Electronic Drums
Electronic Drum reviews, articles, and tips for beginners and beyond
In this series...
History
Primitive drums are believed to be the first musical instruments used by human beings, with evidence of use from as far back as prehistoric times. Archeologists have found evidence that Neolithic cultures in China were using alligator skins to make drums as far back as 5500 BC.
Japanese Taiko drums started appearing throughout the Far East from about 500 BC, with African drums arriving in Southern Europe a few hundred years later.
During medieval times early versions of many of the modern percussion instruments we are familiar with started being invented. These found their way into the orchestra from the early 19th century, and a few decades later the first recognisable drum kits (or drum sets) began to appear.
Of course, Electronic Drums are a fairly new invention compared with that history!
Electronic Drums Specs
Drum Kits can vary in specification considerably, but there are generally a few constants:
- A Bass Drum (normally between 16 and 26 inches) played with a foot pedal
- A Snare Drum (normally between 12 and 15 inches)
- Two or more Tom Toms (ranging from 6 to 18 inches)
- A pair of Hi-Hat cymbals mounted on a stand with a foot pedal
- Two or more other cymbals (including crashes, rides and splashes)
How To Play
The Electronic Drums are one of the few musical instruments that require you to use both your hands and your feet.
The most common position is to sit on a stool, with your left foot on the hi-hat pedal and your right foot on the bass drum pedal. A drumstick is held in each hand, which are used to strike the snare drum, tom toms and cymbals.
You can either make the sound appear through an amplifier, or with your headphones. If you are looking for information on Acoustic Drums, click here.
Drumming is a healthy activity. If you spend half an hour playing the drums you will burn more calories than walking or cycling for the same amount of time!
