An exciting guide to different types of drums

Are you confused about which drum set is called what? Or a drumming beginner! Here’s an exciting guide to different types of drums to help you understand better.

If you are interested in learning how to play drums? Or you want to know how many types of drums are there? Then you’re in the right place. This article will pique your curiosity and inspire you to go out and expand your drumming arsenal with new sounds and instruments.

An exciting guide to different types of drums

Here’s a guide to different types of drums ranging from minor to enormous, famous for their sounds. Let’s learn about each one.

1. Electronic Drum

electronic drum

Electronic drum kits are the most widely used drum kits frequently used as peaceful substitutes for noisy acoustic drum sets. These drums generate synthetic sounds that are either built wholly on a computer from scratch or sampled from real-world acoustic drums. 

Electronic drum pads are among the several varieties. You may run backing tracks, create synth sounds, make samples, and run full live shows using these sample pads, among other things.

While some drummers utilize regular electronic pads obtained from electronic drum kits, others use electronic sampling pads adjacent to their drum set. 

Hybrid drumming is the practice of using both acoustic and electronic drums simultaneously. Hybrid drumming is pretty common in contemporary music, especially in pop contexts.

2. Marching Drum

marching drum

Many people march while playing music with drums during sporting events and parades. The drums used for such events are called marching drums. With the gigantic sound of these drums, many marching performances are constantly hitting high.

Its head is composed of Kevlar, and it makes a significantly deeper sound. Generally, the drums produce a sharp staccato sound and bring an energetic vibe to the environment. As a result, this snare has a relatively good tension-holding capacity. 

Bands of various sizes use the marching drums. Some are modest in size, while others may house hundreds of musicians. And usually, they are performed outside by a marching band or corps. 

3. Talking Drum

talking drum

The West African griots used talking drums to create music like their native forefathers. It has an hourglass form, and the drummer may adjust the pitch while playing the drum.

The talking drum comes in a wide range of sizes, with various ethnic groups having distinct drum sizes.

It contains drum heads on either side, which the player may squeeze between their torso and arm. Cords connect the drum heads. 

They are helpful in mimicking the sound of a person humming.

4. Timpani

timpani

Most orchestras depend heavily on their timpani. They’re big drums and you can use them in groupings of two or four.

The fact that they emit melodic tones makes them unique. A timpani player must tune the timps to suit the key of the music they are performing.

The musician does this by depressing pedals that tighten or loosen the drum skin beneath the tips. Properly tuned, the timps generate a distinctive bottom tone heard throughout many pieces.

Tuning them before each song sounds like it may be a bit of a mission. But professional timpani players become quite adept at doing this and occasionally even alter the tune in the middle of a piece.

5. Frame Drums

frame drums

Maybe the oldest and most basic type of drum is a frame drum. The only prerequisite to qualify for this category is that the head’s breadth must be bigger than the drum’s depth (i.e., frame). 

The drum may occasionally even be devoid of a head. These musical instruments typically have regional roots, much like hand drums.

Maybe the most well-known frame/hand drum is the tambourine. You may discover multiple renditions in various music styles and societies, from rock to folk music, South America to Europe.

6. Goblet Drums

goblet drums

East Europe, Asia, and Africa are all prominent regions for goblet drums.The djembe goblet drums from Africa are arguably the most well-known in the West.

The body of a djembe is often composed of strong, solid wood. And the membrane is typically goatskin attached to the body using a rope and two steel rings.

It has derived its name from the Bambara proverb “Let’s assemble together in peace,” Anje djé, anke bé.

A djembe can produce a sound of up to 105 dB, which is extremely loud considering its small size. An excellent instrument for solo interludes over a group, it also gives a wide range of tones.

Conclusion

Here we’re finishing our guide to different types of drums. Hopefully, you enjoyed it. These many drum varieties have fascinating histories that are well worth researching. You could adore having some of these drums if you’re a drummer interested in percussion.

There are also many kinds of drums if you’re a percussionist who enjoys collecting and playing percussion.

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Jr. Robert A. Plant

Hey there! I'm Jr. Robert A. Plant, an artist, blogger and reviewer who's absolutely in love with the world of music. I have a knack for reviewing music gear, sharing my thoughts and insights at Raisingsand FX. When I'm not exploring gear, you'll find me lost in the creative process of writing songs. Music is my passion, and I'm here to inspire and touch lives through my artistic journey.

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