Drums

Hand Percussion Instruments

As the name suggests, hand percussion instruments are those musical instruments that requires the use of the hand to shake, tap, scrape, or otherwise engage them to make music. Drums are a very popular hand percussion instrument that are used in various genres of music. Before you purchase a new drum, you would first need to determine the type of sounds you wish to emit and the atmosphere and location it will be used in. Getting a basic idea of the types of drums and their usage would be the next step.

The various types of drums available are expansive, but before you dive in, you first need to differentiate the various categories of drums. Drum kits or drum sets are popular and are generally sourced when a band is being formed. But even then, you would have to decide if you need a power/rock set, a fusion set, or even a jazz set. The fact is, the type of music you intend to play and the type of set you choose will determine the number and size of the drum toms, bass drums and snare drums that are required and included in the set.

If you are not planning to start a band or simply looking for a different sound; you may be looking for hand drums such as congas or bongos, or maybe a frame drum such as the tambourine or pandeiro. The congas and bongos are Cuban drums which are often played by hand but can accommodate the use of mallets as well. They are often played standing up as they are tall and slender and most often used in groups of two or three.

Marching band drums do include snare and bass drums, but they are not the same as the ones you would buy in a regular drum set. For instance, the snare drum in a marching band has a deeper mid-section with a Kevlar head, which allows it to hold very high tension.

Multi-tenor drums are also used in a marching band. These drums are small and are usually grouped together in sets of four, five, or six. They are often played with sticks or mallets.