The Big Beat: Do Drums Rule RocK?
Let the beat roll on. First, a brief evolution of the drums in popular music to set the scene.
Marshal Maley at 411drums.com notes that the drumset started to evolve in the 1890’s. The effect of New Orlean’s music in particular, pushed this development. Drummers changed John Philip Sousa’s drum format, thus, double drumming was invented. Next, they experimented with ways to play the bass drum without hands. Maley says that Dee Dee Chandler is the first one to play with a bass pedal in the latter 1880’s or early 1890’s.
Kevin Brown at x8drums.com states that the basic drum kit started in the 1930’s were designed simply with bass and foot pedal, a snare drum, tom-toms, a hi-hat cymbal, and one or two sets of hanging cymbals.
The New Orleans drummers in particular “put that swing” in their drumming. In the 40’s dance music punctuated the “backbeat” on the snare drum. In the 50’s rock drumming began and in the 60’s rock drumming emerged fully.
William Ludwig invented the first medal pedal, which began the Ludwig Drum Company. His brother, a drummer, had such a hard pounding style that he invented a good wooden pedal, but William said, “we can make a better one with metal.”
Back to our question, without the beat there is no rock or its cousin called alternative. As a singing duo once said, “And the beat goes on…”
Digg this, check out my articles at http://www.guitarnoise.com
- A Giant Guitarist To Note
- Legendary House
- Judy Collins- Biography of a Child Prodigy
For More Information:
http://www.411drums.com/drums-history.htm
http://www.pas.org/Resources/FUN/MaleyDrumset.cfm
http://www.x8drums.com/history-drums.asp
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