Drums
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The Drum Kit
The drum kit is considered to be the heart beat or even the nucleus of most modern music today such as can be found in a rock band or a jazz group. The drummer is responsible for keeping the rest of the musicians in time through coordination of his/her playing of several instruments simultaneously. Without the constant beat and rhythm of the drums, there would simply be no backbone to support the individual parts (the musicians), which make up the whole (the band). The Hi-Hat The hi-hat comprises two cymbals (one upper and one lower), which is mounted on a stand. When the pedal is depressed using the foot, this pulls the cymbals together creating a short clashing sound. By striking the upper cymbal, the drummer is able to produce a ringing effect which is brought to a hault by use of the pedal. The crash cymbal is attached to a stand which has a height adjustment key which is easily adjustable to suit the individual needs of the drummer. The crash cymbal is free to oscillate and vibrate when hit by drum sticks producing a resonating crash sound and in most cases is used to indicate a dramatic effect in a musical piece. The Ride Cymbal The ride cymbal is frequently played with a stick to produce a "riding" rhythm". Snare Drum The snare drum comprises a set of wires called the snare at its base. When the drum is struck the snare vibrates against the base skin or lower head to create an acute crack to the drum's sound. The snare has a tension key which allows the drummer to adjust the tension of the snare to create a suitable sound and the drum itself is usually found mounted on a stand. The Two Tom-Toms The two tom-toms, or otherwise known as "toms" can be found mounted onto the bass drum which sits on the floor. These pair of small drums produce a high-pitched, mellow note. Each drum has a single head with an adjustable damper which is used to vary the length of the sound when struck. The Floor Tom This tom-tom is a larger version of the two tom-toms and stands on the floor. It produces a large resonating note when manipulated with either mallets, sticks or the palm of the hand. The Bass Drum The bass drum stands on its side and is played through the use of a bass drum pedal which has a felt covered beater attached to it. When the pedal is depressed by the drummer's foot, the bass drum produces a low deep "thud". The bass drum can be considered to be the main keeper of time out of all the drum parts. Brushes, Mallets and Sticks The main implements used by drummers to manipulate the various sounds produced by the drum kit are sticks, brushes or mallets. Brushes produce a quiet sound and are more often found used in jazz or blues music whereas, mallets and sticks produce the loudest sound and generally are more suited to rock music and other music of a loud nature. |
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