Bass drum: Barbados musical instrument

A bass drum is a large drum that the ability of producing a note of low definite or indefinite pitches. This is a percussion musical instrument and differs in size ad are used in several musical genres. The bass drum is cylindrical in shape with the diameter being much greater than the height. The head of the drum may be carved of the calf skin or the plastic and can be adjusted either by threaded traps or by strings. Although the drum is made in many sizes, the sizes of the drum have little or nothing to do with the volume of the sound that is produced by the drum.

source of picture: orgs.usd.edu

The earliest known senior of the bass drum is the davul for Turkey which is a cylindrical drum that featured two thin heads. The heads were extended over hoops and then added to a narrow shell. To be able to play this musical instrument, one would strike the right side of the davul with a large wooden stick and strike the left side with a rod and when struck, the davul produces a deeper sound than any other drum that is in existence. Because of this unique timbre, davul was used extensively in war and other combats where a deep and percussion sounds are needed to make sure that force are marching accordingly. The first group to use the davul in their music was the military bands of the ottoman janissaries in the 18^th century, they often had a heavy emphasis on percussion ant their military band was strictly made up of davul, kettle drum and cymbal players. Davul was ideal for use as military musical instrument because of their unique way in which they could be moved. For example, the ottoman janissaries were hanging their davuls at the breasts using thick straps and the straps made it easier for the soldiers to carry their musical instrument from battle to battle. The davul also was used in the non-military music. The davuls were used as a major aspect of the Turkish folk music and dances.

There are many types of the davuls that has existed such as the long drum, gong drum and orchestral bass drum and drum kits. In many forms of music, the bass drum has been used to mark o keep time. When the mallet hits the drumhead, the bass drum gives out a low but boom sound and can be used as project tempo in marches. A beat or rock and roll has the musical instrument played on the first and the third beats of common time having the snare drum on the second and the fourth beats known as back beats. The bass drum when used in jazz can vary from being a timekeeping medium to being a melodic voice together with the other parts of the set.

In the year 1909, William F. Ludwig made the bass drum pedal workable thereby giving way for the modern drum kit. A bass drum pedal works much as the hi-hat control; here a footplate is pressed to pull a chain, belt or medal drive mechanism  downward  bringing the mallet forward into the drumhead.