Tom-tom drum
Encyclopedia
A tom-tom drum is a cylindrical drum
with no snare
.
Although "tom-tom" is the British term for a child's toy drum, the name came originally from the Anglo-Indian
and Sinhala; the tom-tom itself comes from Asian or Native American cultures. The tom-tom drum is also a traditional means of communication
.
The tom-tom drum was added to the drum kit
in the early part of the 20th century.
As major drum manufacturers began to offer tunable tom-toms with hoops and tuning lugs, a 12 in (30.5 cm) drum 18 inches (45.7 cm) deep became standard, mounted on the left side of the bass drum. Later a 16 in (40.6 cm) drum (16 inches deep) mounted on three legs (a floor tom
) was added. Finally, a second drum was mounted on the right of the bass drum, a 13 in (33 cm) diameter drum 9 inches (22.9 cm) deep. Together with a 14 in (35.6 cm) snare drum and a bass drum of varying size, these three made up the standard kit of five drums for most of the second half of the 20th century.
Later, the mounted tom-toms, known as hanging toms or rack toms, were deepened by one inch each, these sizes being called power toms. Extra-deep hanging toms, known as cannon depth, never achieved popularity. All these were double-headed.
A wide variety of configurations are commonly available and in use at all levels from advanced student kits upwards. Most toms range in size between 6 and 20 in (15.2 and 50.8 cm), though floor toms can go as large as 24 inches (61 cm). Two "power" depth tom-toms of 12×10 (12 in (30.5 cm) diameter by 10 in (25.4 cm) depth) and 13 × is a common hanging tom configuration. Also popular is the "fusion" configuration of 10 × and either 12 × or 12 ×, and the again popular "classic" configuration of 12×8 and 13×9, which is still used by some jazz drummers. A third hanging tom is often used instead of a floor tom.
still uses 4 singled headed rack mount toms and 2 floor toms (Gretsch) in his setup. He claims he tunes his toms to "bark" like a seal.
s have no shell at all, just a single head and a steel frame. Unlike most other drums, they have a variable definite pitch
and some composers write for them as a tuned instrument, demanding specific notes. They can be tuned quickly by rotating the head. Since the head rotates on a thread, this raises or lowers the head relative to the rim of the drum and so increases or decreases the tension in the head.
(also known as "gong drum"), is a large, single-headed tom often sized at 20 in (50.8 cm) or 22 in (55.9 cm), with the drumhead being 2 in (5.1 cm) larger than the shell. The sound produced is similar to a bass drum
, though it is more open and has longer sustain. They can be mounted with standard floor tom legs, though many drummers mount them at an angle next to the floor tom(s). Notable users include Neil Peart
, Stewart Copeland
, Bill Bruford
, Simon Phillips
, Jason Bittner
, Mike Portnoy
and Dom Howard
.
.
Shell depth standards vary according to the era of manufacture and the drum style. Tom toms are typically made in diameters of: 6 in (15.2 cm), 8 in (20.3 cm), 10 in (25.4 cm), 12 in (30.5 cm), 13 in (33 cm), 14 in (35.6 cm), 15 in (38.1 cm), 16 in (40.6 cm) and 18 in (45.7 cm), with heads to fit.
Tom-Toms can be fitted with an adjustable mounting for a floor stand, or attachment to a bass drum
or marching rig. They can be single or double-headed.
Shells are often constructed of 6–8 wood plies (often using different woods e.g. mahogany and falkata — birch or maple are commonly used for single-wood plies), solid wood (turned) or man-made materials (e.g. fiberglass, pressed steel, acrylic glass
, resin-composite). Wood or composite shells can be finished by laminating in plastic in a large variety of colors and effects (e.g. sparkle or polychromatic); natural wood may be stained or left natural and painted with clear lacquer. Steel is usually chromed, fiberglass self-colored and acrylic glass
tinted or clear.
Mounting systems vary greatly, from a simple cast block on the shell which accepts and clamps to a rod attached to a clamp or holder to much more sophisticated arrangements where there is no attachment to the shell, instead a frame clamps to the tuning lugs.
Another sort of rod clamp system allows attachment of the drum to the tom holder without the need of a hole in the drum shell for the rod to pass through. The clamp is attached to the shell at the nodal point with two bolts so as to allow the shell to vibrate freely without degrading the shell's dynamic range and sustain. The nodal point is the location on a shell with the least amount of vibration allowing for the mount to have minimal effect on the resonance of the shell.
Some drummers use a snare stand to hold a tom, thus making it easier to position the tom.
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
with no snare
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
.
Although "tom-tom" is the British term for a child's toy drum, the name came originally from the Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indians are people who have mixed Indian and British ancestry, or people of British descent born or living in India, now mainly historical in the latter sense. British residents in India used the term "Eurasians" for people of mixed European and Indian descent...
and Sinhala; the tom-tom itself comes from Asian or Native American cultures. The tom-tom drum is also a traditional means of communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
.
The tom-tom drum was added to the drum kit
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
in the early part of the 20th century.
Design history
The first drum kit tom-toms had no rims; the heads were tacked to the shell.As major drum manufacturers began to offer tunable tom-toms with hoops and tuning lugs, a 12 in (30.5 cm) drum 18 inches (45.7 cm) deep became standard, mounted on the left side of the bass drum. Later a 16 in (40.6 cm) drum (16 inches deep) mounted on three legs (a floor tom
Floor tom
A floor tom is a double-headed tom-tom drum which usually stands on the floor on three legs. However, they can also be attached to a cymbal stand with a drum clamp....
) was added. Finally, a second drum was mounted on the right of the bass drum, a 13 in (33 cm) diameter drum 9 inches (22.9 cm) deep. Together with a 14 in (35.6 cm) snare drum and a bass drum of varying size, these three made up the standard kit of five drums for most of the second half of the 20th century.
Later, the mounted tom-toms, known as hanging toms or rack toms, were deepened by one inch each, these sizes being called power toms. Extra-deep hanging toms, known as cannon depth, never achieved popularity. All these were double-headed.
Modern tom toms
Single-headed tom-toms
Single-headed tom-toms (also known as concert toms) have also been used in drum kits, though their use has fallen off in popularity since the 1970s. Concert toms have a single head and a shell slightly shallower than the corresponding double-headed tom. Phil CollinsPhil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
still uses 4 singled headed rack mount toms and 2 floor toms (Gretsch) in his setup. He claims he tunes his toms to "bark" like a seal.
Rototoms
RototomRototom
Rototoms are drums which have no shell. They consist of a single head in a die-cast zinc or aluminum frame. Unlike most other drums, they have a variable definite pitch. Composers are known to write for them as tuned instruments, demanding specific pitches. Rototoms are often used to extend the tom...
s have no shell at all, just a single head and a steel frame. Unlike most other drums, they have a variable definite pitch
Pitch (music)
Pitch is an auditory perceptual property that allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale.Pitches are compared as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies,...
and some composers write for them as a tuned instrument, demanding specific notes. They can be tuned quickly by rotating the head. Since the head rotates on a thread, this raises or lowers the head relative to the rim of the drum and so increases or decreases the tension in the head.
Gong bass drum
A gong bass drumGong bass drum
A gong bass drum is a type of drum which uses a single large drumhead in order to create a loud, resonant sound when struck...
(also known as "gong drum"), is a large, single-headed tom often sized at 20 in (50.8 cm) or 22 in (55.9 cm), with the drumhead being 2 in (5.1 cm) larger than the shell. The sound produced is similar to a bass drum
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
, though it is more open and has longer sustain. They can be mounted with standard floor tom legs, though many drummers mount them at an angle next to the floor tom(s). Notable users include Neil Peart
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
, Stewart Copeland
Stewart Copeland
Stewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...
, Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford
William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
, Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips is an English jazz, pop and rock drummer.-Career:Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in his father's Dixieland band for four years. He was then offered the chance to play in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar...
, Jason Bittner
Jason Bittner
Jason Bittner is the drummer for the American metal band Shadows Fall. He has won numerous awards including Modern Drummer Readers poll for #1 Up and Coming Drummer of 2004, and in 2005, #1 Best Recorded Performance for the Shadows Fall album The War Within, #1 Metal drummer #2 Clinician DRUM!...
, Mike Portnoy
Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
and Dom Howard
Dominic Howard
Dominic James "Dom" Howard , is the drummer for the English rock band Muse.-Early life:Howard was born in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in England. When he was around 8 years old he moved with his family to Teignmouth, a small town in Devon. He began playing drums at about the age of 12, when he...
.
Construction and manufacture
Typically a tom consists of a shell, chromed or plated metal hardware and headDrumhead
A drumhead is a membrane stretched over one or both of the open ends of a drum. The drumhead is struck with sticks, mallets, or hands so that it vibrates and the sound resonates through the drum.-History:...
.
Shell depth standards vary according to the era of manufacture and the drum style. Tom toms are typically made in diameters of: 6 in (15.2 cm), 8 in (20.3 cm), 10 in (25.4 cm), 12 in (30.5 cm), 13 in (33 cm), 14 in (35.6 cm), 15 in (38.1 cm), 16 in (40.6 cm) and 18 in (45.7 cm), with heads to fit.
Tom-Toms can be fitted with an adjustable mounting for a floor stand, or attachment to a bass drum
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
or marching rig. They can be single or double-headed.
Shell
A crucial factor in achieving superior tone quality and ensuring durability, especially with wood, is the creation of perfectly round shells and much research and development effort has been put into this manufacturing technology.Shells are often constructed of 6–8 wood plies (often using different woods e.g. mahogany and falkata — birch or maple are commonly used for single-wood plies), solid wood (turned) or man-made materials (e.g. fiberglass, pressed steel, acrylic glass
Acrylic glass
Poly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...
, resin-composite). Wood or composite shells can be finished by laminating in plastic in a large variety of colors and effects (e.g. sparkle or polychromatic); natural wood may be stained or left natural and painted with clear lacquer. Steel is usually chromed, fiberglass self-colored and acrylic glass
Acrylic glass
Poly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...
tinted or clear.
| Component | Content | Audio (Ogg Vorbis) |
|---|---|---|
| Toms | 8-inch rack tom | |
| 12-inch rack tom | ||
| Floor tom | ||
| See the Drums page at Wikipedia Commons for more | ||
Hardware
One or two cast or pressed metal rims attach by threaded tension rods or lugs to nut boxes bolted onto the shell holds the heads onto the bearing edges of the shell. The tension rod assembly needs to be precision machined, cast and fitted to enable predictable and secure tuning without inhibiting resonance or introducing extra vibration. All components will be placed under great tension and experience added stresses from playing.Another sort of rod clamp system allows attachment of the drum to the tom holder without the need of a hole in the drum shell for the rod to pass through. The clamp is attached to the shell at the nodal point with two bolts so as to allow the shell to vibrate freely without degrading the shell's dynamic range and sustain. The nodal point is the location on a shell with the least amount of vibration allowing for the mount to have minimal effect on the resonance of the shell.
Some drummers use a snare stand to hold a tom, thus making it easier to position the tom.