Bendir
The bendir, from Morocco, is part of the frame drum family. Frame drums are one of the oldest types of musical instruments, and can be found in many different cultures all over the world. From Africa (the tar, and muzhar), Asia, the Middle East, to Europe (the bodhrán) and North America, the frame drum is everywhere.
The bendir is quite similar to the tar in construction with a shallow frame covered on one end with a skin. The feature that sets the bendir apart is the use of gut snares stretched across the back side of the skin inside the frame. If you look closely at the picture, you'll see through the head, 2 snares running from the lower left part of the drum to the upper right. These snares "buzz" or rattle when the drum is struck creating its unique sound. Playing technique is similar to that of the tar, except there usually is no thumb hole.
The frame drum family shares certain characteristics: a shallow frame with a skin stretched across it. Many playing techniques are also shared by different drums.The bodhrán is similar in construction, but it is the playing techniques that set this drum apart.
Bodhrán playing, whether with the hand, fingers, or (more commonly) with a tipper (a short double-ended stick), is not a direct hit to the head. It is struck obliquely, almost parallel to the head. This is quite a different approach not only from other frame drums, but most other types of drums as well. It is this peculiar technique that defines the sound of the bodhrán and lends itself to the rhythms so perfectly suited to performing traditional Celtic music.
As the name would suggest, bones are made of bone. Some look like the meat was removed yesterday, others are smooth and highly polished. Other materials are also used, such as plastic and wood. Different wood will produce different sounds.
Playing bones originated in Africa, where they are called marupa and are played with a pair in each hand. In the Celtic tradition, generally only one pair is played. The American tradition usually uses two pairs. Some people even use three bones in one hand.
Playing technique for bones is to have one stationary and the other loose (think of a hammer and an anvil). The stationary one or the anvil is held between the first and middle fingers. The loose one or the hammer goes between the next set of fingers and can freely swing and bounce against the anvil.
The chalice-shaped djembe is made of wood, has a skin (usually goat) head and a complex weaving of ropes used to tighten the head. It is held by a strap in front of the player and hangs down between the legs, allowing full arm motion and mobility (anybody want to dance?).
Striking the head in different places with specific hand shapes produce the various sounds. On the rim is the mid tone. Just inside the rim with a cupped hand is the high tone and using the palm near the center of the head is where the deep bass tone is found. This is a physical drum and a certain amount of strength and endurance is needed to perform well.
The djembe is just one of the instruments of the traditional Djembe Orchestra. Along with several djembes, there are usually three bass drums, known collectively as dunun. The individual names are (from highest pitch to lowest) kenkeni, sangban and djun djun or doundounba. Bells (cowbells) and shekeres (rattles) also play an important part of the complex weave of rhythms created by the ensemble.
The first drum sets included percussion from around the world as well as sound effect gagets. A bass drum and snare drum from military or marching bands formed the central part of the set. A large suspended cymbal and a few smaller cymbals from Turkey and China were added. Also from China, small tom-toms with tacked-on skin heads were attached to the bass drum. Tables were used to hold a vast array of effects: rachets, whistles, bird calls, sleigh bells, maracas, wood blocks, temple blocks, cowbells and many others. Later on the sock cymbal also known as lo-hat, lo-boy and Charleston cymbals (a short stand with a foot pedal that could be used to crash two small cymbals together) was added, then replaced by the hi-hat (same idea, but taller so cymbals could also be played with sticks).
As vaudeville was coming to an end and silent movies were replaced by "talkies", Dixieland and other Jazz bands were becoming the new place to use the trap drums. Most of the sound effects were left behind; temple blocks, wood blocks and cowbells were retained, along with the tom-toms and cymbals. By the mid 1930's the drum set started to look more like the instrument in use today. A bass drum would hold up a tom-tom and one or more cymbals. A cowbell and wood block would be attached also. A larger tom-tom (sometimes two) would stand on legs. The hi-hat and the snare drum would complete the basic drum set.
Since then, more cymbals have been added, more toms, more bass drums, electronic drums and recently World percussion to expand the drummer's sound capabilities. The size of the drum set changes with current trends and music; sometimes bigger is better and sometimes less is more. A drum set is tailored to the drummer playing it. With the wide variety of percussion instruments available today, a drummer can put together a drum set with the voices, tones and colors that allow complete musical creativity.
Dumbeks can be made of nickel, ceramic, or compressed aluminum. The head may be skin (fish or goat) or plastic. The model many proffesionals use, and the one pictured, is compressed aluminum with a plastic head, and is tuneable. It is about 17" high with a 8.5" head.
The drum is held on the left thigh with the left arm resting on the side of drum and the left hand resting on top with the fingers draped over the edge pointing toward the right thigh. The right hand is held in front of the drum, parallel to the head. The left hand, using the ring finger, strikes the head where it meets the edge of the drum, producing a high-pitched sound. The right hand also produces a high-pitched sound by striking the head near the rim with the first three fingers. For a deeper tone, the right hand strikes near the center with fingers together and letting the hand bounce off the head. A slap sound is created by cupping the right hand slightly, striking the center of the head and letting the fingers "stick" to the head.
This drum is capable of producing a wide variety of sounds and when played well, is a great instrument to accompany many types of music and can also be an exciting solo instrument.
Europe was introduced to the hammered dulcimer with the Crusades and it soon became a favorite instrument. Its popularity in Western Europe carried over to North America, as people spread to the Western Hemisphere. The dulcimer is still very popular in both Celtic music and North American folk traditions.
The dulcimer is a resonating box, usually trapezoidal in shape, with two bridges on the top face and many courses or pairs of strings stretched from one end, going over one bridge, under the second bridge and attached at the opposite end. As the name would suggest, these strings are struck with small, light sticks called hammers. There are various sizes available from a smaller beginner model with 12 courses of treble strings and 11 courses of bass strings to larger 16/15 models and even fully chromatic models. The picture above shows a 15/14 hammered dulcimer.
Western European and North American dulcimers are tuned to have a fifth interval across the bridge, allowing access to the keys found most often in those traditions. The beautiful, ringing tones of the hammered dulcimer continue to make it a welcome voice in many types of music, and its popularity is still growing.
The muzhar is held in a large cut-out area at the bottom of the frame with the left hand and the right hand reaches in front of the head to play in a fashion similar to the tar.
A heavy drum, the muzhar is also quite loud. Usually the muzhar accompanies other drums such as the tar, riq and dumbek. It is very effective in changing from one section of music to the next, adding depth to the music and filling out rhythms that other drums are playing.
It is sometimes reffered to as a Side Drum because of the position on the drummer's left side when held on the shoulder by a sling. This position, along with the angle of the drum, brought about the use of the military or traditional grip to hold the drumsticks.
The name Field Drum comes from its use on the field of battle. Besides being a musical instrument, the Field Drum was also employed as a communications device, relaying commands from the officers to the troops using specific beats or drum calls. Just about every command had an accompanying drum call. These calls were made up of one or more of the 26 Standard Drum Rudiments, a drum vocabulary collected to standardize the beats used by armies all over Europe and North America to ensure proper execution.
As war changed, the drum's role as a signaling device was diminished. Mobile units, such as Cavalry, needed something less cumbersome and relied on the bugle. With the advent of radio, using drums to signal on the battlefield became obsolete. Ceremonies and of course music were areas where the drum was still effective.
The rope tension snare drum's construction consists of a shell or body (available in various depths and diameters), two calfskin drumheads, two wooden hoops and a long cotton rope strung back and forth between the top and bottom hoops. The extra rope is then braided and hung beneath the drum. Leather ears on the rope are used to further tighten the heads to the proper tension for playing. Lastly, gut snares are stretched across the bottom head by means of a snare strainer.
The shell or body of the drum can be made of many types of materials such as wood, steel, brass, bronze or even plastic. Its common dimensions are 5" high x 14" diameter or 6.5" high x 14" diameter, but many various sizes are also used. The drum is fitted with heads on top and bottom. The unique feature is a group of wire snares stretched across the bottom head. When the top head is struck, it vibrates and moves the air inside which causes the bottom head to vibrate, activating the snares. This is what produces the snare drum's easily recognizable sound: short, sharp with a little "buzz". The snares can also be disengaged by means of a snare strainer or throw-off, to produce a drum sound without the "buzz".
Snare Drums are a primary instrument in marching/military music, symphonic music, jazz, rock, popular, blues, funk, rhythm and blues, gospel and folk, just to name a few. Played alone, in an ensemble, or as part of a drum set, the snare drum's distinctive voice can be heard in many types of music throughout the world.
The drum is held in the left hand with the thumb going through the hole or notch and bending down to touch the rim. The ring finger is used to strike the drum on the skin near the frame. The skin faces away from the body, and the right hand reaches in front of the drum. From this position, the right hand may strike the skin near the rim (similar to the left hand), a few inches in from the edge to produce a deeper sound, or with the fingers striking and "sticking" to the head in the center for a short, muffled sound.
The dry sound of the tar makes for a very distinctive voice, bringing to mind its desert origins. Though it may seem to be a simple drum, many sounds, colors, textures and rhythms can be brought forth from this ancient instrument.
Bodhrán
The bodhrán comes from Ireland. It belongs to the family of frame drums along with the tar, the bendir and the muzhar. Though there are many similarities between these drums, the differences are what makes the bodhrán unique.
Bones
A fine example of a simple idiophone, bones are a fun folk instrument. Unlike other types of percussion, a pair of bones fit in your pocket to take with you anywhere you go.
Djembe
The djembe is a powerful drum from West Africa, having a full-bodied sound and a wide range of tones. Cracking high tones, singing mid tones and rich bass tones make the voice of the djembe an exciting instrument for both player and listener.
Drum Set
The drum set of today bears little resemblance to its earliest predecesors. The trap drums or trap set (probably shortened from the word contraption) was used initially for sound effects in vaudeville and for silent movies. The pit area for the musicians was not big enough for an entire percussion section (nor was the payroll), so a way was devised for one drummer to play all the percussion parts required.
Dumbek
The dumbek, or darbukka, is a drum most commonly associated with Middle Eastern music, often as the lead voice of percussion. Its goblet or chalice-like shape allows the drum to easily rest in the drummer's lap, the way dumbek is traditionally played.
Hammered Dulcimer
The hammered dulcimer, from Persia, belongs to the family of zithers, including the Middle Eastern santoor, the kanun from Asia and the Greek santuri. The psaltry also shares much common ancestry with the hammered dulcimer, the former being the plucked version of the dulcimer.
Muzhar
The muzhar is a frame drum from Egypt. It consists of a frame approximately 5" deep x 11" diameter with four sets of large brass zils or cymbals that pass through the frame (like a tambourine) and a drumhead. Though similar to other frame drums such as the tar, the bendir and the bodhrán, the muzhar is most closely related to the riq (Arabic tambourine).
Rope Tension Snare Drum (Side Drum or Field Drum)
The rope tension snare drum is the ancient ancestor of the modern marching snare drum, as well as the high-tension snare drum commonly used by bagpipe bands and the concert snare drum used in orchestras and as a part of the drum set.
Snare Drum
The snare drum is often the central part of a drum set and is usually the first instrument learned by drum students. It is the concert stage version of the marching snare drum and the decendant of the rope tension field drum.Tar
The North African tar, sometimes called def or duf, belongs to the frame drum family along with the bendir, the muzhar, the bodhrán and many others. The tar is simply a shallow frame, 16" diameter being the most common size, with a skin stretched across one end. The frame usually has a notch or hole in it to make holding the drum easier.