DRUM, a musical instrument formed by stretching parchment animal skin over the heads of a cylinder of wood or over a bowl shaped metallic vessel. There are three kinds of drums: (1) The long drum or bass drum with two heads, held laterally and played on both ends with stuffed-knob drumsticks. This is the ordinary drum used by an infantry or marching band. It is employed mainly to mark the time and also to increase the fortes. The big drum, or grosse caisse, of the modern orchestra, is a modification of the ordinary drum, with the diameter greatly increased and the length of the cylinder lessened. It is struck on one side only. (2) The side-drum, having two heads, the upper one only being played on by two sticks of wood; the lower head has occasionally strings of catgut stretched across its surface, and then it is called a snare drum. It is the side-drum of the fife and drum bands. It is occasionally employed in the orchestra for special effects. (3) These are either the small kettle-drums of the cavalry band, played on horseback, or the proper orchestral drums, larger in size but similar in construction. They are
generally tuned to the tonic and dominant of the composition in which they are used, but this rule is not without exceptions. The tambour ine is a species of drum, consisting of a single skin on a frame or vessel open at bottom. The heads are tightened by cords and braces or by rods and screws.
The drum was a martial instrument among the ancient Egyptians, as the sculptures of Thebes testify. Their long drum was like the Indian tam-tam and was beaten by the hand. It was about 18 inches long, had a case of wood or metal and heads of prepared skin, resembling parchment. These were braced by cords in a manner somewhat similar to the modern. The instrument was carried by a belt and was slung behind the back on a march. The invention of the drum is ascribed to Bacchus, who, accord ing to Polygcenus, gave his signal of battle by cymbal and drum. It was, however, known in very early ages and in some form or other among almost all nations.