The Evolution, and Innovations of the Drum Kit
Introduction
From pop to punk, from hip-hop phonk, the drum kit makes the best clonk. The drum is one of the most important instruments in any song. It provides a steady and consistent tempo for the rest of the band, and, in a way, is the conductor of the entire song. In this presentation you will learn the basic history of the drums, why they are so important to music, and the innovations they have received over the years.
A Brief History of the Drum
The first drum that we know of dates back to around 5500 BC. It was found in China, and was made out of alligator skin and wood. They are used for religious ceremonies and cultural events.
The first "Drum Kit" ever built was made in 1918, Chicago, I.L, by William F. Ludwig and his brother, Theobald Ludwig.
The Innovation of the Drum's from the 1920's to the 2020's
Here is one of the first drum kits ever made.
Now here is a modern kit.
The difference is undoubtedly substantial.
The first kit was made with wood, metal, and heavy nickel, while the newer models are made with aluminum, wood, and polyester. While the equipment for the drums got better and better, so did the sound.
Drum kit from the 1920's
Drum kit from the 2020's
The Evolution of Drums in Music From the 1920's to 2020's
Now, for my favorite part, the music. , the drums were mainly used for jazz and blues. That is until the late 40s when the first rock bands started to pop up. These bands laid the foundation for several genres after them.
Over the years, the sound of the drum's style changed drastically. The main two that I will be focusing on are the rhythm and dynamics.
Dynamics
If you listen to songs from the 1920s, the drums are light and fast, and although they have good rhythm, they lack dynamics, for example. Livery Stable Blues. By the "Dixieland Jazz Band." 1920. The drums are not very extreme, as if you look at a song in the 2000's like," American Idiot" by Green Day 2004. The dynamics are clean and fluid.
Rhythm
Livery Stable Blues rhythm is basic, it lacks depth, meanwhile American Idiot's rhythm is much more complex and dynamic, (In the sense that it has many different layers to it.) Overall, the drummers in the 1920's were more conservative with their play, while as the drums evolved so did the drummers.
Conclusion
In over 100 years of the drum kit's existence, it has evolved and innovated time and time again. From the materials, to the overall sound, it truly is one of the most important instruments in any song. The rhythm dynamics, tempo, and beat are what make this piece of wooden metal and plastic special.
Works Cited
The evolution of the modern drum kit. Drumtek Store. (n.d.). https://www.drumtek.com.au/the-evolution-of-the-modern-drum-kit/
Burchell, Charles. “A Brief-Ish History of the Drum Kit.” Soundfly, 15 July 2019, flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/a-brief-ish-history-of-the-drum-kit/.
“What Is a Drum Head?” Www.drumambition.com, www.drumambition.com/what-is/a-drum-head#:~:text=You%20may%20have%20heard%20them. Accessed 2 Nov. 2023.
I really like how you laid out this post. I think you provided lots of cool information about the evolution of the structure and the use of drums. Personally, I love listening to the drumlines of marching bands, and I think that this use of drums is a big part of its evolution as well.
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ReplyDeleteMan, I could barely distinguish the drums in Livery Stable Blues. But the drums lead in American Idiot, they drive the song. You’re so right, they’ve become a more central part of many kinds of music. I used to like American Idiot a lot more when I was younger. It’s still decent motivational music, but I’ve gotten more fogeyish on the wrong side of thirty.
I googled “ancient Chinese drum.” It’s interesting how it’s still a barrel, with materiel stretched over one end to be beaten with a stick. For some reason I thought it would be more like Yup’ik and Inupiaq Alaska Native drums, a flat piece of wood bent round into a circle, with a handle, and material stretched….if you google “Yup’ik drum” you’ll find it. They used to use animal skin, now they likely use canvas of some sort. They’re the only instrument used in yuraq, Native dance, and the drummers set the pace to which everyone dances. The more energetic songs there is stomping along with the drum beat, and depending on the floor that can be another loud percussive instrument I guess. I can’t leave a link in the comments, but if you youtube Mt. Edgecumbe Yup’ik dance there’ll be some great examples.
This is so cool to learn. I wouldn’t have thought of a drum being made out of alligator skin and wood. I like how the development of new drums went with the development of new music styles becoming popular at the time.
ReplyDeleteLooking up the evolution of drums, I found that the drumstick has been the same for the most part throughout the years. Which is interesting. I would have thought there might be a slight difference with the evolution of the drum kit. Although it does make sense there was no change since it seems like the shape and design are perfectly fine as it is.