- Probably the most impressive drum is ōdaiko,
the largest taiko (taiko is a term designing traditional
Japanese drums). Playing such a drum involves not only musical ear and sense of
rhythm, but also good physical shape, to be able to deal with the huge size of
this drum. - Although they are now considered musical
instruments, drums have also fulfilled other functions related to communication,
among which the transmission of messages is one of the most interesting from an
anthropological point of view. Another non-musical role of the drums has been
assigned to them in the military field. Their penetrating sound mobilized the
soldiers, urging them to attack, an effect used since ancient times, as shown
by a Chinese writing that tells of a battle that took place in 684 BC. In the
medieval poem that chronicles the achievements of the brave Cid Campeador, the
hero of the Reconquista, it is mentioned the use of the drums by the Moorish
soldiers, and their sounds terrified their opponents. - Most drums – especially the old ones, used in
traditional music – are not tunable, which means that the height of the sounds
cannot be changed by the musician; they have a certain sound that depends on
their construction, unlike some types of modern drums – such as kettle drums –
that can modify the height of the sound they produce. - My Music Supply drum shop inventory offers a variety of drums for sale, and offers percussion lessons as well.
Article source here: Interesting Facts About Drums
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