history of drums
...ct with Africa, around 2000 BC. They learned about their drums and took some with them, but were not very impressed. They did not use the drums very often. But then the Romans came. Their empire grew bigger and bigger and around 200 BC they had even invaded Greece and Northern Africa. They also learned about the drums, but, unlike the Greek, they did see use for the drums. They started using them in their armies and their orchestras. But even though they used the African drums, they did not use their patterns and rhythms, so the feeling the Africans had in their music was missing. But then the glory of the Roman Empire faded away. Many rival tribes invaded the Empire, including the Moors, around 800 AD. They invaded Spain and brought about some African drums and rhythms. One of these instruments was a tambourine with intestines of animals, stretched against the skin of the tambourine. These intestines produce a resonance, which produces a sharp sound. In the Middle ages, this system developed into the predecessor of the modern snare drum, which today uses metal strings instead of intestines. Bass drum The bass drum is probably the drum you think of second, when you picture a drum-set. This big, low-tuned and upright standing drum gives the basis to almost all popular rhythms. In many orchestras, bands and in many styles of music, this drum forms the basis, the reference point for all the other players. And the Indians and the Turks are to thank for that. The Indians already used a similar big drum like the bass. Around 1550, the Turks brought this drum to Europe, via the various trade routes they had with Asia. At that time, the Turks had a very large realm, so this bass drum was used in a large area and by many people. This way, the bass drum became quite common throughout Europe. How it all came together Since 1500 AD, most of the Western European countries tried to conquer America, because they all wanted colonies there. They also killed and moved lots of Indians, and they traded Africans as slaves. That way, lots of cultures and drums were mixed together in America. The natives from Africa, brought to America as slaves, were mixed with the natives of America and with all other cultures that lived there. But the Blacks were not allowed to play their own music. That's why they created some sort of drum-set with their own African drums. But nobody knew those drums were African from origin. Why would people be interested in the...