Drumming
Taken from the 40th annual commemorative program.

One of the most fascinating yet demanding forms of entertainment is the circus. There the scenes of both sight and sound combined are essential for full enjoyment. The same can be said of pipe bands as may be evidenced during the march past of massed bands and drums today. Yet most of us, when considering the sound of a pipe band, relegate one of the two sections to a supportive, accompanying role — the Drums

The drum is an ancient instrument of Eastern origin, where it was originally used for communication. In clan warfare, bagpipes only served as martial music. However, when Highland regiments were formed during the early part of the 19th century, the military role of the drums was combined with the traditional one of the bagpipes. Thus was created the forerunner of today’s sophisticated pipe band.

In its original form the drum was simply a skin or pair of skins stretched over a frame or sound box. It was struck by sticks or mallets, hands or fingers to produce what most dictionaries describe as: “an indefinite pitch.” Modern drums used by pipe bands still fit this description but their construction has advanced dramatically. This has been necessitated by the rapid improvement in drumming techniques and the higher standards demanded by Pipe Majors from the “kitchen at the back.”

Today, three basic sizes of drums are used.

The Bass, usually 28” X 9”, is carried on the chest, struck by padded mallets and given the awesome task of keeping steady tempo.

The Tenor, 18” X 11”, pitched an octave above the bass, is also struck by mallets, but with great dexterity and showmanship, and carried on the leg.

The Snare or Side, 14” X 11”, struck by sticks, is used to provide obbligato patterns an octave above the Tenor drums.

The majority of pipe bands use metal shelled drums with rod-tension devices, plastic heads and metal strand snares. All of these refinements have been added to simplify maintenance and to disprove the description of indefinite pitch!

Bagpipes are monochromatic and therefore maintain one constant key. Neither can the volume level be changed by playing the instrument either piano or forte. Therefore it evolves to the drum section to provide support to improve these limitations.

First, to enhance the ensemble sound of the pipes and drums together, the snare drums are tuned to an A# note similar to the pipe chanter scale. The tenor drums are tuned to a tenor A# to match the two tenor drones of the pipes, while the bass is tuned to a bass A# to match the single bass drone. This not only ensures harmony from the drum section, but blends with the overall tuning of the pipes.

Second, a good drum section makes use of musical rhythm patterns, soft and loud drumming to give dynamic shading to the ensemble. Such variations effectively offset the constant volume level of the pipe section.

Reprinted from Colonial Highland Gathering Program June 3, 1979