Percussion instruments, like drums, are the backbone of many musical arrangements. They have played an integral part in musical history and have been with us from the dawn of mankind, making them one of the oldest musical instruments in the world.

There is a lot of fascinating information about drummers and drums that you should know as a professional or aspiring drummer, which will be further explained in the article. The facts about drums and drummers might blow your mind…

Most Interesting Facts About Drums & Drummers

The Oldest Drum Known to Mankind 

The oldest drum to be discovered is the Alligator Drum. It was used in Neolithic China and was made from clay and alligator hides. The Alligator Drum was often used in ritual ceremonies and dates back to 5500 BC. The first tom tom drums were brought to the US by Chinese and other immigrant groups in the second half of the 1800s. By the early 20th century, drum set players (then known as “trap drummers”) were adapting them for a variety of uses.

The Drums as We Know Them

The modern drum kit was formed during the 1930s – before that, musical bands used more than one person to control the drums in orchestras. The average drum kit has 5 pieces – the bass drum, snare drum, two toms, and a floor tom, as well as several cymbals; crash, hi-hat, and ride.

The First Step

The Ludwig Drum Company, a popular American drum manufacturer, became known for its first product back in 1909 – the first-ever bass drum foot pedal system, which paved the way for what was eventually to become the modern drum set as we know it.

The Electric Drums

The first electronic drum was created by Graeme Edge, drummer of The Moody Blues, back in the early 1970s. The drums are the most crucial part of the rhythm section in any band, and they require plenty of skills including limb independence, hand-eye coordination, and a good sense of rhythm.

Rock Drummers are Athletes; Drumming is a Sport 

According to studies done by sports scientists such as Steve Draper, percussionists have physical stamina equal to top-tier athletes. Drumming can burn a lot of calories and keep you in shape. Particularly, if you’re a hard-hitting drummer then you may be surprised at how much of a workout you’re getting when drumming.

A study by Chichester University measured the heart rates for a sample of drummers and found that a big drumming session could bring them to near-max recommended heart rates, a similar rate that would be experienced with high-intensity exercises. 

Drumming Can be Therapeutic!

According to Dr. Barry B. Bittman, drumming circles help boost the immune system and promote physical healing. Drum therapy encourages people to release inner trauma through physical movement and meditative rhythms, as well as bringing people together. Drumming has a myriad of benefits for people, especially in recovery. Those in recovery from substance abuse may struggle with anxiety, stress, PTSD, and other general mental health concerns. Drumming can be a great release to manage the stress!

World’s Fastest Drummer

11-year-old Pritish A R (Australia) is officially the world’s fastest drummer! He has broken the record for the most drumbeats in a minute using drumsticks, with a total of 2,370 – that’s 39.5 beats per second. 

The Biggest Drum Kit Has Over 800 Pieces

Dr. Mark Temperato once made a drum kit with 340 total pieces, which weighed over 5,000 pounds (2 tons!) and took hours for four people to set up. In 2014, it was expanded to over 800 pieces. Who knows how big it is now! We’re wondering how many people it would take to play it…

The Important Drum Essentials 

When the bass drum is part of a kit there are often other instruments mounted to the shell including the cowbell, and the kit also includes tom-toms, cymbals, snare drums, hi-hats, and others. Most bass drums are stationary, as in the drum kit setup. However, when bass drums are used in marching bands they must be moveable and are suspended by straps or other apparatus to enable the drummer to walk with the instrument.

Drummers’ Motor Skills are Unmatched

Drummers have been proven to have excellent fine motor skills. Fine motor skills are the small movements we make with our fingers, wrists, and hands. As we grew from young children to adults, our fine motor skills aided our intellectual development. 

The Hemispheres of Drummers’ Brains are Better Connected

According to a study done for Brain and Behavior, drummers have more dense “cables” connecting the two hemispheres of the brain than most people.

Drummers are more Neuroplastic Than Most

An article in Nature Journal describes drumming as not just ‘making music’ but ‘Demanding multi-modular motor training.’ A study posted in Oxford Academic’s 27th volume showed that pro drummers’ resting brains were more neuroplastic than most because of the gross motor movement required.

War Drums

Other than sacred religious rituals, one of the earliest known functions of beating the drums is for war. Back in the day, when there was no access to modern mobile communication like radio, cell phones, or the internet, the military used snares to send coded messages to soldiers.

This communication system has played a very important role in medieval and Renaissance Europe. It was said that drums were also used to send messages over long distances between villages in Africa and India.

Drums and Drummers are Found in Every Culture

Drumming can be found in music from every culture worldwide. From the steel pans of Trinidad to the dough-topped tabla from India and all the cultures in between, drumming is universal. 

As a principal, drummers are raw and authentic — Primal in a beautiful, ancient way. Their craft represents the world’s heartbeat and is the sound we move our bodies to. It’s one of the biggest reasons why drummers are so unique. 

The facts about drums and drummers are sure to astonish you and forever push you to marvel at the glory of this wondrous instrument.

FAQs

Who made the first drum?

The first drums made from natural objects such as alligator skin appeared during 5500 BC. They first came about in Neolithic cultures originating from China but later spread to all of Asia.  This period also saw the creation of Bronze Dong Son Drums in Vietnam during 3000 BC. Sri Lankan and African people later discovered drums between 1000 and 500 BC, which they used to communicate. The culture of drums would then spread to Rome and Greece between 200 and 150 BC.  Drumming spread to Europe during 1200 AD via Mediterranean trading routes. African drums later arrived in America through the slave trade in 1500 AD.

How many types of drums are there?

The three main types of drums are bass, snare, and tom – if we’re referring to the most common drums used in Western culture. These drums make up the standard drum set and are used in countless music genres, including rock and pop.