Musical Article 4

History of Drums and Percussion

By: Maeve Rich

The history of drums dates back thousands of years. Originally a primitive form of communication and making music, drums are a part of percussion instruments.

It's thought that drums have been around since 6000 B.C. It's believed that percussion instruments were the first musical instruments ever invented, largely because of their simplicity and easy accessibility. Drums were originally used as a form of communication, to send signals. Drums were used in Africa to communicate long distances and in Sri Lanka as communication between the government and the citizens.

Drums have long been an integral part of religious ceremonies. Drums were also originally used in China and Europe in the military. Eventually, drums made the jump from marching instrument to the orchestra.

When drums were first invented, they were made of natural materials. Hollowed out logs made the base of the drums, and animal skins covered the top. Drum sticks weren't around then, so people used their hands to play the drums.

Drums have historically been hit by different things to produce music. The body has long been a popular choice for the obvious reason that it doesn't require extra equipment. Drum sticks are probably the most popular modern choice because of the range in sound they can produce.

Today, advancements are being made in what was once a very simple instrument. There is a wide variety of drums, which vary depending on their purpose. Musicians are tinkering with drums to allow them to be tuned and drum sets are implementing new music technology and more complicated setups.