War.

The Russian army lagged behind the West in the development of military technologies and the experience of creating modern European armies was in demand in Russia. The thirties became the starting point at the beginning of the second organization of the "foreign order" regiments. Preparing for war with the Poles, the Russian government spent enormous amounts of money on the purchase of the latest weapons and the hiring of foreign soldiers and officers. Drums were also purchased. Their price was three times that of a musket. With the active help of foreign specialists, the training and formation of the soldiers, dragoon and reitar regiments of the "new system" armed according to the latest model began. By the beginning of the Russian-Polish war of 1632-1634, 10 Russian regiments of the new order were formed, numbering up to 17,000 people. The regiment was divided into eight companies. In each company, according to the official regimental lists, there were three drummers.

Of interest is the payment of drummers in 1632-1634. In wartime: the German drummer received 8 rubles. per month, Russian - 5 rubles; in peacetime - 1 ruble 50 kopecks for both German and Russian. For comparison: a corporal received 4 rubles in wartime, and 1 ruble 80 kopecks in peacetime. This indicates that in wartime, drummers were valued above the corporal.

The Smolensk campaign ended unsuccessfully for the Russians, despite the heroism of the new regiments. There are several reasons. The noble cavalry, deservedly seeing the new infantry as a threat to its existence, arbitrarily left the position of the Russian army near Smolensk, in fact dooming the army to defeat. It just never happened in the Russian army. Foreign mercenaries also distinguished themselves. They fully justified two common words that appeared in the Thirty Years War. These words: "gang", which meant a detachment of German Landsknechts and "marauder" - the name of one of the captains of the mercenaries. The population, where they passed, bombarded the government with complaints about their behavior. In addition, mercenaries often went over to the side of the enemy. The disappointment in the new army after the defeat was so great that all foreigners were expelled from Russia and all the regiments of the foreign system were disbanded. Ammunition, weapons and drums (intact, punctured and the bases from them) were handed over to military depots in Tula.

All this led to the halt of the 2nd stage of reforms and the introduction of drums. But at the same time, the significance of the experience of creating regiments of a foreign system is extremely great. The drummer, included in the lists of the regiment of the foreign system, became an official in the Russian army for the first time. This is the first step towards joining the new operational communications of the Russian army. The importance of the orders-signals of drummers received from foreign specialists was also great. Previously, they could only command their own kind, since for the Russians they were pagans and simply no one perceived them.

The third stage of military reform

The need for reforms was acute, and taking into account the mistakes of the first two stages, already in 1637 the third stage of military reform began. Characteristic feature the new process of military development was the combination of traditions and innovations. It went in two ways: organizing regiments of a foreign system and training archers in a foreign system. At the same time, everything was done so that the new units did not replace the old ones, but supplemented them, which allowed them to organically enter the Russian army.

By the fall of 1638 in the south of the country, the government had put 5,055 dragoons and 8,658 soldiers under arms. In the regiments of the "foreign order" during this call, the number of drummers reaches 200 people. From this moment, the drums appear at the archers. They quickly mastered the soldiers' formations to the commands of the drum, a long pike, at the same time with the soldiers they had half pikes. In February 1655, upon the return of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich from the Polish campaign, hundreds of foot soldiers are described, each of which was followed by a large banner accompanied by two drummers and a centurion with an ax in hand.

In the military charter of 1647, for the first time, regulation is given, as well as a musical characteristic of military signals for "drummers and trumpets": he notified the necessary thought exactly and on a direct need, and it will come to be that with different articles on the drums, beat his own article, how to induce a soldier, when to go on a campaign, and when on a campaign, another great time, so that he will come as close as possible with a weapon to meet the enemy; and another sign ... when you click something. Another sign, when in a hurry ... ". This is the first official document in Russia regulating the duties of a drummer, as a serviceman giving set signals using a drum (beating drum beats). The charter consolidated the combat position of the drummer, introduced by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in all strelets, dragoon units and regiments of a foreign system. Initially, there were 2 drummers per company, later their number changed many times. In battle, drummers were used as messengers and to carry out the wounded. There were also "soldier snare drummers" - teenagers, students of the drummer, usually soldier's orphans. Becoming a drummer's apprentice, an orphan soldier's son received 10 times more, which significantly supported the family financially. So in the Butyrsky regiment already at the beginning of 1670 there were 195 "drummers of small robots", not counting 40 adult drummers. “Small hand wedge drums” were made especially for the students. They were also distinguished by their dress uniform - German caftans. Sets of "German dress" for drummers - musicians at parades: caftans and trousers of red cloth with black loops and laces, hats, stockings, shoes. There were snare drummers both in Russia and in the West, but their position was different. In Russia, these were students, not soldiers sent into battle (Fig. 8).

Figure: 8. Small sipovschik and drummer of Moscow elective soldiers' regiments in ceremonial suits. From the book "Moscow Elective Regiments of the Soldier System".

Figure: 9. Soldier of the elective Butyrsky regiment. In the background, a drummer is visible, who is no different in form from a soldier.

Russian drum of the 17th century structurally different from European ones. European kadlo has a bent veneer. The Russian has a type-setting of planks (like a barrel) and covered with fabric. Three vine hoops are nailed to the planks from the inside with wooden and metal nails. The drum itself consisted of a wooden frame, or "basket", and two hoops for stretching leather. Drum "baskets" on the fabric were covered with painting or gilding. On the images of that time, the painting of the drums is presented in the form of elongated isosceles triangles, or "wedges", painted in the "uniform" colors of the regiments. There were obviously other options for coloring. The drums were worn on leather or silk sling with metal hooks, buckles and harnesses. Judging by the documents of the 2nd half of the 17th century. "Drum bands" were two arshins long (144 cm) and 1.5 inches wide (6.75 cm). To protect the drums from dampness and other damage, covers or suitcases, usually built of multicolored cloth, were used.

Initial training was an important step. It was a difficult moment, as there were no drummers or other specialists. For training, foreign specialists were involved, who gave a written commitment to teach Russian people. In the second third of the 17th century, not only Moscow, but also Zaonezhie and Sevsk were major educational centers. Thus, 2 colonels, 28 captains, 31 sergeants, 10 drummers and one trumpeter were sent to the Zaonezhsky graveyards for the "dragoon and saldat training". 62 foreign instructors of different ranks arrived in Sevsk. There is an established system of training in military affairs, including drumming, and the sequence of its implementation. Thus, the troops received the required number of trained drummers.

Sagittarius - the elite of the Russian troops, an estate like the nobility, enjoyed great respect in society. The rank of rifleman was inherited and the son became an archer, in the same order (regiment). This was an active part of society, and there is a lot of historical data about them. So the drummers depicted on historical documents of the 17th century are known mainly as riflemen.

In Europe, drummers stood out for their clothes. In Russia, in the 17th century. the drummers of the rifle regiments did not have any special differences in color and cut of clothing from other ranks. In any case, neither pictorial nor documentary sources report such. The same applies to the regiments of the "foreign system" (Fig. 10).

Figure: 10. Fragment of watercolor "Drawing of the image in the faces of the release of archers in ships by water on Razin." "The Drummer of the Young Archers" is a true portrait of a young drummer of the 17th century.

Reproductions depicting drummers appeared in Europe at the beginning of the 16th century, in the Moscow state - in the second half of the 17th century. This confirms that drums appeared in Russia later than in Europe. Moreover, they depicted, as a rule, archers, musketeers of the Russian state, and not soldiers of regiments of a foreign system.

A fragment of a miniature made in 1663 and shown in Fig. 11, should not mislead anyone in terms of timing. The archers at the time of the wedding of M. Romanov on June 11, 1613 did not have drums. The artist took as a basis the archers of drummers in the ceremonial palace caftans of the times of Alexei Mikhailovich the Quiet (palace caftans were issued at the time of reception from the royal storerooms, and then surrendered). They differed from the shape of the archers, who are usually present at palace receptions. The archers' drums appeared only in the middle of the 17th century.

Figure: 11. Fragment of the miniature "Wedding of M. Romanov". Strelets drummers at a reception on the occasion of the wedding of the king.

We find drum tracks in various events of that time. For example, the rifle revolt of 1682. Some historians see it as an uprising of the Moscow garrison, which won and dictated its terms to the government. Two points are important for us: the first required that the production of all drums be transferred to the Streletsky order; second, that the work on their manufacture is paid. This is how the archers monopolized the production of drums.

The reform led to the growth of both the "foreign system" regiments and the streltsy army. Moreover, the number of mainly Moscow rifle orders grew, which indicates the higher status of the riflemen. The regiments of the soldier's formation, together with the dragoons, had a strength of about 100,000 in 1680. This means that the number of drummers in the Russian army has exceeded 2000 people, and teams of drummers have appeared in the regiments, numbering up to 20 people or more. In addition to the position of a soldier drummer, the position of "drummer chief" appeared in the regiments. Different regiments of the army, where foreign experts trained drummers in different ways, began to create a single national Russian system of drum signals, in accordance with the requirements of the new army. This is how the Russian school of military drummers began to emerge.

It is believed that the birth of a new army took place in 1678 in the battle of Chigirin, where the "Muscovites" defeated the Ottomans, which were so terrible for Moscow. In the course of this battle, the Moscow regiment, surrounded by the Turks, under the drumbeat with deployed banners, lined up in square and repulsed the enemy's attacks with field cannon fire and rifle volleys, inflicting defeat on him. Turkish military leaders admitted that they were surprised by the valor of the Russian infantry. Simultaneously with the victory over the external enemy, another, no less significant victory was won. A new army was created. After Chigirin, the Ottoman Empire had not yet exhausted its strength, but it did not want to fight Muscovy any more. This meant only one thing: the reforms are completed, and the new army is ready to fight back and can defend the interests of its country. The annexation of eastern Ukraine, the return of Smolensk increased the strength of the state, and now Europe had to respect the "Muscovites". The regiments of the "foreign system" ceased to exist, henceforth soldiers' regiments appeared in their place.

As a result of reforms in the Russian army in the 17th century, a modern system of sound operational communications was created, including drummers. All drums for the needs of the army were made in Russia. The old system, which had alarms, tulumbases, nakry as sound means of operational communication, disappeared by the end of the 17th century. Training in drumming began with the reforms themselves, and the first teachers were foreign specialists. However, already from the 50s of the 17th century, drummers began to be trained in the shelves, including apprentices - snare drummers. By the end of the century, there were more than 2,000 combatant drummers in service at the same time, who were both in the infantry: soldiers and rifle regiments, and cavalry: dragoons, reitars, hussars. Teams of drummers appeared in the regiments, which were subordinate to the so-called "drum chiefs". Quantity began to turn into quality, and they started talking about the Russian military school of drummers. For the first time in Russia, an official document was introduced in the army - a charter regulating the duties of a drummer as a serviceman who gives set signals with a drum. The charter fixed the drummer's drill position. Military drummers have firmly taken their place in the army. This is how drums appeared and established themselves in the Russian army, and with it in Russia.

Drum kit (drum kit, drum kit from English. drumkit) - a set of drums, cymbals and other percussion instruments, adapted for the comfortable playing of a drummer. Commonly used in jazz, rock and pop music.

For individual instruments, the setups are played with drumsticks, various brushes and mallets. The hi-hat and bass drum are played with pedals, 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.

The origin of drums and percussion instruments.

So, perhaps, the first prerequisites for the emergence of drums were, surprisingly enough, we are humans! So, when our great-great-grandfathers lived in caves and fought for life on the hunt, knocking themselves on the chest, splashing out all their emotions - they generated a dull sound. But if you think about it, we are the drummers of our time, we also throw out these very emotions, only already playing the drums. Amazing, isn't it !?

Time passed, and people gradually learned to extract sounds from improvised things, devices appeared that resembled today's drums. It is interesting that the first drums were arranged in almost the same way as now: a hollow body was taken as a basis and the membranes were pulled on it from both sides. The membranes were based on the skin of animals and tightened with their own veins, later with ropes, and nowadays special metal fasteners are used.

The first mention of drums.

In addition, drums found in Moravia, Ancient Egypt and Sumeria date back to 5000, 4000, 3000 BC respectively.

Since ancient times, drums have been used not only to create music and accompany various rituals, dances and ceremonies, they have also been widely used as signaling instruments for transmitting messages during military marches and actions, and even as a warning about danger. The drum was the best tool for such tasks because it is easy to make, it makes a lot of noise and its sound travels well over long distances.

Composition

Drum kit

A standard drum kit includes the following items:

Dishes:
- Crash is a cymbal with a powerful, hissing sound.
- Ride (ride) - a cymbal with a sonorous but short sound for accents.
- Hi-hat (hi-hat) - two cymbals mounted on one rod and controlled by a pedal.
Drums:

The snare drum (snare drum) is the main instrument of the kit.
3 volumes-volumes: high tom-tom, low tom-tom (middle tom-tom) - both are colloquially called altos, floor tom-tom (or just a volume, floor tom-tom).
Bass drum ("kick", 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 kit as a whole.

Bass drum.

For a long time, the bass drum was an element of various orchestral performances, and was used in military operations and marches.

In the 1500s, the bass drum was brought from Turkey to Europe, where it became very popular for its powerful sound, and later began to be used at various musical events.

Tom toms and snare drum.

M none looking at tom-toms can say that these are the most ordinary drums, in part they are. Volume-volumes appeared in Africa and they were called at that time tom-toms ... They were made from hollow tree trunks, which served as a drum shell, and animal skins were used as membranes. The sounds made by tomtams were used to bring their fellow tribesmen into combat readiness or to create a special state of trance during rituals and ceremonies.

The drum kit has changed a lot over time and changes constantly. Popular musical styles, famous musicians and designers, as well as the development of instrument production technology, play a significant role in the development.

At the end of the 19th century, jazz appeared. Around 1890, drummers in New Orleans began to tailor their drums to suit the stage conditions so that one performer could play multiple instruments at once. Early drum kits were known by the short advertising name "trap kit". The bass drum of this setup was kicked or used a pedal without a spring, which did not return to its original position after being hit, but in 1909 F. Ludwig designed the first bass drum pedal with a return spring.

In 1920 Gretsch began to manufacture drum bodies 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 shells, this method is still used today.

In the early twenties, the "snowshoe" or charleston, a foot pedal consisting of two foot-sized plates with two cymbals attached to them, was popular. Around 1925 drummers began to use low boy or sock cymbals. These paired cymbals were located on a short shaft and were also operated by the foot. In 1927, the first "high boys" or "high hat" appeared, allowing a performer to play it with both a pedal and sticks, or a combination of both.

In 1918 Ludwig's first "Jazz-er-up" drum kit went on sale. The setup included a 24'x8 'large drum (with a mallet and attached wood block), a 12'x3' snare drum, and a hanging cymbal. Drummers began to use customizable tom toms, racks for mounting various instruments. In 1931, Ludwig and Slingerland began manufacturing cast drum fittings. The components of the installation were selected and developed, the assembly became better.

In 1935, Gene Krupa, drummer for Benny Goodman's Orchestra, first began using the "standard" 4-drum kit produced by Slingerland. The playing technique developed, Jin performed for the first time as a full-fledged soloist of the orchestra.

1940-1960 saw a major new change - jazz and rock drummers added a second bass drum to their kit. Around the same time, another thing happened: Chick Evans and Remo Belli independently invented plastic drum membranes to replace leather ones. New heads made it possible to tune the drum more precisely, were not affected by the weather, fluctuations in humidity.

In 1962-1964, Ringo Starr with The Beatles appeared on American television in the Ed Salivan Show. Beatlemania began. Ludwig drum production doubled

The next stage (1970-1980) is associated with the emergence and development of hard rock. The musicians began to search for a new drum kit sound: they began to use toms without resonance heads, increase the depth of the drum and add new drums to the kit. The sound became louder, piercing. The technology of recording drums began to develop widely. Drum synthesizers and drum machines appeared, but they could not replace live drummers.

The first dual bass drum pedal was released by Drum Workshop in 1983. Drummers no longer need to use two bass drums, but just put one and play it with two pedals at once.

1990 Pearl and Tama invent the RIMS fastening system, which attaches the tom to the post without drilling an additional hole in the drum. This avoids unwanted vibrations and unnecessary hole in the housing.

Hi-hat and other cymbals.

Now the hi-hat stand was taller, and the hi-hat cymbals were larger, which made it possible for the drummer to play with his foot, hands, or combine versions of the performance, that is, complete freedom of action.

Bass Drum Pedal.

To this end, drummers and instrument makers began to develop mechanisms to control how the bass drum is played - for example, various levers operated by hands or feet.

You will not believe! But the very first pedal was invented and patented as early as 1885 by George R. Olney.

Up to this point, at least 3 drummers were required for a full-fledged performance: one of whom played the snare drum, another to play the cymbals, and the third to beat the bass drum.

Olney's device was 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 beater. Pressing the pedal, the strap pulled the beater, which in turn beat the bass drum.

The pedal story doesn't end there, as in 1909 William F. Ludwig and his brother Theobald patented a completely new bass drum pedal that changed the drumming world forever.

It was the first raised shaft floor pedal to offer unique features such as:

returnable beater,
direct drive system (in modern language - direct drive) pedal plates.

An additional cymbal beater, it was associated with the pedal, but at the same time it was possible to change its position to allow the drummer to play only on the bass drum. Later, other pedal models appeared, such as Ludwig - Super Speed, New Speed \u200b\u200b(with which the use of bearings in the shaft began).

Drumsticks.

A few words about drum sticks. Drum sticks as such did not appear immediately - initially, the sound from the drums was extracted by hand. Later, they began to use drumsticks wrapped in thick cloth on one side.

Drum sticks 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, proposed a new standard for sticks, which differed in that the sticks were made even and the same, both in size and weight, and it is important that each of sticks in a pair produced the sound of the same tonal coloration 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.

Kinds

Installations are conventionally divided in terms of quality and cost:

sub-entry - 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 - the standard for recording studios.
custom hand built drumsets - Best sound, look, wood, quality, attention to detail. Drum kits specially assembled for the musician.

By the mechanism of sound extraction drum kits are divided into the following types:

Electronic drums Roland V-drums

Drum kit muted for training

Drum Machine Hydrogen

Acoustic (live)

Sound production occurs due to the vibration of the air created by the membrane and reinforced by the drum body.

Electronic

More compact and quieter pads are used instead of instruments. The pad is like a cylinder, 6 "to 12" in diameter, with a height of 1 "to 3", in which a pickup (or more) is located to "pick up" the impact. The signals from the sensors are sent to an electronic module that processes the shocks. The module can generate sound itself or transmit MIDI data for the sequencer. It is convenient to practice on electronic drums at home, as they are silent and there is an opportunity to adjust the sound volume.

Electronic single-module

The implementation scheme is the same as in electronic drums. Only everything is realized in one small case within 20x10x5 inches.

Acoustic with electronic components

Sound production is the same as in acoustic ones, however, sensors are attached to the membranes, which convert the vibration of the membrane into an electrical signal, which can then be processed (recording, amplification, distortion). It is also possible to use the components of the electronic installation in conjunction with the acoustic installation.

Training

They look like electronic ones. Instead of pads, rubberized metal plates are used, or acoustic drums with silent heads and plugs. They do not have an electronic module and do not emit sounds, since the main goal is training. Often used at home for activities that do not disturb others. You can also use the electronic headphone for training, but the training rig is much cheaper.

Digital

Most often, this is a set of MIDI sounds in special programs or software and hardware complexes (drum machine). Even someone who does not know how to play drums can dial in a drum part and use it on stage or for recording. As a rule, all individual drum machines (in 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. The most advanced VST plugin so far 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 a bass guitar, keyboards). As a rule, drummers use repetitive patterns. The rhythm is based on the alternation of a low bass drum sound and a high, harsh snare sound.

In addition to this basic function, the drummer decorates, emphasizes the main accents and melody changes. Mostly cymbals are used, especially crash or snare drum shots. Some works include a drum solo, while other instruments fade into the background.

Mickey Dee, drummer for Motörhead, said in an interview:

On stage, the energy and the stage show itself are as important as the process of playing the instruments. Drumming 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 audience wants to see the show, not just a group of musicians performing some kind of gesture.

Drum Part Differences in Different Styles

Jazz differs in complex drawings, small breaks and sections of compositions specially designated for solo.

Drum parts rock more expressive, strong, with large fills and energetic transitions.

For metal playing at high speed, using a blast beat, two bass drums or a double pedal is typical.

In styles such as progressive rock and progressive metal, drummers experiment extensively with time signature, complicating meter and rhythm.

IN hip hop, rap the rhythm is often programmed with a drum machine or sampled.

IN pop music drums are used very limitedly, at the same volume and at the ideal tempo.

Notation (designation in notes)

The drum kit was originally notated in the bass clef. Currently, a neutral key of two parallel vertical lines is commonly used. On a standard stave, the drum kit part can be recorded with various symbols. Usually, at the beginning of each game, a decoding of the location of the instruments and all the symbols encountered is given. In some cases (quite often - in exercises), fingering is indicated - the order of alternation of hands when striking. Below is the most common drum notation.

Drums

Dishes

Other tools

Game techniques Rim click hitting the rim of the snare drum with the back end of the stick (other names - side stick) Rim shot impact on the rim of the snare drum with the narrowed end of the stick (stick shoulder), followed by muffling the plastic Stick shot blow with a stick on a stick lying on the plastic Brush sweep rustling brushes on the plastic in a circular motion. Accents

Dimensions

Drum set Sonor 1007 with cymbals Paiste 101

The size of drums is usually expressed as “diameter x depth”, in inches. For example, snare drums are often 14x5.5 in size. Some manufacturers use the reverse order of depth x diameter, such as Drum Workshop, Slingerland, Tama Drums, Premier Percussion, Pearl Drums, Pork Pie Percussion, Ludwig-Musser, Sonor, Mapex, and Yamaha Drums.

Standard rock rig sizes are 22 "x 18" bass drum, 12 "x 9", 13 "x 10" paddle toms, 16 "x 16" floor tom and 14 "x 5.5" snare. Another common combination is "fusion". It includes a 20 "× 16" bass drum, 10 "× 8", 12 "× 9" paddle tom, 14 "× 14" floor tom and 14 "× 5.5" snare drum. Drum kits for jazz often lack a 2 attachment tom.

Kick drum sizes also differ for different styles. Jazz uses no bass drums large sizessince the role of this drum in jazz is more of an accents than a heavy beat. And for metal, hard rock, very large bass drums (often several) are used for a heavy, resonant tone.

Plates are also measured in inches.

Smallest cymbals are splash (6-12 inches), the largest are ride (18-24 inches)

The drum kit is one of the oldest musical instruments. The first drums appeared around 6,000 BC. The current drum kit is different from those that came before. Each of its elements deserves special attention.

Bass drum

The bass drum cannot be considered without its main element - the pedal. Her invention also went through numerous stages before she became the way we are used to seeing her at the present time. Read about the history of the bass drum pedal.

The bass drum is the largest and lowest sounding element of a drum kit. It was invented by Hindus and Turks. They have long used it in their rituals. In the 1550s, bass drum became known in Europe. He was brought there from Turkey.

Many Turkish military bands used a big drum, which produced a very strong bass sound that knocked all listeners on the spot. Later, this sound became stylish, and many European musical groups adopted it in their work.

Snare drum and toms

Many people think that toms are the most modern drums, but this is not entirely true. They were created in Africa, they were called differently - "tam-tam". The natives used them to bring their tribe to military readiness. Africans have created many classical rhythmic patterns that are played by modern musicians to this day in different styles music.

The snare drum is very similar to toms, only it is stretched higher, and also has a snare in its structure. Its ancestors can also be considered Africans and military bands of the 19th century.

Dishes

Initially, cymbals were tried to be used in music as an experiment and for fun. This happened in the 20th century, mainly in America, when people began to massively become interested in African rhythms and were looking for a new sound. Later, realizing that cymbals are a great addition to any genre of music, hardware manufacturers began to create various variations of cymbals, thus hi-hat, ride, crash, china, splash, etc.

The oldest percussion instruments were found after archaeological excavations in Mesopotamia. Also in the Peruvian caves, researchers have discovered rock paintings, which depicted drums participating in religious rites. Each civilization used drums for different purposes, some as rituals, others to raise morale during wartime.

Initially, the drum was played with hands, and later they began to use sticks. The drums were tuned by pulling the membranes with ropes.

With the advancement of technology and the advent of electric guitars at the end of the 20th century, the electronic drum kit was first invented.

Summing up, we can conclude that the drum kit was not invented by someone in particular. This musical instrument has been created for centuries.

Today, the drum kit is an indispensable instrument for most songs, and drummers are in-demand musicians of any genre.

The drum is considered an instrument of shamans, because it is believed that the sound of this instrument has magical powers. Perhaps the ancient people thought that the vibration that comes from the drum when struck is a message from higher powers. Many legends and beliefs are 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. With the help of the rhythms of the Pau-Wow drums, the Indians indicate their connection with the Earth. They say: "As long as 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. The rock paintings in the caves of Peru with images of drums also belong to about the same time, and maybe even earlier. However, the ancient tribes and peoples did not use drums as a musical instrument or children's toy. With their help, the tribes carried out various religious rituals and passed on important information to each other. This is because the instrument makes a lot of noise and is well heard at long distances. The materials from which the drums were made also differed. For example, Indian tribes used pumpkin and wood. The Maya people made the drum body 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, whose task was to frighten the enemy not with sound, but with their appearance. Usually, such a drum was demonstrated during military campaigns, and its membrane was made from the skin of the leader of an enemy tribe.

Drums are available in different sizes, with larger drums being quieter than smaller drums. This is because small drums have a higher pitch and are therefore louder. However, large drums vibrate more air, which gives the drum sound more depth. Drum sticks appeared much later than the drums themselves. Initially, the sound from the instrument was extracted by hand. The first drumsticks were wrapped with cloth, imitating the blows of human hands, they could be of different sizes and even weights.

Accustomed to us, shock sticks appeared relatively recently in 1963, it was then that the standard of sticks was first proposed. From that moment on, each drum stick, when struck, began to produce a sound of the same pitch and timbre.

Separately, it must be said about the drum kit. The drum kit device familiar to us began to be used at the beginning of the 20th century. Before that, musical groups, mainly orchestral ones, used several people for drums. The first drum kit was introduced in 1918. It included a kick drum, snare drum, kick pedal, and a hanging cymbal. Fun fact: the largest drum kit has 813 instruments. It took the American priest Mark Temperato about 35 years to build it.

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 invented. Then it became possible to combine the sounds of acoustic and electronic drums.

How to play?

- Become familiar with the standard drum kit.

- Learn to hold sticks. There are two main stick grips: traditional and symmetrical.

- Sit down correctly. The back should be straight and vertical with the elbows down, parallel to the body. Move as close as possible to the unit while maintaining a comfortable distance for your feet on the pedals.

- Practice! All in your hands!

Toy drums are suitable for children from 1 year old. As a rule, they have a strap so that the child can comfortably hold the chopsticks with both hands, without being distracted by anything. It develops well hearing, a sense of rhythm, musical ability of the child and memory, and drumsticks can stimulate fine motor skills of the hands and train the child's coordination of movement.

Nowadays, drums are an integral part of musical culture, masters around the world make them from different shapes and sizes, different timbre and tone of sound. More recently, drums from Africa and oriental drums have won the love of young people and these instruments have become widely used to perform modern pop music. Oriental drums attracted listeners with their unusual timbre and wide sound extraction 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 all kinds of complex rhythmic patterns after the teacher.

Nowadays, many companies around the world make 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 1TOY, ABtoys or Let's Play Together. All toys are different in their own way, so you can easily pick up the exact toy that is perfect for your child.

https://www.toy.ru - official website of the manufacturer 1TOY

https://www.abtoys.ru - official website of the manufacturer ABtoys