The drum is one of the oldest and most universal musical instruments, serving as both a tool of rhythm and a cultural symbol.
Its origins stretch back thousands of years, its construction is deceptively simple yet endlessly varied, and its sounds form the heartbeat of music across the world.
Drums are classified as membranophones, instruments that produce sound through the vibration of a stretched membrane. Archaeological evidence shows that drums date back to at least 6000 BC, with early examples made from hollowed logs or gourds covered with animal skins. Ancient civilizations such as the Mesopotamians, Egyptians, and Chinese used drums in rituals and communication. In Africa, drums became central to storytelling and community life, while in Asia, they were tied to religious and military traditions. By the 18th and 19th centuries, rope-tension field drums were vital in European and American armies, keeping soldiers in step. The modern drum set emerged in the 1800s, combining bass drums, snares, and cymbals into a single playable unit, popular in jazz, swing, and later rock music.
A drum typically consists of three main parts: the shell (usually made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and itd diameter and depth influence pitch and resonance), skin, or drumhead (traditionally animal hide, now often synthetic, the skin's tension determines tone), and hardware (includes hoops, lugs, and tension rods that secure and tune the head). When struck, the drumhead vibrates, compressing air inside the shell. These vibrations resonate through the shell and air, producing sound. Wider drums yield lower pitches, while shallower drums allow broader tuning ranges. The tightness of the head and striking technique further shape the tone, from sharp cracks to deep booms.
Drums can produce a broad spectrum of sounds, including snappy, crisp attacks (snare drum), deep, booming pulses (bass drum), warm, resonant tones (tom-toms, congas), sharp, metallic timbres (timbales), and expressive pitch bends (talking drum, djembe). This versatility makes drums indispensable in nearly every musical tradition.
There are several types of drums, among the top ten being the snare drum (known for its sharp, staccato sound, and central in orchestras, marching bands, and drum kits), the bass drum, also known as the kick drum (produces deep, low tones, driving rhythm in both orchestral and popular music), tom-toms (cylindrical drums of varying sizes, providing melodic fills in drum kits), the conga drum (tall, narrow, Afro-Cuban drum played with the hands, producing warm, resonant tones), the bongo drum (a pair of small, high-pitched hand drum from Cuba), the djembe (West African goblet-shaped drum, capable of wide tonal range and pitch bending), the timpani, also known as the kettledrum (tunable orchestral drum producing precise pitches), the frame drum, including the Bodhrán and tambourine (one of the oldest drum types, common in folk traditions), the talking drum (African drum with adjustable tension cords, mimicking speech-like tones), and the electronic drum (modern digital pads that replicate acoustic drum sounds, expanding creative possibilities).
Others include the aburukuwa, ashiko, atumpan, bara, batá, bedug, bougarabou, buk, cajón, candombe, chalice, chenda, cocktail, crowdy-crawn, darbuka, damphu, davul, dayereh, dhak, dhimay, dhol, dholak, dong son, doumbek, dunun, ewe, fontomfrom, goblet, hand, idakka, limba, karyenda, kendang, kpanlogo, lambeg, log, madal, mridangam, pahu, pakhavaj, parai, repinique, riddle, side, slit, surdo, tabor, tamorim, taiko, tabla, tassa, tapan, tar, tavil, tenor, timbales, timpani, tombak, tongue, and zabumba drums.
From ancient rituals to modern rock concerts, the drum has remained the heartbeat of music. Drums connect people through rhythm, a universal human language.
Retail (e-commerce) websites selling drums, drum sets, or drum accessories may be found in the Musical Instruments section of our Shopping & eCommerce area.
Recommended Resources
Carl Stewart's Drums for Drummers
The US-based non-profit organization collects, refurbishes, and donates drum kits and percussion gear to underfunded school music programs, with the stated goal of putting drum sets into schools that lack them. The program accepts donated kits, refurbishes and re-heads them, then delivers them to music teachers and band directors. The organization was founded and incorporated in 2014. School applications and an online store offering branded merchandise are included.
https://www.drumsfordrummers.org/
Founded in 2018, the website's mission is to offer trusted advice, guidance, tutorials, and lessons to drummers of all ability levels, to be an authority within the drumming world, to inspire motivate and increase enjoyment in playing the drums, to provide helpful product recommendations to help users find the best drum products available on the market, and to be a valuable source of information about drums and drumming. Its review process, contacts, and an affiliate disclaimer are provided.
https://drumhelper.com/
First published in 1991, Drum! is an American drumming magazine that features artist profiles, product reviews, lessons, and advanced transcriptions covering rock, pop, and related styles of music. Its website features articles, news, gear reviews, and free access to digital editions of the publication. Its "Magazines" section offers digital editions and a "Back Issue Bundle," which contains every digital issue published, as well as yearly back issue collections.
https://drummagazine.com/
Drumeo is an online drumming platform offering structured video lessons, live weekly classes, song play-alongs, and access to world-class drum instructors through the Musora ecosystem. It uses a structured curriculum, consisting of a 10-level method designed as a step-by-step path to drumming goals, on-demand video lessons, a song library with note-for-note transcriptions and practice tracks for over 1,500 popular songs, and weekly live classes with real teachers and a global student community.
https://www.drumeo.com/
The Drummer's Journal is an independent online magazine dedicated to drum culture, publishing features, interviews, galleries, and downloadable issues with a focus on quality journalism about drums and drummers. Full current and back issues are available to read online or download, and photo galleries and information on special projects, such as a site-specific audio-visual project known as "Drumscape." Print editions may be purchased along with other items.
https://www.thedrummersjournal.com/
Founded in 1997, Drummerworld features articles about the latest drummer news, biographies of the most influential drummers in the world, and performance and educational videos, as well as an online discussion forum. Built on an XenForo script, the forum is read-only for non-members, but membership is free. Both its forum and static pages discuss drum and percussion news, interviews, articles, gear coverage, and community resources. The site is exclusively devoted to percussion.
https://www.drummerworld.com/
Published by Modern Drummer Publications, the long-running drumming magazine and online hub publishes news, in-depth feature interviews, gear reviews, lessons, videos, podcasts, and a Hall of Fame collection for drummers. Its features include long-form interviews and profiles of notable drummers and emerging artists, announcements, tour updates, industry developments, and polls, along with reviews of drum kits, cymbals, sticks, mics, and accessories. Videos and podcasts are included.
https://www.moderndrummer.com/
United States Association of Rudimental Drumming
USARD is a non-profit organization founded in 2001 whose mission is to perform, preserve, and promote the art of rudimental drumming, which is the foundation of all drumming techniques, characterized by short, repeatable patterns, typically played on a practice pad or snare drum. Its focus is on American rudimental techniques, education, historical repertoire, and community events. Its programs include performance ensembles, educational outreach, and preservation efforts.
https://www.usard.org/
Available in English, Spanish, and Italian, the site presents itself as both a learning resource and a casual music-making game for users who want to experiment with beats and drum kits. It is a web-based platform for playing and learning drums through interactive music-making games, virtual kits, and drum lessons. Users can play virtual drum kits using a PC keyboard, mouse, or touch on mobile devices. They can also build and play custom drum sets or use kits modeled after well-known drummers.
https://www.virtualdrumming.com/
