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Saturday, August 22, 2009

The Colorful History Of Drums

By Jim Samposzi

The history of the drum goes a long distance back in our world's history. People used drums to produce sounds as far back in time as 6000 B.C. In these ancient societies, like the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas, this instrument was played when they threw parties. Drums were dug up in many mountains of these ancient areas by researchers in later times.

Many people think that it is the main body of the drum that is responsible for making sound. But, this is not the case - it is the stretched out fabric covering the top, or the membrane, that is responsible for the beat. The sound is produced when the top of the drum is whacked with a stick of some sort. When the drum is drummed on, the membrane vibrates and the sound is reverberated throughout the instrument. The Indians actually used real wooden sticks to pound onto the instrument during rituals and ceremonies.

In the nineteen hundreds, drums were to be further built upon, and in time, the drum set was born. A drum set has: a tom-tom, cymbals, snare drums, and bass drums (one of them has a foot pedal to produce the sound. Other percussion instruments like bells, chimes, and wood blocks were included in the arsenal of instruments to produce even more sounds to add to the overall melody of a song. These collections were popular in the 30's up to the 50's, then drum kits similar to the types described above were necessary for rock groups. You were not a rock band if you were without drums.

Like other string-type instrument pieces, drums became digitized for more enhancement. Digital beat machines, keyboards, synthesizers, and drum machines allow for the individual to fabricate their own beats. These sounds created from synthesizers were unique and were not emulated from set of drums. Therefore, modern music employed these include these synthesizers in its repertoire of instruments.

Drums weren't just used for music. In fact, people of other continents used to beat drums as a form of speaking with one another. A series of beats would signal a comment that others in the tribe would understand. Drums further stood as a symbol of religion for Native Americans and people around the world. Most referred to drums as a male and give them as a gift to teen boys becoming men.

The drum produces a sound like nothing else. Drums have been included in genres like: rock and roll, jazz, bluegrass, classical music, and many more genres. Next time you attend a concert of any kind, look on the stage and you might see a drum or arrangement of drums of any type. These instruments are needed for percussion and low tones; because of this, these instruments can be a perfect addition to a concert or band of any kind. - 18758

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