The science of drums is simple, and it’s what has allowed
even ancient tribes to create beautifully sounding drums as some of the first
and most popular musical instruments in existence. Over the years, however, the
materials and the structure of drums and drumsets have evolved a great deal.
Nowadays, instead of basic sticks and leather membranes, drums are based on
refined, synthetic materials such as acrylic and fiberglass, and only some
brands still use “traditional” wood such as mahogany, maple and birch.
Drums have been around since about 6,000 BC and the first
cylindrical drums can be traced back to the region of Mesopotamia from around
3,000 BC. The vaudeville and jazz eras, as well as the drums designed for
various marching bands were the key to developing the modern design for
drumsets. The first foot-operated bass drums were developed by Ludwig as early
as 1909, and additional experiments were performed to develop other designs for
the next 20 years or so.
Eventually, the first standardized drum set took shape in
1930, as Ben Duncan, a well-known dance band drummer, put together an
arrangement made out of a bass drum, tom-tom, snare and a foot tom-tom. This
unique (at the time) arrangement had set the basis for the development of the
modern rock drum set up, which is now known as a “kit,” and boasts a wide range
of configurations.
If you are interested in learning to play this wonderful instrument, look for quality drums for sale at My Music Supply.
Article source here: A History of Drums and Drumsets: How Have Drums Evolved Over the Years?
My Music Supply 