all about drum

Drum circle - Notable Drum Circle facilitators

2009-03-04T05:00:00.000+07:00

Drum circle - Professional drum circle facilitators

2009-03-03T05:00:00.000+07:00

Professional groups exist in most countries to serve various markets. They are firmly established as a team building activity in the world of corporate training and drum circle companies are regular visitors to schools. There is also a growing body of facilitators working in places such as hospitals, prisons, and hospices using drumming as a therapeutic tool.

Drum circle - Shamanic drum circle

2009-03-02T05:00:00.000+07:00

This type of circle tends to center around Native American Cultural Drums and rattles but is primarily focusing on the spiritual rather than the musical aspects of the culture. They are a facilitated circle but the leader is facilitating a shamanic journey type process rather than a musical event. Shamanic drumming is generally simple and repetitive, often considered as a form of prayer or method of trance induction, rather than as music or entertainment. During a shamanic trance or shamanic journey, the shaman uses the steady beat of the drum as a "lifeline" to find the way back to the world of ordinary consciousness.

Drum circle - Neopaganism

2009-03-01T05:00:00.000+07:00

Neopagans have created another type of drum circle. At Neopagan festivals, people gather around a large bonfire, the drummers generally sitting on one side to encourage better listening. The musicians sit together and play while dancers dance and circle around the fire. Often, those present will stay and play throughout the night until dawn, treating the evening as a magical (or alchemical) working. Sound is not limited to drumming alone; there is also chanting, singing, poetry, and spoken word pieces. This type of drum circle is not usually facilitated.

Drum circle - Solstice Drum Circles

2009-02-28T05:00:00.000+07:00

Summer Solstice Drum circles are growing throughout the world and many of the participants are of various faiths. The summer solstice is the day of the year with the longest daylight period and hence the shortest night. Winter Solstice drum circles are also growing in popularity. The day of the winter solstice is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. These Winter Solstice drum circles are often referred to as "Drumming up the Sun", and will frequently begin before dawn.

Drum circle - The anarchic drum circle

2009-02-27T05:00:00.000+07:00

Anarchic drum circles are open gatherings of drummers with no formal leadership or moderation. The structure is often casual as the participants themselves are responsible for the starting and stopping of rhythms. Once a rhythm is introduced, others follow and contribute their own accents to build the beat organically until it either evolves into a new rhythm or loses its momentum and stops. Listening, improvisation and restraint are the keys to following the ever shifting layers of rhythm.

Drum circle - The culturally specific drum circle

2009-02-26T05:00:00.000+07:00

This is generally an informal gathering of drummers and percussionists who have some knowledge and skill in sets of rhythms that are specific to a culture. They would tend to use instruments that are authentic in relation to that culture. They may be peer led or given structure by teachers or performers.

Drum circle - The facilitated drum circle

2009-02-25T05:00:00.000+07:00

A facilitated drum circle is a drum circle in which a leader helps to focus the intent and improve the quality and effect of the drum jam. Drums and/or percussion are handed out or already in place, and people come not to 'learn to drum' but simply to have fun playing together.

Drum Circle Awaits 130 school children

The facilitator guides and encourages the participants to create exciting in-the-moment music. The focus is on the connection and communication between the participants. Drums and percussion from any culture, homemade or junk instruments are usually welcome at such a circle. Noted drum circle facilitators include Arthur Hull, who has written two handbooks for would be facilitators, Ken Crampton, John Yost , and Christine Stevens who set out some Drum Circle Principles in her book The Art and Heart of Drum Circles:

"There is no audience - Everyone is part of the musical experience,
There is no rehearsal - The music ... is improvised in the moment
There is no right or wrong - The Drum Circle is a safe, permissive explorational environment.
There is no teacher - Instead, the drumcircle is led by a facilitator who has the dual focus: to build musicality of the group while also building the sense of community and connection."

Drum circle - Types of drum circles

2009-02-24T05:00:00.000+07:00

In Western countries, drum circles have developed into three main types: "culturally specific", such as Samba bands or West African groups, "facilitated circles" with drums from any culture, and "anarchic" circles - improvised communal drumming with no designated musical leader.

There are many different types of drum circles! A Community Drum Circle is a place for a person to express themselves through rhythm. There are many types of Drum Circles, the hippie thunder drum circles, the ethno specific, meditation, healing, spiritual, beginners, or intermediate.

Community drum circles - for recreation, celebration, social enhancement, general group learning, and honor. Conference drum circles - as an general session or interactive keynote presentation. Corporate drum circles - to build teamwork and morale, using the metaphor of music to improve corporate workings. Diversity drum circles - to educate and demonstrate using the metaphor of music to build unity and appreciate differences. Ethno specific drum circles - focus on traditional rhythms from specific cultures, learning and understanding adaptations for particular situations. Health and Wellness drum circles - at medical, meditation / wellness centers and senior living facilities. Music Store drum circles -for recreational drumming enthusiasts, and marketing. Recreational drum circles - in community parks or social gatherings for playing together.

Drum circle

2009-02-23T05:00:00.000+07:00

A drum circle is any group of people playing (usually) hand-drums and percussion in a circle. They are distinct from a drumming group or troupe in that the drum circle is an end in itself rather than preparation for a performance. They can range in size from a handful of players to circles with thousands of participants.

In 1991, during testimony before the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart stated:

Typically, people gather to drum in drum "circles" with others from the surrounding community. The drum circle offers equality because there is no head or tail. It includes people of all ages. The main objective is to share rhythm and get in tune with each other and themselves. To form a group consciousness. To entrain and resonate. By entrainment, I mean that a new voice, a collective voice, emerges from the group as they drum together.

Drum Circle Awaits

Drum kit - Sizing

2009-02-22T05:00:00.000+07:00

Snare, tom and bass drum sizes are commonly expressed as diameter x depth, both in inches, for example 14 x 5 is a common snare drum size. However, some manufacturers, including Drum Workshop, Slingerland, and Tama Drums, use the opposite convention, and put the depth first, so they would call this size 5 x 14.. Makers who use the diameter-first convention include Premier Percussion, Pearl Drums, Sonor, Mapex, and Yamaha Drums.

Drum kit - Drum kit components

2009-02-21T05:00:00.000+07:00

The exact collection of drum kit components depends on factors like musical style, personal preference, financial resources, and transportation options of the drummer. Cymbal, hi-hat, and tom-tom stands, as well as bass drum pedals and drummer thrones are usually standard. Most mass produced drum kits are sold in one of two five-piece configurations (referring to the number of drums only) which typically include a bass drum, a snare drum, and three toms. The standard sizes (sometimes called ‘rock’ sizes) are 22” (head size diameter) bass drum, 14” snare drum, 12” and 13” mounted toms, and a 16” floor tom. The other popular configuration is called Fusion size, a reference to Jazz fusion music, which usually includes a 22” (or sometimes 20") bass drum, a 14” snare drum, and 10”, 12” and 14” mounted toms. The standard hardware pack includes a hi hat stand, a snare drum stand, two or three cymbal stands, and a bass drum pedal. Drum kits are usually offered as either complete kits which include drums and hardware, or as “shell packs” which include only the drums and perhaps some tom mounting hardware. Cymbals are usually purchased separately and are also available in either packs or as individual pieces.

Drum kit - History and development

2009-02-20T05:00:00.000+07:00

Top view: 1 ride cymbal, 3 crash cymbals, 1 splash cymbal, 1 china cymbal, 2 bass drums, 2 mounted toms, 2 floor toms, 1 snare drum, 1 hi-hat, 1 throne

Drum sets were first developed due to financial and space considerations in theaters where drummers were encouraged to cover as many percussion parts as possible. Up until then, drums and cymbals were played separately in military and orchestral music settings. Initially, drummers played the bass and snare drums by hand, then in the 1890s they started experimenting with footpedals to play the bass drum. William F. Ludwig made the bass drum pedal system workable in 1909, paving the way for the modern drum kit.

By World War I drum kits were characterized by very large marching bass drums and many percussion items suspended on and around it, and they became a central part of jazz music. Hi-hat stands appeared around 1926. Metal consoles were developed to hold Chinese tom-toms, with swing out stands for snare drums and cymbals. On top of the console was a "contraptions" (shortened to "trap") tray used to hold whistles, klaxons, and cowbells, thus drum kits were dubbed "trap kits."

By the 1930s, Gene Krupa and others popularized streamlined trap kits leading to a basic four piece drum set standard: bass, snare, tom-tom, and floor tom. In time legs were fitted to larger floor toms, and "consolettes" were devised to hold smaller tom-toms on the bass drum. In the 1940s, Louie Bellson pioneered use of two bass drums, or the double bass drum kit. With the ascendancy of rock and roll, the role of the drum kit player became more visible, accessible, and visceral. The watershed moment occurred in 1964, when Ringo Starr of The Beatles played his Ludwig kit on American television; an event that motivated legions to take up the drums.

The trend toward bigger drum kits in Rock music began in the 1960s and gained momentum in the 1970s. By the 1980s, widely popular drummers like Neil Peart, Billy Cobham, Carl Palmer, Bill Bruford, and Mike Portnoy were using large numbers of drums and cymbals^[1] and had also begun using electronic drums. John Bonham of Led Zeppelin also helped to revolutionize the drum kit and master new unheard of beats. Double bass pedals (Often used in heavy metal) were developed to play on one bass drum, eliminating the need for a second bass drum. In the 1990s and 2000s, many drummers in popular music and indie music have reverted back to basic four piece drum set standard.

In the present, it is not uncommon for drummers to use a variety of auxiliary percussion instruments, found objects, and electronics as part of their "drum" kits. Popular electronics include: electronic sound modules; laptop computers used to activate loops, sequences and samples; metronomes and tempo meters; recording devices; and personal sound reinforcement equipment.

Drum kit

2009-02-19T05:00:00.000+07:00

The drum kit

1 Crash cymbal \| 2 Floor tom \| 3 Toms 4 Bass drum \| 5 Snare drum \| 6 Hi-hat
Other components
Ride cymbal \| China cymbal \| Splash cymbal \| Sizzle cymbal Swish cymbal \| Cowbell \| Wood block \| Tambourine Rototom \| Octoban \| Hardware

A drum kit (also drum set or trap set) is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single drummer.

The term "drum set" seems to have come from Britain. It was first created in the 1700s. In the U.S., the terms "drum kit", and "trap set" were more prevalent historically.

The individual instruments of a drum set are struck by a variety of implements held in the hand, including sticks, brushes, and mallets. Two notable exceptions include the bass drum, played by a foot-operated pedal, and the hi hat cymbals, which may be struck together using a foot pedal in addition to being played with sticks or brushes. Although other instruments can be played using a pedal, the feet are usually occupied by the bass drum and hi hat. Percussion notation is often used by drummers to signify which drum set components are to be played. A full size drum set without all the extras has a bass drum, floor tom, snare drum, tom-toms, hi-hat cymbals, a ride cymbal and a crash cymbal.

Various music genres dictate the stylistically appropriate use of the drum kit's set-up. For example, in most forms of rock music, the bass drum, hi-hat and snare drum are the primary instruments used to create a drum beat:

Rhythm pattern characteristic of much popular music including rock

In jazz, however, the ride cymbal and hi hats (or brushed snare drum and hi hats) usually fill this role.

Drum - Types of drum

2009-02-18T05:00:00.000+07:00

Handscroll detail of a Chinese percussionist playing a drum for a dancing woman, from a 12th century remake of Gu Hongzhong's 10th century original, Song Dynasty.

Drum - History

2009-02-17T05:00:00.000+07:00

Moche ceramic vessel depicting a drummer. Larco Museum Collection. Lima-Peru

In the past drums have been used not only for their musical qualities, but also as a means of communication, especially through signals. The talking drums of Africa can imitate the inflections and pitch variations of a spoken language and are used for communicating over great distances. Throughout Sri Lankan history drums have been used for communication between the state and the community, and Sri Lankan drums have a history stretching back over 2500 years. Chinese troops used tàigǔ drums to motivate troops, to help set a marching pace, and to call out orders or announcements. Fife-and-drum corps of Swiss mercenary foot soldiers also used drums. They used an early version of the snare drum carried over the player's right shoulder, suspended by a strap (typically played with one hand using traditional grip). It is to this instrument that English word "drum" was first used. Similarly, during the English civil war rope-tension drums would be carried by junior officers as a means to relay commands from senior officers over the noise of battle. These were also hung over the shoulder of the drummer and typically played with two drum sticks. Different regiments and companies would have distinctive and unique drum beats which only they would recognize.

Drum - Uses

2009-02-16T05:00:00.000+07:00

Drums are usually played by the hands, or by one or two sticks. In many traditional cultures drums have a symbolic function and are often used in religious ceremonies. Drums are often used in music therapy, especially hand drums, because of their tactile nature and easy use by a wide variety of people.

Within the realm of popular music and jazz, "drums" usually refers to a drum kit or a set of drums, and "drummer" to the actual band member or person who plays them.

Drum - Sound of a drum

2009-02-15T05:00:00.000+07:00

Several factors determine the sound a drum produces, including the type of shell the drum has, the type of drumheads it has, and the tension of the drumheads. Different drum sounds have different uses in music. For example, a jazz drummer may want drums that sound crisp, clean, and a little on the soft side, whereas a rock and roll drummer may prefer drums that sound loud and deep. Because these drummers want different sounds, their drums will be constructed differently.

The drumhead has the most effect on how a drum sounds. Each type of drumhead serves its own musical purpose and has its own unique sound. Thicker drumheads are lower-pitched and can be very loud. Drumheads with a white plastic coating on them muffle the overtones of the drumhead slightly, producing a less diverse pitch. Drumheads with central silver or black dots tend to muffle the overtones even more. And drumheads with perimeter sound rings mostly eliminate overtones (Howie 2005). Some jazz drummers avoid using thick drumheads, preferring single ply drumheads or drumheads with no muffling. Rock drummers often prefer the thicker or coated drumheads.

The second biggest factor affecting the sound produced by a drum is the tension at which the drumhead is held against the shell of the drum. When the hoop is placed around the drumhead and shell and tightened down with bolts, the tension of the head can be adjusted. When the tension is increased, the amplitude of the sound is reduced and the frequency is increased, making the pitch higher and the volume lower.

The type of shell also affects the sound of a drum. Because the vibrations resonate in the shell of the drum, the shell can be used to increase the volume and to manipulate the type of sound produced. The larger the diameter of the shell, the lower the pitch of the drum will be. The type of wood is important as well. Birch generates a bright, crisp, and clean sound, maple reproduces the frequency of the drumhead as it resonates and has a warm, wholesome sound while mahogany raises the frequency of low pitches and keeps higher frequencies at about the same speed. When choosing a set of shells, a jazz drummer may want smaller maple shells, while a rock drummer may want larger birch shells. For more information about tuning drums or the physics of a drum, visit the external links listed below.

Drum - Construction

2009-02-14T05:00:00.000+07:00

The shell almost invariably has a circular opening over which the drumhead is stretched, but the shape of the remainder of the shell varies widely. In the western musical tradition, the most usual shape is a cylinder, although timpani, for example, use bowl-shaped shells. Other shapes include a frame design (tar, Bodhrán), truncated cones (bongo drums, Ashiko), goblet shaped (djembe), and joined truncated cones (talking drum),

Drums with cylindrical shells can be open at one end (as is the case with timbales), or can have two drum heads. Single-headed drums normally consist of a skin which is stretched over an enclosed space, or over one of the ends of a hollow vessel. Drums with two heads covering both ends of a cylindrical shell often have a small hole somewhat halfway between the two heads; the shell forms a resonating chamber for the resulting sound. Exceptions include the African slit drum, made from a hollowed-out tree trunk, and the Caribbean steel drum, made from a metal barrel. Drums with two heads can also have a set of wires, called snares, held across the bottom head, top head, or both heads, hence the name snare drum.

On modern band and orchestral drums, the drumhead is placed over the opening of the drum, which in turn is held onto the shell by a "counterhoop" (or "rim), which is then held by means of a number of tuning keyscrews called "tension rods" (also known as lugs) placed regularly around the circumference. The head's tension can be adjusted by loosening or tightening the rods. Many such drums have six to ten tension rods. The sound of a drum depends on several variables, including shape, size and thickness of its shell, materials from which the shell was made, counterhoop material, type of drumhead used and tension applied to it, position of the drum, location, and the velocity and angle in which it is struck.

Prior to the invention of tension rods drum skins were attached and tuned by rope systems such as that used on the Djembe or pegs and ropes such as that used on Ewe Drums, a system rarely used today, although sometimes seen on regimental marching band snare drums.

Drum

2009-02-13T05:00:00.000+07:00

Bass drum made from wood, rope, and cowskin

The drum is a member of the percussion group, technically classified as a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with parts of a player's body, or with some sort of implement such as a drumstick, to produce sound. Other techniques have been used to cause drums to make sound, such as the "Thumb roll". Drums are the world's oldest and most ubiquitous musical instruments, and the basic design has remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years. Most drums are considered "untuned instruments", however many modern musicians are beginning to tune drums to songs; Terry Bozzio has constructed a kit using diatonic and chromatically tuned drums. A few such as timpani are always tuned to a certain pitch. Often, several drums are arranged together to create a drum kit that can be played by one musician with all four limbs.

Sonor

2009-02-12T05:00:00.000+07:00

Drum-Set made by Sonor, cymbals by Meinl and Paiste.

Sonor (Pronounced: suh-NOOR) is a German percussion manufacturer. Founded 1875 as a percussion manufacturer, Sonor drum sets and hardware are both revered and notorious for being constructed in a very durable, painstaking, and therefore, unusually heavy manner (older models). One of the oldest existing models of drums manufactured by Sonor is a 1942 Johannes Link Parade Snare, a very heavy snare drum with an aluminum shell and thick tension rods.Sonor drums have a reputation for being very expensive but are the weapon of choice for many studios and professional musicians. In the 1980s Sonor's tagline was "The Rolls of drums". This was an allusion to the perfectionist (and expensive) way they constructed their drum shells. They made very thick (13mm) and heavy shells that were beech wood, with an innermost and outermost ply of furniture-grade veneers, such as Rosewood and Bubinga. Nicko McBrain of Iron Maiden was one of the most prominent Sonor artists of the 80's, along with Steve Smith of Journey and jazzman Jack DeJohnette.

Sonor is the inventor of the modern screw thread drum-construciton that laid the foundaition for today´s modern drum set, and the inventor of the metal snare drum. Both invented in the early 20th century ^[3]. William F. Ludwig got this idea in his early years back in Germany from Sonor and began to use it later in Chicago

Sonor was also the first manufacturer that produced seam-less metal and bronce shells (Signature Series in the 80s)

As the 1980s progressed, the market began to stray away from thick heavy shells and Sonor started slimming down its shells with a line called "Sonorlite" and "Hilite". This marked a shift in philosophy that dictated that a drum shell should resonate like a violin or guitar body. The thinner the shell, the lower the fundamental tone.

Sonor drums have several unique design features, including under-sized shells (a similar concept to a violin bridge - designed to enhance response), a unique vertical/stave drumshell design, and tension rods which are round and feature a slot instead of the traditional square style (though recently Sonor made square heads standard, with slotted heads available as an option). Recently, Sonor re-introduced the designer X-Ray Acrylic drums, marking the first time in 20 years Sonor offered acrylic drums. These shells are made from seamless, extruded acrylic and feature acrylic hoops.

Sonor's exotic finishes and tonal quality are still coveted by amateurs and professionals alike. Used Sonor drums are collectors items.

Current Sonor artists include Danny Carey of Tool; Thomas Lang, Austrian-born drum clinician; Gavin Harrison of Porcupine Tree; Paul Bostaph, former drummer for Slayer, Exodus, and Forbidden;,long-time AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd;Ken Serio a New York session and touring drummer, Adam Nussbaum , great jazz drummer ,Jazz legend Jack DeJohnette,Steve Smith,Joe Winters of The Steepwater Band; Jojo Mayer, New York City session drummer, clinician, and drummer for drum-and-bass project NERVE; Rob Rivera of Nonpoint; ; Sam Segurado of Tails; and James Knox of The Business.

The Sonor drum lines:

Force 3000 Series (Initially Made in Germany until 3001 series introduced. Production was then moved to China): At inception, the Force 3000 series was developed and marketed as an upper-midline level, bringing Sonor build quality and tone capabilities to a more mainstream market. Features were Scandinavian birch shells with options of quality lacquer finishes. When production moved to the Far East, it fell into the "budget" lines.

Force 507: The Sonor's least expensive line, aimed at beginners. It has 9-ply basswood shells and lower-grade hardware than the rest of the Force series.

"Force 2000'": Multi-ply Poplar shells. The Force 2000 (early 1990s) Series is made in Germany

Force 1007: 9-ply basswood shells.

Force 2007: 9-ply birchwood shells.

Force 3007: The top of Sonor's budget lines, with 9-ply maple shells

German-made Professional lines:

S Classix: made of thin Scandinavian birchwood shells, this line offers both vintage and veneer finishes.

Delite: made of extremely thin vintage maple shells, this line offers veneer and fade finishes.

SQ2: Sonor's top line of drums, this line is custom made according to the customer's specifications, including shell material, shell thickness, lug color and type, hoop color and type, and inside and outside finishes.

Sonor also makes African, Latin, Marching, and other percussion equipment.

Tama - History

2009-02-11T05:00:00.000+07:00

Hoshino Gakki began manufacturing drums in 1965 under the "Star Drums". Hoshino, the family name of the founder, translates to "star field," thus the selection of the "Star Drums" brand name. The drums were manufactured at Hoshino's subsidiary, Tama Seisakusho, which had opened in 1962 to manufacture Ibanez guitars and amplifiers. While the production of guitars and amps was moved out of the factory by 1966, the production of drums there continued to grow. The two lines of drum models, Imperial Star and Royal Star, were introduced to the American market and were successful lower-cost drums competing against more expensive American-made drums offered by Rogers, Ludwig, and Slingerland at the time.

By 1974, Hoshino decided to make a concerted effort to make high-quality drums and hardware and start marketing its drums under the Tama brand. Tama was the name of the owner's wife, and means "jewel" in Japanese. In keeping with its heritage, "star" continues to be used in the names of Tama's drum models to this day.

Tama and Drum Workshop (DW) jointly bought the bankrupt Camco Drum Company. As part of the deal, DW received the Camco tooling and manufacturing equipment while Tama received the Camco name, designs, engineering and patent rights.

At the time, Camco was producing what was thought to be the best drum pedal on the market. DW continued production of the pedal using the original tooling, rebadging it as the DW5000. Tama began production of the same pedal under the Camco name. The Tama version of the Camco pedal is commonly referred to as the Tamco pedal to distinguish it from an original Camco pedal. Tama integrated all the engineering from Camco into their production process and the overall level of quality of their drums increased virtually overnight. The original plan was to market the low end Tama drums to beginners and use the Camco brand to sell high end drums to professional musicians. However, even the professionals were starting to use the Tama drums because the low cost of the Asian made drums with the (now) high quality of hardware was a great combination.

The Iron Cobra has the same configuration options as the original Camco pedal and the current DW5000 pedal. These are Power Glide, Rolling Glide and Flexi Glide. Power Glide pedals have an offset cam chain drive. This causes the beater to accelerate faster towards the end of the pedal stroke. This drive system is identical to the DW Accelerator pedals (DW5000AD or DW5000AX models) or the Camco Deluxe model bass drum pedals. The Rolling Glide pedals maintain a fixed ratio of footboard speed to beater speed and the drive system is identical to the DW Turbo pedals (DW5000TD3 or DW5000CX). Finally, the Flexi Glide pedals are a Kevlar strap driven pedal that has the exact same drive system that was found on the Camco pedals in the 1950s. Again, DW makes a pedal with this same drive system under the DW5000ND3 and DW5000NX model names.

Tama was one of the first companies to offer super heavy duty hardware, and drum mounting systems that didn't intrude into the shell like most brands in the 1970s. They also invented unique tubular drums called Octobans. Octobans are 6" in diameter and are manufactured in eight different lengths (hence the prefix "octo-") up to 600mm (23.5"). They vary in pitch by using different shell lengths, rather than widths. Notable users include Stewart Copeland of The Police, Jukka Nevalainen of Nightwish, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater, and Simon Phillips of Toto. Tama snares were unique in that they offered a cast bell brass shell at a time that they were very rare on the market. Tama developed the Techstar line of electronic drums. These were unique in the 1980s in that they used a real drumhead instead of a solid rubber surface.

Tama - Drums

2009-02-10T05:00:00.000+07:00

Tama produces a full line of drums from hand-made limited edition models to mass-produced models for beginners or budget-minded drummers, in a wide range of sizes, materials, and finishes. Tama brands its professional drums as Starclassic. Regular production models are available in 100% bubinga shells, 100% maple shells, and birch/bubinga hybrid shells, as well as metal-shelled snare drum models made from brass. Limited edition models may feature special woods and/or finishes. All Starclassic drums feature die-cast hoops, as opposed to the more common cold-rolled triple-flanged hoops. All Starclassic drums are currently manufactured in Japan, but Tama plans to move some of its mass production of Starclassic drums to its Chinese factory to enable its Japanese factory to focus more on hand-made limited edition models.

The Superstar and Imperialstar lines are cheaper, featuring birch/basswood hybrid shells and 100% poplar shells, respectively. These models are all manufactured in China. In the 1970s and 80s, Tama's "Superstar" and "Imperialstar" lines were the sole premier products of the company.

Tama has a summer and winter release of new types of drums every year. These releases coincide with the National Association of Music Manufacturers (NAMM) Biannual convention. Twice a year, at these times Tama restocks the shelves of the specialty drum shops with new limited edition and limited production drums. Specialty drum shops and chain music stores get supplied with mass production drums as needed. Add-on toms are special order drums made to expand an existing drumset, and are available through specialty drum shops.

Tama Drums are hand made. On most Limited edition and limited production drums, the inside of each shell is signed by the person who crafted the drum. Most Limited Edition sets have matching snare drums, while most other sets are sold as "shell packs" without a matching snare, or with a metal snare from the same line. Tama was one of the first companies to offer super heavy duty hardware, and a free floating drum mounting system (StarCast) at the time of its appearance the mounting system was unique as unlike standard tom mounting systems where the mount is attached to the shell, the StarCast system suspends the tom from its upper rim, allowing the shell to resonate freely for a much improved sound.

Original Tama Superstar drums, as well as Imperialstar and Fibrestar have become collectors items. There are groups devoted to restoring the Superstar drums with mahogany finish thanks in no small part to the influence of Neil Peart of Rush using them. Tama Imperialstars, combined with titan hardware have been a favorite of gigging drummers and Stewart Copeland, amongst others, because of the ruggedness and wrap finish.

Tama's cordia wood Artstar line (again introduced by Neil Peart's iconic red prototype) ushered in an era of thinner drum shells. The artstar was Tama's turning point away from heavy and thick shelled drums. Tama's cordia/birch wood artstar II were aimed at the competitions higher priced drums with an exotic finish. The lower price made them a bargain compared to European brands. The modern equivalent of the artstar II, are the limited/exotix made of maple, koa and bubinga.

Limited Edition

Starclassic Maple Reserve (Curly Maple/Maple Shell, Abalone Inlays, Brushed Nickel Hardware)
Starclassic EXOTIX 2007: Warlord (Quilted African Bubinga/African Bubinga Shell, Swarovski Crystals inlayed on lug casings and badges, Warlord styled Brushed Nickel Hardware)
Starclassic Performer Limited Edition (Birch shells in "New Fusion" sizes, Metallic lacquer finish with a glitter accent stripe, Black Nickel Hardware)

Limited Production

Starclassic Bubinga Omni-Tune (African bubinga shells; lacquer finish with abalone inlays and special Omni-Tune lugs)
Starclassic Bubinga Elite (African bubinga shells; Lacquer exotic finish)
Starclassic Bubinga Elite EFX (African bubinga shells; Multi-sparkle covered finishes)
Starclassic Bubinga (African bubinga shells; Starclassic-type lugs; lacquer finish)

Starclassic Mirage (Acrylic Shells)
Starclassic Maple EFX (Maple shells; Silk wrap)
Starclassic Performer B/B EFX (Birch/African bubinga shells; Glitter Wrap)
Starclassic Performer B/B (Birch/African bubinga shells; lacquer finish)

Mass Production (Made in Japan)

Starclassic Maple (Maple shells; lacquer finish)
Starclassic Performer (Birch shells; lacquer finish)

Mass Production (Made in China)

Superstar Hyperdrive Custom (Birch/Basswood shells; lacquer finish)
Superstar Hyperdrive EFX (Birch/Basswood shells; Satin wrap)
Superstar Hyperdrive (Birch/Basswood shells; solid color wrap)

Mass Production (Made in Taiwan)

Imperialstar (Poplar shells; solid color wrap)

Tama Drums

2009-02-09T20:00:00.000+07:00



Type	Private
Founded	1974
Headquarters	Japan
Industry	musical instruments
Products	drums, drum hardware
Parent	Hoshino Gakki
Website	tama.com

Tama Drums is a brand of drums and hardware manufactured and marketed by the Japanese musical instrument company, Hoshino Gakki. Tama is one of the largest and best-known drum brands on the market today (ref). The brand became known primarily for its hardware innovations and sturdiness, but its drums are also highly regarded (ref). Tama's research and development of products, along with production of its professional drums, is done in Seto, Japan, while its hardware and more affordable drums are manufactured in Guangzhou, China. Hoshino has several offices around the world for marketing and wholesale distribution. Drums destined for the U.S. market are assembled and stocked at Hoshino (U.S.A.), in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. The U.S. subsidiary also contributes to Tama's market research and development.

Pearl - Snare Drums

2009-02-08T20:00:00.000+07:00

As well as drum kits, Pearl is a renowned producer of snare drums. Lower end kits (Vision series and lower) come standard with snare drums, and higher end series have snares which must be bought separately. Individual snares, as well as artists' signature snares, are also available.

Series snare drums:

Forum - comes with matching 14"x5.5" snare as standard.
Export - comes with matching 14"x5.5" snare as standard. (Discontinued along with whole Export Line)
Vision - VX, VSX, VLX and VBX lines come with a steel SensiTone. VMX comes with a matching maple snare.
Masters - Available in all Masters lines and finishes. Ordered separately from kits.
Reference - 20 ply wood snares are available in 14x5, 14x6.5 and 13x6.5 sizes. They utilise the same mixed wood technology as other Reference drums, with 6 inner plies of birch and 14 outer plies of maple, and a 45 bearing edge. Metal Reference are also available - 3 mm thick seamless cast steel and 3 mm thick rolled and welded brass. Both metals are available in 14x5 and 14x6.5 sizes.
Masterworks - Masterworks snares can be custom ordered with a kit, or as a separate item. They are available in a wide range of materials, sizes and finishes.

Individual snare drums:

SensiTone Elite - SensiTone snares are produced from five metals: steel, stainless steel, brass, phosphor bronze and aluminium. All are available in 14x5 and 14x 6.5 sizes.
Ultracast - Made from 3 mm aluminium. Designed to produce a balance between metal and wooden shells. Available in 14x5 and 14x 6.5 sizes.
Free-Floating - Pearl's Free-Floating concept removes all hardware from the shell, thus allowing you to change the shell as easily as a head. The throw-off, lugs and other hardware are part of the special edge ring which holds the drum and heads together. Shells are available in copper, brass, steel and maple, with depths of 3.5", 5", 6.5" and 8".
Symphonic - Made from 6 ply, 7.5 mm thick maple, for concert quality snare drums. The throw-off features three separate strainers for thin cable, havy cable and snare wires, allowing a variety of sounds.
Firecracker - In 10x5 and 12x5" sizes, Firecracker snares are available in 8 ply Poplar or steel shells.
Effects - Include the 10x6" Maple Popcorn snare, as well as thin maple piccolo snares and thick effects snares. All are designed to create sounds unavailable in standard snare drum sizes.

Signature snares - Various Pearl artists have their own signature snares, which are widely available. Artists include: Dennis Chambers, Jimmy DeGrasso, Virgil Donati, Omar Hakim, Joey Jordison, Mike Mangini, Ian Paice, Vinnie Paul, Morgan Rose, Eric Singer, Chad Smith and Tico Torres. Edson Rodriguez