The History of the Drum

It seems musical instruments have found theirassociate with the modern instrument. It generally
place among the children of today's society. Youconsists of the bass drum, the snare, the tom
can purchase child size pianos, harps, guitars andand cymbals or high hats. While the kit actually
drums. The instruments have also won a place inexisted before the 1960's the advent of rock and
the video game genre with games such as guitarroll on the music scene really brought the
hero being one of the all-time top sellers. While ainstrument to new heights of popularity. It was no
child's piano or a kid's drum set may be popularlonger viewed as just an accompanying piece to
today the original drum was not intended as anthe other instruments, but was now a sound in its
entertaining instrument.own right. It became a very popular way of
The very first drum actually originated as longcreating and expressing music and songs were
ago as 6000 BC. In some excavations in thecreated that now included drum solos.
region of Mesopotamia small cylinder shapedWith emerging technology the drum also became
barrels were found believing to have dated backa synthesized instrument. Today you can
as far as 3000 BC. The original purpose of thepurchase a synthesized set that incorporates all
item was to accompany ritual chanting inthe sounds you can create with the traditional
ceremonies that the ancients would perform.drum in a digitized format. You can even purchase
They were often kept as sacred ceremonial toolsmusical synthesizer software to create the sound
rather than as the entertaining devices we knowof drums on your home computer.
today.If you have a child who is interested in learning to
As people and cultures evolved the instrumentplay percussion you can purchase a kid's drum set
evolved with them and began appearing in severalthat is age appropriate for them to use. In years
different styles. The African version is anto come the set can be added to as the child
elongated drum which is played by the tapping ofgrows in ability as well as age. With so many
one's fingers upon the skin. Related to this type isoptions available with today's modern drum
the Brazilian or South American model known asthere's no telling how far your child's imagination
the conga. Usually the conga is created in sets ofwill take him or her. Less than 50 years ago
two and is a small shaped piece that is also playedelectronically created music was virtually unheard
by tapping the finger's against the skin.of so who knows what lies ahead for our
A drum kit is the actual setup we've come tochildren's musical talents.