The drum set was initially referred to as a 'trap set', and from the late 1800s to the 1930s, drummers were referred to as 'trap drummers.' By the 1870s, drummers were using an 'overhang pedal.' Most drummers in the 1870s preferred to do double-drumming without any pedal to play multiple drums, rather than use an overhang pedal. This resulted in a greater swing and dance feel. While the music was first designed to accompany marching soldiers, this simple and straightforward drumming approach led to the birth of ragtime music when the simplistic marching beats became more syncopated. Drummers in musical theater shows and stage shows, where the budget for pit orchestras was often limited, contributed to the creation of the drum set by developing techniques and devices that would enable them to cover the roles of multiple percussionists.ĭouble-drumming was developed to enable one person to play the bass and snare with sticks, while the cymbals could be played by tapping the foot on a 'low-boy.' With this approach, the bass drum was usually played on beats one and three (in 4Ĥ time). The bass drum, snare drum, cymbals, and other percussion instruments were all struck with hand-held drumsticks. By the 1860s, percussionists started combining multiple drums into a set. In the 1840s, percussionists began to experiment with foot pedals as a way to enable them to play more than one instrument, but these devices would not be mass-produced for another 75 years. ( July 2019) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)īefore the development of the drum set, drums and cymbals used in military and orchestral music settings were played separately by different percussionists if the score called for bass drum, triangle and cymbals, three percussionists would be hired to play these three instruments. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.

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