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Posted by on Aug 18, 2015 in TellMeWhy |

When Were Drums Invented?

When Were Drums Invented?

When Were Drums Invented? The drum dates back thousands of years, way before guitars, pianos, and other common instruments were invented. Historians have found ancient drums more than 6,000 years old in Egypt. Even older versions made from alligator skins have been found in China.

Although no one knows who made the first drum, it probably did not take ancient humans long to figure out how to stretch an animal skin over a hollow container to make a basic instrument that would produce similar sounds.

Although there are many types of drums today, the basic design of the instrument has remained unchanged for thousands of years.

Today, when you think of playing the drums, you might think of the large drum kits that drummers in rock bands use. These kits are comprised of several different types of drums and other percussion instruments, including snare drums, bass drums, tom-tom drums, and cymbals.

While a drummer in a rock band usually plays the drums with sticks, many other types of drums can be played with only the hands. For example, the djembe, a goblet drum that originates from West Africa, is almost always played with just the hands.

Since drums have been around for thousands of years, many different cultures have developed their own unique types of drums. In addition to the drums you’re probably already familiar with, you might find musicians playing a timpani drum, bongos, congas, tablas, hang drums, taikos, or doumbeks.

Each of these drums has its own unique construction and sound. The earliest drums were made with natural materials, such as animal skins and gourds. Today, however, most modern drums are made with synthetic materials, such as plastics and composite materials.

To play drums professionally, you need the right training and equipment, just like any other instrument you might pursue. Unlike many other instruments, though, drums can be played by a wide variety of amateurs with little or no training.

Content for this question contributed by Aimee Morgan, resident of Greensburg, Decatur County, Indiana, USA