History of Drums

The first way that man discovered of making sounds was by striking something. Depending on the material that was struck, the force with which it was struck and what was used to strike, man discovered the sound could be altered – made louder, sharper and also better. This was how drums came to be. He eventually discovered that striking hollow substances created sound that resonated for longer and this led to the use and creation of the first drum. These were mostly nothing more than large gourds or pumpkins that were hollowed out and then struck. Eventually these instruments were made of other stronger, more durable material and finally, as the drums we know now.

The early use of drums was for communication purposes – when man learnt how to make drums that produced sounds that were loud enough to be carried over long distances. They were also used in rituals and during worship. In fact in Siberia, parts of Asia and North America, drums were used by ‘shamans’ to communicate with ‘spirits’. The use of drums as a means of communication was popular in Africa and Sri Lanka. The oldest usage of a man-made drum dates back to 6000 BC, making the drum the oldest musical instrument known to man.

When drums of different shapes began to be made, their use became varied – they were now used in music, dance, performances, as well as in army. The British infantry messengers used the snare drum to relay coded messages to various army bases. The tambourine is also a kind of drum, used by Persian women in performances. The drums as we know them today are not used singly, but as part of a ‘drum kit’ that comprises of 2-3 drums of various sizes and shapes which produce sounds of varying pitches. These drum kits cam into existence when it was discovered that a player could play many drums at the same time using his arms and legs, producing a richer, better sound. The first drum kit was assembled in 1920 in Louisiana, America.

Drums in contemporary music went through many changes, depending on their players over the years. Through the 1900s, drummers like Max Roach, Louis Belson, Ginger Baker and Buddy Rich made changes to the drum kit by adding different kinds of drums and at times other percussion instruments like tom-toms and cymbals. Depending on the player’s style and preference drum kits evolved, producing different sounds required for different styles of music. It was also possible to amplify or reduce the sound through electronic manipulation. This made it easier to use drums in recordings.

Today mostly electronic drums are used, especially while recordings. These are not ‘drums’ in the sense of their shape and structure. They are electronic pads set on a small sized surface, that when struck produce simulated sounds of various drums. These electronic drums are much smaller than drum kits, making it easier to carry around and accommodate. Drum sounds can also be simulated on the electronic keyboard or synthesizer.

Regardless of their shape and size, drums continue and will continue to remain an integral part of music. They provide the tempo and rhythm without which music would remain incomplete.