THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  MODERN  DRUM  SET  http://booksgalore.hubpages.com/hub/History-­‐of-­‐the-­‐Modern-­‐Drum-­‐Kit    Most   people   are   aware   that   drums   have   been   around   for   a   long   time.     Drums   of  various   types   have   been   used   throughout   the   history   of   civilization   by   numerous  cultures   for   thousands   of   years.     They  have  been  used  historically   for   a   variety   of  purposes  other  than  music,   including  military  and  religious.    What  many  folks  may  not  be  acquainted  with  is  how  the  standard  drum  kit  used  in  modern  bands  today  came  about.    As  is  the  case  with  many  of  the  innovations  of  the  last  300  years,  the  modern  drum  kit  originated  in  the  U.  S.    The  individual  pieces  that  currently  comprise  the  modern  kit  were  originally  played  separately  by  different   individuals  until   the   late  1800’s.    Brass  bands  were  the  most  commonly  used  instrument  ensembles  in  the  U.  S.  in  the  second  half  of  the  1800’s.     It  was  typical   for  every  town  in  America  to  have  a   local  band  of  this  type.    Originally  playing  largely  outdoors  for  parades,  fairs,  and  picnics,  eventually  the  bands  moved  indoors  for  concerts  which  usually  decreased  the  space  available  for  musicians  and  their  instruments.    This  led  to  the  requirement  of  having  drummers   play   two   or   more   percussion   instruments   at   one   time   so   that   fewer  drummers  would  be  needed.        The   invention   of   the   first   drum  pedal   in   the   late   1800’s   enabled   one   drummer   to  play   all   the   percussion   pieces.     Soon   the   idea   of   adding   cymbals   and   other   sound  effect  percussion  pieces  became  popular.    The  development  of   the  drum  kit   is  also  closely   tied   to   the  development  of   jazz   in  New  Orleans  since  rhythm  was  an  integral  component  of  jazz.    A  basic  modern  drum  kit  typically  consists  of  4  to  6  drums:    bass  drum,  snare  drum,  and  two  to  four  tom-­‐toms.    This  same  kit  usually  includes  a  hi-­‐hat  cymbal  pair,  a  ride  cymbal,  and  at  least  a  couple  of  crash  cymbals.    In  the  mid  1930’s,  Gene  Krupa—the  world’s  first  drum  super-­‐star—essentially  arranged  the  placement  of  the  pieces  that  make  up  the  modern  drum  kit.    Each  of  these  pieces  has  a  history  of  its  own.      The  Snare  Drum    The  snare  drums  traces  back  to  a  medieval  drum  call  the  tabor,  which   was   a   hand   held,   portable   snare   and   struck   with   one  stick.    It  had  a  single  gut  snare  strung  across  the  bottom.    It  was  originally   used   in   war   along   with   a   wind   instrument.     The  development  of  the  drum  rudiments  (paradiddle,  flam,  drag,  and  roll)  coincided  with  the  development  of  the  snare  drum  and  its  use   for   military   purposes.     Sanford   A.   Moeller,   creator   ot   the  “Moeller  Method”  of  drumming  and  author  of  the  book  The  Art  of  Snare  Drumming  insists  that  it  is  essential  to  study  military  drumming  in  order  to  master  the  snare  drum.  

The   snare   drum   became   more   sophisticated   in   the   late  1800’s.     Emile   Boulanger   and   A.   G.   Soistmann   obtained  patents   for   improved   hardware   for   mounting   and   tuning  snare   drums.     U.   G.   Leedy   built   the   first   adjustable   snare  drum  stand  in  1898.    Prior  to  that,  drummers  had  to  hang  the  snare  over  the  shoulder  or  set  it  on  a  chair.    

The  Bass  Drum    The   bass   drum   was   first   used   in   European   music   in   the   1700’s   having   been  borrowed  from  the  Turks.  It  eventually  migrated  across  the  Atlantic  to  America.  As  mentioned   previously,   the   invention   of   the   foot   pedal   in   the   late   1800’s   enabled  drummers  to  use  all  their  limbs  to  play  various  pieces.  These  early  pedals,  however,  required  the  drummer  to  reset  them  after  each  strike.  

 In   1909,   William   F.   Ludwig,   a   drummer   from  Chicago,   designed   the   first   spring   driven   bass  drum  pedal.  This  revolutionized  the  drum  set  and  many  drum  aficionados  insist  that  this  is  when  the  modern  drum  set  was  born.  Drummers  could  now  use   all   of   their   limbs   to   play   various   percussion  pieces   at   once   in   a   more   efficient   manner.   The  Ludwig   family   started   a   company   making   foot  pedals  for  drummers  everywhere.    In   1918,   the   Ludwig   Company  was   first   to   begin  

marketing   complete   drum   sets   consisting   of   a   bass   drum,   snare,   a   cymbal,   and   a  wooden   block.   Later   it   added   tom-­‐toms,   cowbells,   2   tone   blocks,   and   a   triangle.  Ludwig  also  improved  the  designs  of  and  marketed  numerous  other  instruments.    After  World  War   I,   live  music   became  much  more   sought   after.   Large   orchestras  were   hired   to   play   in   hotels,   theatres   and   in   the   silent  movies.   In   the   1920’s   and  1930’s,   all   sorts   of   unusual   gadgets   and  gizmos  were  added  to  drum  kits   including  bells,   whistles,   animal   sounds   and   other  sundry   sound   effect   devices   which   were  available   for   order   in   catalogs.   The   term  “trap   set”   developed   from   the   contraption  these   devices   created.   The   gadgetry   arose  from   the   need   for   drummers   to   supply  various   sound   effects   needed   in   early  movies   and   theatrical   plays.   The   gadgets  were  placed  on  a  console  placed  above  the  bass  drum.      

Tom  Toms    The   tom   toms   used   on   drum   kits   came   from  China   although   Native   Americans   had  constructed   a   similar   instrument.   The   name  “tom-­‐tom”   came   from   Great   Britain   where   it  was  simply  used  to  describe  a  child’s  toy  drum.  Any   drum   without   the   snare   coils   under   the  head   is   technically   considered   a   tom   tom.  Congas  and  bongos  also  fit  in  this  category.    Gene   Krupa,   the   first   drummer   to   become   an  international   star,   stripped   all   the   gadgetry  from   the  early  1900’s  drum  kit   as  well   as   the  console   they   were   placed   on   and   positioned  his  smaller  tom-­‐toms  in  their  stead,  giving  the  kit   a  more   sophisticated   look.   Thereafter,   the  gadgetry  was   considered   ‘quaint.’   The   largest  tom   was   mounted   on   a   cradle   and   stand  similar   to   the   snare   drum.   Soon   legs   were  added  to  it.  This  came  to  be  known  as  the  floor  tom  or  deep  tom.      Krupa  did  a  famous  solo  on  his  deep  tom-­‐tom  during   the   song   ‘Sing,   sing,   sing’   played   with  the   Benny   Goodman   Orchestra   in   the   1930’s  (YouTube   link   below).   This   was   a   major  turning  point  in  the  centrality  of  the  drummer  in   a   band.   This   set   the   precedence   for   the  extended   crowd-­‐electrifying   drum   solos   of  future   bands   and   made   Gene   Krupa   a  household   name.   Krupa   also   popularized   the  ‘rim   shot’  whereby   the   drummer   hits   the   rim  and  head  at   the   same   time  which  gave  a   loud  crack   that   cut   through   the   music.   Drum  hardware   eventually   had   to   be   redesigned   to   accommodate   rim   shots   since   the  drums  of  the  day  caused  drummers  to  frequently  break  their  sticks.    Prior   to   the  mid-­‐1950’s,   all   drum  heads  were  made   of   calf   skins.   In   the   late   50’s,  Remo  Beli  invented  the  synthetic  drum  head  which  was  much  easier  to  keep  in  tune  than  the  calf  head  but  did  not  tend  to  last  as  long.    The   nylon   drum   stick   was   also   invented   in   the   late   1950’s   by   Joe   Calato,   though  Buddy  Rich  was  never  sold  on  it  and  continued  to  use  wood  tips.      

The  Hi-­hat    

The   first   predecessor   of   the   hi-­‐hat   was   the   ‘clanger,’   a  small  cymbal  mounted  on  the  bass  drum  and  which  was  struck  by  a  metal  arm  extending  out  of  the  bass  pedal.      This   developed   into   the   ‘snow   shoe’   or   ‘sock   cymbal’  

which  consisted  of  two  foot-­‐shaped  boards  hinged  together  with  cymbals  bolted  on  each  board  facing  each  other,  manufactured  in  1919  (see  picture).      Shortly   thereafter   came   the   ‘low  boy’   or   ‘low  hat’   during  the   roaring   20’s  which  was   a   low   to   the   ground   form   of  

the   hi-­‐hat   (about   12   inches   high)  operated  with  a   foot  pedal   like  the  bass   drum.   This   eventually  developed  into  the  hi-­‐hat  we  know  today   when   it   was   realized   in   the  late   1920’s   that   if   the   ‘low   boy’   was   raised   higher,   the  drummer  could  use  both  hands  and  foot  to  operate  it  which  gave   it   more   versatility.   Thus,   the   ‘low   hat’   became   the   ‘hi  hat’.    Over   time,   the   drums   became   smaller   and   the   cymbals  became   bigger   as   drummers   began   emphasizing   the   use   of  cymbals  more.  This  led  to  an  extreme  in  the  sizes  for  a  time—18  inch  hi  hats  and  26  inch  rides,  but  by  the  time  rock  music  came  on  the  scene,  the  ride  had  settled  to  18  to  20  inches  and  the  hi  hat  down  to  14  inches.  

 Cymbals    The   history   of   cymbals   goes   back   about   5000  years   ago   in   the   Middle   East   when   bronze   was  invented   by   combining   copper   and   tin.     It   was  initially   used   for   military   and   religious   purpose  but   gradually   was   turned   to   use   in   musical  instruments   when   it   was   noticed   that   the   metal  made  a  pleasing,  musical  sound  when  struck.        From  there,  the  Turks  developed  the  art  of  making  cymbals  and  incorporated  them  into  their  Turkish  music.    The  Turks  were  already  famous  for  having  perfected   the   art   of   cymbal   making   when   the  Ottoman  Empire  began  in  the  1300’s.        

The  central  location  of  Turkey  made  it  a  crossroads  for  travel  and  trading  on  three  continents  (Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa).    Turkish  cymbals  soon  became  widely  used  in  European  operas  and  orchestras.    In  1623  an  alchemist  named  Avedis  Zildjian,  who  was  looking  for  a  way  to  turn  base  metal   into  gold,  created  an  alloy  with  tin,  copper,  and  silver.    He  began  a  company  that  manufactured  noisemakers  to  frighten  enemies  in  battle.    The  formula  is  kept  a  secret   until   this   day.     Now   nearly   400   years   old,   the   Zildjian   is   among   the   oldest  companies  in  the  world.    The  Zildjian  Company  did  not  begin  making   cymbals   as  musical   instruments  until  the   19th   century.     Then   around   1928,   Avedis   Zildjian   III   began   manufacturing  cymbals  in  the  U.  S.    He  is  credited  with  designing  cymbals  to  accompany  drum  sets,  and  with  giving  them  their  names:    the  ride,  the  hi-­‐hat,  crash  and  splash  cymbals.    The  sons  of  Avedis  III,  Armand  and  Robert,  had  a  falling  out   when   Armand   was   appointed   by   his   father   to  succeed   him   as   president   of   the   company.     Robert   left  the  company  and  started  his  own  company   for  making  cymbals   named   Sabian.     Both   Zildjian   and   Sabian  cymbals  are  highly  regarded  in  the  drum  world  today.    Modern  Developments    

In   the   1960’s   and   1970’s   music   became  increasingly   louder   which   required   a  change   in   the  construction  of  drums.  The  cymbals   were   made   heavier   and   thicker.  The   toms   were   made   without   bottom  heads   which   increased   their   projection.  Drum  shells  were  increased  from  three  or  four   ply   up   to   eight   ply   to   increase  durability  despite  hard  use.    Electronic   drums  were   introduced   in   the  1980’s.   Electronic   drums   are   generally  

more   expensive   than   acoustic   drums   but   are   easier   on   the   ears   of   neighbors   and  other  household  members  because  the  volume  can  be  controlled.  Electronic  drums  can  also  make  a  much  wider  variety  of  sounds  than  can  tradition  acoustic  drums.    There  is  no  doubt  that  the  evolution  of  the  drum  kit  has  had  a  tremendous  impact  on  the   development   of   music   in   the   past   century.   The   skills   required   of   a   modern  drummer  are  much  more  complex  and  varied  than  ever.  For  this  reason,  many  years  of  study  and  practice  are  required  to  become  a  highly  skilled  drummer.    Gene  Krupa  Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=j9J5Zt2Obko