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Obelisk Drum Kit

Available for use in Recording Studios

Not currently on exhibit

Artifact TypeDrum Kit

Manufacturer Obelisk

Manufacturer LocationCalgary, Alberta, Canada

DateUnknown

This drums of this particular kit were produced by Obelisk, which was based throughout the 1980s and 1990s in Calgary, Alberta. Although both drums and cymbals have been in independent use for several centuries, the concept of the combined drum kit did not become popularized until it became a prominent addition to the jazz ensemble. In the early 1960s, the drum kit became a standard component of the rock group.

Operation/FunctionThis kit contains two hanging toms (varying sizes), one floor tom, one snare drum, one kick drum, one ride cymbal, one crash cymbal, and one hi-hat. The kit’s cymbals were manufactured by Sabian.Cultural SignificanceAlong with the electric guitar, the drum kit is perhaps most widely recognized as a staple component of the rock ensemble. It also remains equally prominent in most jazz traditions, the genre within which its popular use was first established in the 1930s. Its importance as the rhythmic foundation of musical composition was so apparent, in fact, that an entirely new generation of electronic musical instruments – the drum machine – was developed in response. The emergence of the electronic drum machine was quite disconcerting to most live percussionists of the 1940s and 1950s, who feared being replaced by a machine. However, the various iterations of the drum machine, whether synthesized or sample-based, have developed with such unique idiosyncrasies that they stand as distinct instruments, capable of producing tones that most acoustic kits are not, and incapable of performing many functions that are inherent only in the presence of a live musician. The performance practice associated with the acoustic drum kit has been drastically altered throughout the decades since its earliest inception in popular music, with kit orientation expanding to incorporate more uncommon percussion instruments, such as the gong and conga drums, in order to respond to changing aesthetics. On account of its ability to continually customize its orientation, the drum kit is perhaps among the most flexible of all acoustic instruments.Technological SignificanceBoth cymbals and drums have been in use for several centuries as the core rhythmic accompaniment in many Western and non-Western traditions. The cymbal is often considered to be the earliest idiophone instrument, achieving especially notable prominence in the Ottoman Empire during the early nineteenth century. The snare drum, which is arguably the most vital component of the standard kit, emerged as a variant of the tabor, which was commonly used in Western Europe and North Africa. The concept of the drum kit, which combines different drums and cymbals together as a single unit, formed in the mid nineteenth century as a way to overcome logistical issues faced by orchestras and military marching bands, which often employed a dedicated musician to play a single instrument within the entire percussion section. The pedal presented itself as a means of controlling cymbals via the foot while controlling a series of two drums, usually a bass drum and a snare drum, with the hands. Throughout the late 1800s and into the 1930s, this configuration was referred to as a ‘trap set’. An accompanying performance practice emerged, which entailed accenting beats given to the bass drum and syncopated beats given to the snare. Ludwig & Ludwig Co., which would become one of the most prominent manufacturer of drum kits in the late twentieth century, patented the first bass drum pedal system in 1909. This innovation shifted control of the bass drum from the hand to the player’s other foot, opening up possibilities for additional hand-operated drums to extend the ‘kit’. The wire brush, which produces a comparatively soft sound to the wooden stick, was incorporated into common practice in 1912 in response to drum kits overpowering other acoustic instruments at a time before amplification was possible. The snare drum is often considered to be the most important component to the kit’s sound, with each unit varying slightly in sound based on the specifications of the user. Often, the snare employs a thinner head than the toms, as well as a shell made of a different material, such as wood. Perhaps its most unique feature, however, is the series of metal wires it incorporates into its bottom support structure, which vibrate when the head is struck, adding in a richer, more harmonic tone. Cymbals also vary greatly in tone, which is affected by their shape, size, and material.Users/PerformersNotable popular drummers of the past century include virtuosic American bandleaders Gene Krupa (1909 – 1973) and Buddy Rich (1917 – 1987), American bebop innovators Kenny Clarke (1914 – 1985) and Max Roach (1924 – 2007), The Beatles’ Ringo Starr (born 1940), Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham (1948 – 1980), Rush’s Neil Peart (born 1952), The Who’s Keith Moon (1946 – 1978), Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason (born 1944), Fleetwood Mac’s Mick Fleetwood (born 1947), The Eagles’ Don Henley (born 1947), Genesis’ Phil Collins (born 1951), Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith (born 1961), and Billy Cobham (born 1944), who performed with Miles Davis and Mahavishnu Orchestra.

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