How The Drum Set Came To Be
Most people around the planet have some idea of what a drum set is due to the continuous influx of Western pop music. Practically any band or group uses some sort of drum kit. It wasn’t always the case though.
Up until the late 19th century most percussionists only played one instrument at a time. The bass drum, cymbals, snare drum, etc. each had an individual player specific for that instrument. However experimentation with foot pedals started around 1890 and this proved to be inspirational for freeing up the hands for other stuff. Due to the fact of the its foot base, the bass drum grew to become the central instrument upon which the rest of the drum set was ultimately built.
A different development occurred with the marching band and the way players strapped on various percussive instruments to their bodies – bass drums, cymbals, tom-toms, and even whistles and klaxons.
About 1930 is when the drum kit as we know it today came to be with a bass drum, tom-tom, floor tom, snare, ride cymbal, and hi-hat. The bass and hi-hat are foot operated though the hi-hat can moreover be played with sticks or brushes. As the years progressed extra instruments were added such as the cow-bell, crash cymbals, and many more. Every type of music and indeed each type of player demands a set that is just right and as a result there are a lot of different combinations.
As drum kit design developed new elements were introduced such as electronics. There are a whole range of electronic kits that are so state-of-the-art that they are able to reproduce the feel and sound of an acoustic set. They also frequently have modules with substantial sound libraries that allow the player to play any sound they may imagine.
Top quality electronic sets (such as the ddrum DD1 Electronic Drumset and the Roland 9SX) have brought the drum improvement to its furthest point yet. It’s difficult to imagine where they’ll go from here!
OK Go – This Too Shall Pass – Official Video