History of bass drum

A bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. There are three general classifications of bass drums: the concert bass drum, the 'kick' drum, and the pitched bass drum. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral or concert band music is the concert bass drum. The 'kick' drum, struck with a beater attached to a pedal, is usually seen on drum kits. The third type, the pitched bass drum, is generally used in marching bands and drum corps. This particular type of drum is tuned to a specific pitch and is usually played in a set of three to six drums. (To separate "double bass" from the orchestral instrument)

It is used in orchestral music, concert band music, marching music, and throughout 20th century popular music as a component of the drum set.


A Yamaha Bass Drum pedal.In popular music, the bass drum is used to mark time. In marches it is used to project tempo (marching bands historically march to the beat of the bass). A basic beat for rock and roll has the bass drum played on the first and third beats of a bar of common time, with the snare drum on the second and fourth beats, called "back beats". In jazz, the bass drum can vary from almost entirely being a timekeeping medium to being a melodic voice in conjunction with the other parts of the set. In classical music, the bass drum often punctuates a musical impact, although it has other valid uses.

An orchestral, or concert bass drum is quite large, about 36" in diameter, and is played with one or sometimes two large, padded mallets. Usually the right hand plays the drum and the left hand muffles it. When played with both mallets, a knee or forearm can be used for damping.

Many different timbres, or sound-colors result depending on how where the drum is struck. Implements used to strike the drum may include bass drum beaters of various sizes, shapes, and densities, as well as keyboard percussion mallets, timpani mallets, and drumsticks. Concert bass drums can sometimes be used for sound effects. e.g. thunder, or an earthquake.

In a drum kit, the bass drum is much smaller, most commonly 20" or 22" but sizes from 16" to 24" are quite normal, with depths of 14" to 18", although some brands have made 20" sizes. 26" in diameter is not unusual in a big band, and extremes both larger and smaller are sometimes seen. It is usually more heavily muffled than the classical drum, although it can be a bit "boomy". But this can be stopped by placing a pillow or a blanket against the back head to produce a shorter "thud". It is played using a pedal operated mallet, which a right-handed drummer will conventionally operate with the right foot. Sometimes the front head of a bass drum has a hole in it to allow air to escape when the drum is struck for shorter sustain. Muffling, such as pillows and blankets, can be installed through the hole without taking off the front head. The hole also allows microphones to be placed into the bass drum for recording and amplification. In addition to microphones, sometimes trigger pads are used to amplify the sound and provide a uniform tone, especially when fast playing is too difficult.

One of the many ways to use the foot to hit the pedal is the "heel-toe" motion, or the "powerslide," where the drummer first puts down the heel and rolls onto the ball of the foot. This method uses a rocking motion and makes it easier for the drummer to hit the pedal quicker. Another variation is the toe-heel method, where the foot is played heel-up, so that the toes play the first stroke, then the foot shifts forward to a flat stance so as to drive the pedal into another stroke.