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Drums are among the oldest musical instruments.
The best known of PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS, they are found throughout
the world and in a great variety of shapes andsizes. A drum
normally consists of a skin or other membrane, called a head,
which is stretched over an enclosed space or over one or both
ends of a hollow vessel. Exceptions include the African slit
drum, made from a hollowed-out tree trunk, and the Caribbean
steel drum, made from a metal barrel. Drums are usually played
by the hands or by one or two sticks. In some non-Western
cultures drums have a symbolic function and are often used
in religious ceremonies. They are sometimes used in sending
signals. The talking drums of Africa can imitate the inflections
and pitch variations of a spoken language and are used for
communicating over great distances.
Many drums used in Western societies are of African, Arabic,
or turkish origin. The KETTLEDRUM was introduced into Europe
during the Crusades. The European tabor, derived from an African
instrument and sometimes called a tambour, was a small drum
played with the right hand, while the left hand fingered a
3-hole flute. Across its center, the tabor often held a snare,
which produced a strong vibration and sustained the sound
between beats.
The modern symphony orchestra employs a variety of drums.
Kettledrums are the most common; the bass drum, tenor drum,
and SNARE DRUM, or side drum, are also sometimes used, along
with TAMBOURINES and bongo drums on occasion. Among these,
only the kettledrums produce sounds of definite pitch, which
is adjustable. The tenor drum is a large deep drum with two
heads that is played with wooden sticks. The larger bass drum,
also with two heads, stands upright on its side and is struck
with felt-padded sticks. Bongo drums are small single-headed
drums struck with the hands and usually played in sets of
two or three. The tambourine is a shallow single-headed drum
with metal jingles inserted into the frame; it is struck by
the hand, shaken, or rubbed.
Drums are also used in large numbers in military and marching
BANDS. Traps, an assortment of drums and other percussion
devices played by a single performer, have been a standard
feature of dance and jazz bands since the early part of the
20th century.
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