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The
Evolution of the Modern Drum Kit
Story
by Ray Deegan
It's
not easy to accept that while today's elite players demonstrate
almost superhuman feats of technical prowess on countless configurations
of drums and cymbals, in reality after nearly a century of evolution
nothing is really new! There is no questioning the ability of
today's elite players but a close study on drums of the 20th century
reveals that history does have a tendency to repeat itself.
Aided
by the advancement of technology drum manufacturers in the 90's
have basically refined the greatest inventions of the 20's, 30's
and 40's endeavouring to provide today's elite with the best tools
possible for perfecting their craft.
As
we draw to the close of the 20th century and look to the new millennium,
Drumscene asks the question…
What
is the "Modern Drumkit" and just how far can it be refined and
improved?
The
universally accepted "Modern Drumkit" of today only began to take
shape around 1930.
As
with so much of today's technology the initial invention underwent
several generations of improvement slowly refining and scaling
down the technology to suit the convenience of a society under
constant change.
This
process of technical evolution was no more prevalent than in the
early decades of the 20th century.
In
the late 1800's it was commonplace to find several drummers in
one band. Each drummer was assigned an instrument, snare drum,
cymbals, a bass drum and took their place amongst relatively large
bands of musicians. In the late 1890's things began to change.
At
the turn of the century most musicians were employed in the pit
area of theatres performing forvaudille. As the pit became smaller
so too did the band. No longer was it possible to have three drummers.
Necessity
forced drummers to re-think their position, experimenting with
the idea of playing more than one instrument at the same time.
In
the late 1890's the development of the bass drum pedal sparked
a new generation of invention. Suddenly the bass drum pedal enabled
one drummer to play two drums at once. Initial designs had no
spring and required the drummer to control both the striking action
and the recoil with an exhausting and restrictive heel toe motion.
Adding to the awkward playing action was the fact that the most
commonly used bass drum size of the era was 26 inches or larger
further compounding the sluggish nature of the heel toe action.
While
drummers were still adapting to this new invention it was thought
that perhaps cymbals could be played in the same manner. Early
bass drum pedal designs began to include cymbal strikers (See
Diagram 4). Strikers were attached to the shaft of the bass drum
beater. A cymbal was mounted on one side of the bass drum hoop
allowing the bass drum and cymbal to be struck simultaneously.
While
the first patent ever registered for a combined bass drum pedal
and cymbal striker dates back to as early as 1888, it wasn't until
1909 that William F. Ludwig and his brother Theobald made history,
revolutionizing drumming with the invention of the first spring
driven pedal. Immediately drummers were able to play faster and
for longer periods of time (See Diagram 6). Ludwigs new pedal
designs grew to include a mechanism that allowed drummers to switch
the cymbal striker on and off with their foot as desired. The
idea that a drummer could play a multitude of drums, cymbals and
sound effects was now plausible and in fact, reality!
The
drum-kit at this point was still very much in the infant stages
of development. In 1918 Ludwig began marketing arguably one of
the first drum-sets ever offered. The Ludwig "Jazz-er-up"
outfit consisted of a 24" X 8 bass drum, 12" X 3 snare
drum, bass drum pedal with cymbal striker, suspended cymbal and
hoop mounted wood block. (See Diagram 8)
Ludwig
later added an accessory package consisting of two single headed
tuneable toms, cowbells, two tone blocks and triangles.
The
modern drum-kit was now beginning to take shape.
In
the mid 20's drummers began to realise the potential of tom-toms
in creating and expanding the scope of sounds available to them.
The development of the modern tom-tom began with the Chinese tom-tom.
This crudely made drum consisted of a shell with two heads (top
and bottom). Each head was folded and tacked to the outer of the
shell and displayed a painted traditional Chinese symbol or dragon.
(See Diagram 7)
Usually
small in size Chinese toms were hung from a bass drum lug with
wire. As their popularity grew so too did the development of the
"Trap-Tree or Console".
In
the early 20's a craze began and lasted until World War II. Drummers
everywhere began using Trap Tables, Trap Boards and Consoles designed
to mount Chinese toms, triangles, tambourines, cowbells, temple
blocks and cymbals. Consoles were the equivalent of modern day
rack systems aided by the convenience of wheels. (See Diagram
2)
While
the most popular console design consisted of a curved bar which
followed the contour of the bass-drum, others included trays for
sticks, bird whistles and other sound effects. Consoles grew to
include mounts for snare drum and tom-toms, making the drum outfit
easily transportable as it rolled into and out of the pits on
wheels. (See Diagram 3 and 10)
The
primary manufacturer of consoles and trap trees in the 20's, 30's
and 40's was Premier in England, as well as Walberg &Auge
who supplied major drum companies Ludwig and Gretsch. As the development
of mounting systems and hardware continued so too did the tom-tom.
By the late 20's Ludwig, Leedy and various other companies began
adding to the catalogue a range of Chinese tom-toms in sizes varying
from 7 inches in diameter to 20 inches.
In
the late 20's and early 30's a new tom-tom began to appear on
the scene. Featuring a tuneable top head early versions of the
first tuneable tom either had the traditional tacked on bottom
head the same as a Chinese tom, or no bottom head at all! (See
Diagram 9)
Early
tuneable heads were made by tacking a vellum or calf head onto
a wooden counter hoop which in turn was tensioned with T-rods
and claws. Ludwig first added tuneable toms to their catalogue
in 1932, but at this stage the Chinese tom-tom was still the preferred
option.
It
wasn't until the mid 30's that tom-toms with both tuneable top
and bottom heads would stun the drumming world.
The
modern drum-kit was now becoming a familiar site in theatres and
film houses all across the world.
Up
until 1928 drummers had persisted with the "Clanger" or cymbal
striker as earlier covered. Drummers tired of the monotonous characteristic
clanging sound of the cymbal striker turned to the Snow Shoe Sock
Pedal. Designed as an alternative method of independently playing
cymbals the player would simply slip his foot into the toe strap
and press down to hit the top and bottom cymbal together. Aided
by a spring loaded hinge the top and bottom cymbal would recoil
and hit together as desired similar to the hi-hat action familiar
to us all today. (See Diagram 12, see following page)
Although
the snow shoe sock pedal, in all its variations and models, was
an improvement on the clanger, it soon gave way to the Low-Boy.
The low-boy sat approximately 9 inches off the floor and utilized
10" and 12" cymbals with very large bells. The low-boy was only
playable with the foot and at this stage could not be played by
hand in the cross-over manner that is used today. (See Diagram
1)
In
1928 Leedy, Ludwig and Slingerland all offered a conventional
Hi-Hat stand along side the low-boy in their catalogues. The conventional
hi-hat stand as we know it today did not become readily accepted
when first released in the late 20's. The low-boy was still the
drummers first choice until the mid 30's.
When
Slingerland released the Gene Krupa model manufactured by Walberg
& Auge, the hi-hat gained wide acceptance leaving the low-boy
to the history books. The modern drum-kit was almost complete.
Armed
with these new inventions Drummers at this stage were still using
wood blocks and sound effects with hoop mounted toms, racked to
consoles on wheels.
In
1935 Gene Krupa changed the face of drumming by using what was
refereed to as a "Stripped Down Kit". Designed by the Slingerland
Company Krupa's kit was a standard four piece and included tom-toms
with tuneable heads both top and bottom. Tuneable toms took the
world by storm, and so too did Krupa's new streamlined kit. Stripped
of the usual sound effects of blocks, cowbells etc, Krupa's star
status as the drummer for the Benny Goodman band made the four
piece an industry standard. His flamboyant style and extended
drum solos gave rise to a new generation of solo performers. (See
Diagram 13, see following page)
Gene
Krupa was instrumental in developing and designing the double-headed
tuneable tom-tom in conjunction with the Slingerland Company.
Krupa's set-up of a bass drum, mounted 13 inch tom and one or
two floors toms became the standard configuration used by players
throughout popular music.
THE
SNARE DRUM
During the 20's the snare drum grew from a crudely designed
six lug drum with no throw off and gut snares to a magnificent
double tension ten lug drum with parallel throw offs, engraved
shells and gold plating.
In
1883 Emile Boulanger patented a design for Duplex Drums that depicted
a double tension single post tube lug snare drum. Boulanger's
early design theories would in time become the accepted standard.
Consisting of a solid wood shell and wooden hoops the Duplex design
became standard manufacture for Leedy, Ludwig and most major drum
companies around 1920. Common sizes available at this time included
13 inch and 14 inch diameter snare drums with 15 inch and 17 inch
snare drums a widely used option. While today solid shell and
block shell snare drums made from Maple, Mahogany and Walnut are
a unique feature offered by expensive custom drum manufacturers,
in the 20's, 30's and 40's and even 50's (Slingerland only), all
the major drum manufacturers made drums this way.
It
wasn't until after World War II that most drum manufacturers realized
the economy of plywood shell construction and began mass manufacture
this way. In 1912 Leedy produced pressed metal lug casings which
held swivel nuts. Ludwig and Slingerland were to undergo several
trials of their own in swivel nut design, all of which failed
dismally. In 1920 Ludwig and most other drum manufacturers gave
into the inevitable and adopted the swivel nut design and made
it their own.
Both
Ludwig and Slingerland began producing cast lug casings around
1931. These casings, although similar in appearance from company
to company, were designed so drummers could identify the company
by the casing. While the early tube lug designs would eventually
return it seems they all looked the same and made it hard to differentiate
between drum brands. Companies looking to change the appearance
of their drums, making them readily identifiable and commercially
appealing, turned to cast lugs made uniquely for a given model.
The
advent of World War II was to change drum manufacture and design
forever. Due to a shortage of metal in the 40's the government
ruled that non-essential items could contain no-more than 10%
of their total weight in metal. Drum manufactures were faced with
the task of producing as many drum components from wood as possible.
The major drum companies began manufacturing drums with all wood
shells, wooden hoops, throw offs (snare action) and lug casings.
The only metal components that remained were the tension rods,
swivel nuts and screws used to assemble the drum.
Some
of the models that graced this era were:- The Alliance by Leedy,
Victory by Ludwig and The Rolling Bombers by Slingerland.
To
distinctly separate and identify each brand all the major drum
companies designed and produced their own hand carved lug design.
This new era of all wood drums was short lived though, as the
end of the war virtually signified the end of solid wood shell
manufacture.
World
War II had forced the major companies, and their smaller less
visible rivals, to experiment with wood in every means possible.
The result of forced economic and resource restrictions was the
use of Plywood as the major alternative in drum manufacture. Plywood
gained rapid acceptance, it was cheaper and easy to use and soon
dominated drum designs.
While
all drum companies turned to plywood shell construction, Slingerland
remained loyal to solid wood shell manufacture for the longest
period, continuing to produce solid wood shells up until 1970
when they gave in to total plywood construction.
The
end of World War II also brought changes to drum company ownership.
In the late 40's the Leedy name, manufacturing tools and equipment
were all sold to Slingerland. The Conn company which had dominated
drum ownership and manufacture sold the Ludwig name back to William
F. Ludwig who had succumbed to the lack of business in 1929, selling
his interests along with Leedy and several other manufacturers
who struggled with the times. This movement and shuffling of ownership
in the market place gave rise to a new generation of drum companies,
some of which had been living in the shadows of the majors for
many years.
The
companies Gretsch, Rogers, George Way (Camco) and Premier began
to gain greater market share. Rogers became a leader in the design
of new mounting systems with the Swiv-O-Matic hardware system
and The Dynosonic Snare. Kieth Moons Premier drums were fitted
with Rogers Swiv-O-Matic system hardware and mounts in the late
60's and early 70's, in an attempt to prolong the life of Premier
drums subjected to Moon's constant trashing at the end of live
shows.
It
wasn't long before all the companies began to re-design everything,
experimenting with hardware and drum configurations trying to
catch-up on Roger's reputation for quality.
In
the 50's and 60's music world wide was undergoing constant change.
Be-Bop Jazz inspired and required the drummer to play smaller
drums. Cocktail drum-kits became popular giving us smaller bass
drums and more portable kits. Progressively the 24 inch, 26 inch
and 28 inch bass-drums characteristic of early drum design gave
way to 18 inch and 20 inch bass drums popular for their punchy
sound, suitable for the music of the time.
The
60's brought Rock 'n' Roll to the forefront with an emphasis on
bass drum, snare and hi-hat playing. 20 inch and 22 inch bass
drums now became standard for Rock 'n' Roll playing, with the
addition of a 12 inch or 13 inch mounted tom and 14 inch or 16
inch floor tom.
The
most popular snare drum sizes in the 50's included 14" x 5" with
the Be-Bop drummer opting for new designs in 13" x 3", 13" x 4"
and 14" x 4" snare drums. While the 14" x 5" snare drum was still
the most popular size of the 60's Rock 'n' Roll era drummers soon
began experimenting with 5 inch, 6 inch and 8 inch deep snares
for a bigger and fatter sound.
Throughout
the 50's and the better part if the 60's the standard 4 piece
remained the most popular configuration. In 1964 Ringo Starr and
The Beatles drove Ludwig into double shift production when they
appeared on the Ed Sullivan show. Ludwig could barely keep up
with the demand for Ringo's four piece Black Oyster Pearl design.
The
most significant change of the 60's was in drum configuration
when in 1965 Gretsch, Slingerland, Ludwig and Premier began to
add an extra tom mounted on the bass-drum creating a 5 piece kit
configuration. Early adaptations included a second tom of the
same size (e.g. 2x 12 inch toms) but when a different size was
added (13 inch) the 5 piece kit became popular. By the late 60's
the standard five piece kit utilized 12" and 13" mounted toms,
16" floor tom and 20" or 22" x 16" bass drum.
By
far the 70's and 80's brought the greatest period of experimentation
since the 20's and 30's.
The
"standard" kit depended completely on which style of music you
played! Smaller four and five piece kits still dominated the Be-Bop
or Jazz scene while multiple-toms, racks and electronic triggers
became standard in Rock, Pop and Rock Fusion and Jazz Fusion.
Born
as a reaction to the times the classic four piece and five piece
kit was eclipsed in the 70's and 80's by bigger kits with open-ended
toms, (concert-toms) and deeper drums mounted on elaborate rack
systems. (A design stemming from the consoles of the 20's and
30's)
A
characteristic of mainly the 70's and early 80's, drummers and
studio producers began taking the bottom head off drums in an
endeavour to create a bigger sound with greater projection. Drum
manufacturers hungry to capture market share began producing a
multitude of tom and drum-kit designs all laying claim to producing
the volume and projection required for modern rock 'n' roll.
The
big drum companies that had dominated the market for so many years
began to lose ground as the market opened up to the new Japanese
manufacturers Yamaha, Pearl and Tama. The 80's would bring the
greatest challenge as drummers now had to compete with drum machines
and samplers. Electronics in the 80's gave rise to a generation
of new wave and new romantic bands backed by drummers using electronic
pad kits. Simmons was one of the earliest companies to flood the
market with their easily recognized modern electronic kit design.
While
the battle with electronics robbed some drummers of a job in their
early introduction it wasn't long before the new technology became
an accepted part of a drummers equipment. Drummers discovered
the benefits of a kit that combined all the technology available
in aiding the creation and production process.
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