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| Membranophones:
--- Timpani --- Roto-toms --- Snare Drum --- Tenor Drum --- Field Drum --- Bass Drum --- Tom-Toms --- Timbales --- Bongos --- Conga Drums --- Tambourine |
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| Membranophones | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Unlike idiophones, membranophones produce their sound by the vibration of a single membrane in the instrument, rather than the entire body of the instrument. This is the category in which most all the traditional "drums" can be found -- every modern drum set uses several membranophones (snare, tom-toms, bass) and idiophones (cymbals). | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Pitched Drums | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Timpani (timp.) |  |
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| The timpani is the oldest regular member of the symphony orchestra. Innovations from this century have expanded its original limited range by altering the sizes of the instrument available; 30-inch, 28-inch, 25-inch, and 23-inch variations are commonly found in all orchestras. Until earlier in the 20th century, tuning the timpani required tightening or loosening the calfskin membrane via screws placed around the head's perimeter; this process was rather time-consuming, so the functions assigned to the timpani were fairly limited. Now, however, timpanis are fully mechanical and use a foot pedal on each drum to make pitch changes quick and easy. This has allowed the function and potential of the instrument to increase exponentially. Back to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Roto Toms | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Roto toms are the innovation of an American manufacturer (Remo); they are essentially a series of tom-toms that are tuned by manual turns of the shell on a frame. The drums are made with a bowl resonator similar to that of the timpani, and sound quite similar to it except for a clearer, more articulate pitch. The potential range of the timpani has been greatly expanded by the addition of roto toms, as the same beaters are used and the instruments share a very compatible sound. All timpani techniques can be applied to roto toms. Back to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Non-Pitched Drums | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Snare Drum (S.Dr.) |  |
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| The snare drum has been a member of the symphony and opera orchestras for seemingly eons. There are actually two heads found on the instrument: the top head, used for playing, is called batter, while the bottom head is referred to as snare, so called because of the snares stretched across it, which can be constructed of cat gut, wire, or nylon. The drum also has a switch on its side which can be loosened to shut off the snares, making the instrument sound like a tom-tom. When the snares are left on, the snare drum produces a crisp, sharp sound that makes it excellent for playing concise rythmic patterns. Wooden sticks are the normal beaters used for the instrument, though wire effects can be used for softer effects (as is often done in jazz music). Back to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Tenor Drum (T.Dr.) |  |
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| Tenor drums are frequently found in bands and orchestras. The drum has a deep, resonant sound and shares basic techniques with the snare drum, though it has no snares. Again, wooden sticks are most often used, but timpani and marimba mallets can also be employed effectively. Back to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Field Drum (F.Dr.) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| The field drum's circumference is actually the same as that of the tenor drum, but the field is a deeper shell snare drum than the tenor and has snares. Field drums are rarely used in orchestras; it produces a darker, less crisp sound than the snare drum. Though it is played with large snare drumsticks, the same techniques apply to the field drum as to the snare drum. Back to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Bass Drum (B.Dr.) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Walter Piston once said of the bass drum to his orchestration class, "If you hit the bass drum hard, it does not make any difference what the chord is above it; if you roll fortissimo on the bass drum, the rest of the orchestra can quit playing." His statement fairly describes the enormous power of the instrument, and on the same coin, the care that must be taken in playing it. Bass drums can be played upright or laid flat, and either of its two heads can be used. As Mr. Piston suggested, composers must be careful not to overuse it, as its power can easily overtake the rest of the orchestra's playing. The drum can be used to evoke a feeling of impending doom, to recall war, to simulate distant thunder, or to begin or end a short-note percussion passage. A mallet slightly larger than a timpani mallet with a bulkier, softer head is usually provided for the bass drum; wooden sticks can also be used for strokes and rolls. Back to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Tom-Toms (T.T.) |  |
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| Tom-toms occupy a sort of gray area between having definite and indefinite pitch, since they can be tuned to approximate pitches if necessary. They come in two pairs of four differently-sized drums; the pitch can be divided like four voices, i.e. soprano, tenor, alto, and bass. Physically, tom-toms resemble small tenor drums without snares, and many have only one head. There's actually another set available called two-headed tom-toms, which are most often used in jazz bands, though they can be available in symphony orchestras. Single-headed tom-toms are crisper and more articulate; the double-headed variants aren't so defined, but bear greater sustaining power and a deeper, more somber sound. Yarn, chord mallets, and snare drumsticks are the most common beaters used, and technique is similar to the drum technique. On a side note, one-headed and two-headed tom-toms are interchangeable and the majority of casual listeners can't tell the difference between the two. Back to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Timbales (Timb.) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Timbales come in pairs attached to a metal stand, similar to one-headed tom-toms (in fact, they are often mistaken for tom-toms). Timbales are of Latin American origin and come only in 13-inch and 14-inch diameter -- one to serve as the high drum, the other low. They are one-headed drums but unlike tom-toms, they have a metal shell of around snare-drum depth, giving them a more piercing metallic sound. The timbales can be played in a number of ways, using timbale sticks (which are thinner and lighter than snare drumsticks), marimba mallets, or even one's hands. Back to Top |
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| Bongos | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Bongos are single-headed Latin American drums that always come attached in pairs. Unlike primitive bongos, modern professional bongos have a tightening device on the rim used for tuning; most musical organizations only have one set of bongos, but several sizes are manufactured. They are traditionally held between the knees and played by hand, but they can be mounted like timbales and played with snare drumsticks, any kind of mallet, or softly with brushes. Bongo playing uses a very specialized technique, so the ordinary percussion player can't be expected to proficiently perform the type of playing that a professional bongo player could, but typical tom-tom type music can usually be performed without difficulty. Back to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Conga Drums | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| This Latin American bass instrument frequently used in today's symphony orchestra stands about thirty inches high, with one head that's about eleven inches in diameter. A typical conga drum is shaped like an inverted hourglass, bulging out in the middle and tapering back down at the top and bottom. All types of mallets may be used in playing, but the congas are best played with the hands. Striking the head of the instrument near the rim will result in a higher pitch than hitting it in the center, so the kind of pitch desired should be specified when composing. Back to Top |
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| Tambourine | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Another instrument with ancient origins, mention of the tambourine can be found in the Bible. The instrument is essentially a very shallow drum with a single-head skin fastened over a wooden hoop. Several slots with pairs of small disc cymbals are found around the frame; these cymbals jingle when the tambourine is shaken or struck. Unless otherwise specified, the 10-inch size is usually used, though 15-inch and 6-inch models can also be found. Back to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||
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