In this section
next No. 1. The Side-Drum.
Fr. Tambour (militaire) or Caisse clave; It. Tamhuromilitare; Qm.Kleine Trommel.
This, the smallest orchestral drum, is cylindrical in shape. The "shell" is made of brass. At each end of the shell is a parchment "head," that is to say, a circular sheet of prepared sheep-skin. The parchment "heads" are lapped over small hoops, which are themselves pressed down and held in place by means of larger hoops, An arrangement of brass rods and screws or of cords and leathers keeps the "heads" taut. The upper head—that on which the E' 3r beats—is called the "batter-head": the lower, the "snare-head".
Underneath the snare-head—that is to say, at a distance of two parchments and a layer of air from the place where the drum-sticks it the batter-head—are the snares. These are thin pieces, or a single long thin piece, of catgut, not unlike a rough Violin-string. They are stretched to and fro across the snare-head, from a nut on the one side to a screw-hook on the other. The number of snares varies according to the player's taste. They may be only two or three, or as many as a dozen. It is found, however, that the most brilliant effect is to be obtained with a fairly large number of snares. However many are used, it is essential that they should be screwed tight down into close contact with the snare-head.
Two sticks are used. These are made of hard wood, with' a small olive-shaped knob at the end. When the player attacks the batter-head its vibrations set up waves in the air which is contained in the shell. These waves are communicated to the snare-head, and so to the snares themselves. The immediate effect is to alter the character of the air-waves and to double the number of the vibrations. The explanation of this "doubling" seems to be that the snares continually impinge on the parchment, and so set up a constant series of " points of nodal contact." In this way the pitch of the snared drum appears to be about an octave higher than that of the same instrument when unsnared. The student should note that it is on these snares that the peculiar quality and brilliance of the Side-Drum depend.
Side-Drum playing is an art in itself, and a very difficult art to acquire. It differs from all other Percussion Instruments in that its technique is founded not on a single stroke, but on double alternate strokes with each hand. Thus, in the “Long-roll" or “Daddy-Mammy," the player strikes the batter-head not Left-Right-Left-Right, but LL-RR-LL-RR. In each pair of strokes the latter becomes, by incessant practice, a sort of controlled rebound stroke.
A word must be said with regard to the notation of the "roll." Two methods are in use, one inaccurate and the other accurate. The inaccurate way is to write out the length of notes required, and to add semiquaver or demisemiquaver strokes, thus,—
This is bad; first of all, because, however many strokes are used it does not represent the sounds correctly: second, because it sometime leaves a doubt as to whether the final note should be detached or not Besides that, the inaccurate way is also the most tiresome to write.
The accurate way to indicate a "roll" on any percussion instrument is to write out the length of notes required, slur them to each other for as long as the roll continues, and add an unbroken " trill line " t the whole, thus,—
Do not write it in this way,—
as it looks like a fresh attack on each bar. If you do not wish a detached stroke at the end, slur right on to the last note. If you do wish it, omit the last slur and see that the ———————— comes short of the last note. If you wish a specially strong accent on the last or any other beat, omit the previous slur and mark the accent in the ordinary way, thus,— >.
The above remarks apply generally to all the instruments of the Drum family and will not be repeated. Note, however, that in Side-Drum parts it is practically always necessary to write a detached note on which to finish the roll. The sudden cessation of the roll, except in the faintest pianissimo, sounds untidy and does not suit the genius of the instrument. Even if there are musical reasons for not wishing the sound to continue for the extra quaver, it is still better to write the " finishing note " to the roll. In this case, put it back a quaver or a crotchet, according to the rhythm of the piece.
In a very long roll, it is not absolutely necessary to add slurs to all the notes. The drummer will not be tempted to make a fresh attack provided the sign is continued. If you actually want a fresh attack anywhere, end the roll with a detached quaver or semiquaver, followed by a rest. Then begin a new roll.
In addition to the roll there are two other strokes commonly used on the Side-Drum. These are
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The Flam
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The Drag
It is curious that the English word drum, which one might imagine to be as old as the language itself, is comparatively modern. It first occurs in the Nottingham Town atcords (hi. 384), " For pleying of hys drome afore Master Mayre...vjd." The date of this entry is 1541. The word Drumslade, with various spellings, is found earlier and is a commoner form in the first half of the 16th century. Drurnxlade is an Anglicized compound-word from the Dutch or Low-German meaning Drum-heat. It occurs continually in the State Papers of Henry VIII. For instance,—Under date 1532, "The dayly retinue of fotemen of this towne...wel trymmed and furnished with their drom-slades, trompettes, and banerettes"; Under date 1532, "Paied to Hans Pyper and Bartholomew his ffelawe Dromslade for ther lyverages...XLV8" ; Under date 1532, "Paied to Xtofer Dromeslade and his ffellawe for ther lyveray cootes-.-XIiV8." The last two quotations are from the Privy Purse Expenses.
The Membrane Instruments are, in a word, the Drums. They include
(a.) Instruments of definite pitch, such as the Kettle-Drums. (b) Instruments of indefinite pitch, such as the Side-Drum, Bass-Drum, Tenor-Drum, and Tambourine.
This subdivision of the "Percussion" into "Autophonic" and " Membrane " Instruments depends for its logic solely on the degree of elasticity in the struck surface. It seems to be based rather on musical than on scientific considerations. We shall therefore content ourselves by classing all the elastic and semi-elastic beaten surfaces together as " Percussion Instruments." However, a musical subdivision of the whole group must be made. This is not difficult. In some of these instruments the vibrations in the elastic material set up irregular vibrations in the air. These are the " Unmusical Percussion Instruments." Others set up regular vibrations. These are the "Musical Percussion Instruments." The former produce noise, but not sounds of definite musical pitch. The latter produce sounds of definite musical pitch.