18th and 19th century British, French, and American military drums were rope-tension snare drums, or side drums.
These drums are held together with ropes. Leather tabs are threaded through the ropes, so that when the tabs are pulled down, they put pressure on the ropes, which pull the counter hoops (rims) into the drum, which press down on the drum heads and make them playable.
The construction of these drums gives them a very different sound than that of modern drums. They are wider, making them deeper in tone. Their length gives them greater resonance, which allows the sound to travel long distances.
When equipped with catgut snares, the drum has less of a metallic snap and more of a natural crack.
Animal hide drum heads (especially without the muffler) have greater resonance. This comes across to the player as an echo or reverberation, but isn’t really heard at a distance. Instead, the echo helps the sound to travel farther.
Do you know of any period drums that still exist? Comment below and let us know where they are and what you know about them.
Do you have period images (plates, sketches, paintings) of period drums? Comment below and let us know the artist / title and where we can find the image.
If you’re interested in learning more about Rope-Tension Snare Drums, read more about:
Or, check out information about period Drum Sticks.