Are Drums the oldest musical instrument?

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Who Smarted?" Episode – Are Drums the Oldest Musical Instrument?

Introduction

In this engaging episode of "Who Smarted?," the educational podcast for kids, hosts Trusty Narrator and Professor Peart delve into the fascinating world of drums. Set against the backdrop of a local college football game halftime show, the episode seamlessly blends humor, interactive elements, and informative discussions to captivate young listeners and their families.

The Setting: Marching Band and Football Game

The episode kicks off with Trusty Narrator observing a marching band performance during a halftime show where the football team is losing badly. Trusty expresses his excitement about the band, particularly the drummers, setting the stage for an exploration of percussion instruments.

Interactive Segments: Exploring Drum Types

The hosts engage listeners with a series of interactive guessing games to identify different types of drums, fostering participation and curiosity.

• Bass Drum [04:46]: Professor Peart explains, “In most marching bands, it's that deep thump thump of the bass drum that keeps the rhythm for the other instruments to follow along with.” The discussion highlights the bass drum's size and the distinctive deep sound it produces, emphasizing its role as the largest drum in both marching bands and rock kits.

• Snare Drum [05:56]: When identifying the snare drum, Professor Peart notes, “The snare drum is smaller than the bass drum... the wires below vibrate, which causes that metallic sound.” This segment underscores the snare drum's higher pitch and its essential function in various musical genres.

• Tenor Drum [07:21]: The tenor drum is described as “a membranofoam drum without a snare,” producing a mid-range sound. Professor Peart elaborates on its versatility and use in marching formations, often paired in groups called quads for dynamic performances.

Historical Significance of Drums

The conversation transitions to the rich history of drums, tracing their origins and cultural significance.

• Origins and Early Use [14:02]: Professor Peart shares, “While we don't know for sure, we do know that percussion instruments... were among the earliest.” Evidence from archaeological digs suggests drums date back to around 6,000 BCE in ancient China and possibly 50,000 years ago in Africa.

• Native American Culture [15:09]: Drums hold a sacred place in Native American traditions, used in celebrations, meditation, ceremonies, and storytelling. They are revered as “the earth's heartbeat or the spirit of life,” highlighting their profound cultural importance.

• American History: Revolution and Civil War [15:34]: During the Civil War, drummer boys utilized drums for battlefield communication, signaling commands such as advancing or retreating. Drums also helped maintain marching rhythms, ensuring troop coordination.

Types of Drums and Their Varieties

The hosts explore various drum types beyond the traditional marching instruments, showcasing the diversity within percussion.

• Steel Drums [08:51]: Professor Peart introduces steel drums, “created on the island country of Trinidad and Tobago in the 1930s.” These drums produce different sounds from various sections, adding unique melodies to musical performances.

• Bongos and Early Drumming [09:14]: Trusty Narrator attempts to play bongos, the first drum Professor Peart learned on, demonstrating their accessibility and foundational role in drumming education.

The Role of Drums in Modern Music

Drums continue to be integral in contemporary music, both in educational settings and professional performances.

• Drum Kits and Touring [13:20]: Professor Peart showcases his extensive drum kit used in his rock band, comprising around 30 pieces. This illustrates the complexity and versatility required for professional drumming.

• Muscle Memory and Skill Development [13:55]: Effective drumming relies on practice to develop muscle memory and a keen musical ear, essential for memorizing drum patterns and rhythms.

Conclusion

Wrapping up the episode, Trusty Narrator and Professor Peart reiterate the enduring importance of drums in music and culture. From ancient ceremonies to modern marching bands and rock concerts, drums have maintained their vital role as both a rhythmic backbone and a versatile instrument for artistic expression.

Notable Quotes:

• Professor Peart [04:46]: “In most marching bands, it's that deep thump thump of the bass drum that keeps the rhythm for the other instruments to follow along with.”

• Professor Peart [05:56]: “The snare drum is smaller than the bass drum... when the drumsticks strike the top surface of the drum, the wires below vibrate, which causes that metallic sound.”

• Professor Peart [14:13]: “While we don't know for sure, we do know that percussion instruments... were among the earliest.”

• Professor Peart [15:34]: “Drums hold a sacred place in Native American traditions... they were referred to as the earth's heartbeat or the spirit of life.”

Production Credits

The episode, “Are Drums the Oldest Musical Instrument?,” was written by Dave Double Bass Davis and voiced by Adam Styx Davis and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design were handled by Josh "Hi Hat" Hahn, with Max "More Cowbell" Kamasky serving as associate producer. The theme song was composed by Brian Extension Extended Drum Solo Suarez, featuring lyrics by Adam Tex Davis. "Who Smarted?" is a creation and production of Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert, brought to listeners by Atomic Entertainment.

Final Thoughts

This episode of "Who Smarted?" successfully combines educational content with entertaining dialogue, making complex historical and musical concepts accessible and enjoyable for young audiences. By integrating interactive elements and expert insights, Trusty Narrator and Professor Peart create an immersive learning experience that underscores the timeless significance of drums in both history and modern music.

Transcript

[Trusty Narrator]

And now it's time for who's Smarted? Psst. Hey, smartypants. Trusty narrator here. By the sounds of things, you can probably guess where I am right now. Oh, if you said watching a marching band, you're right. It's halftime at the local college football game. And while my team is getting horribly blown out, I don't mind, because I'm actually more excited to see the marching band perform. Smarty pants, listen closely and see if you can tell which instrument in particular I'm super psyched to see and hear. Can you tell which instrument played that sound? How about this sound? If you said both sounds were made by different versions of the same instrument, you're right. And that instrument is the drums. Which of course, also played that drum roll you just heard. If you ask me, the drums just can't be beat. Which is ironic because you beat the drums. Anyway, I am not here alone. The the school's music director and band leader, Professor Peart, will be joining us as soon as the band finishes playing. Not to mention, Professor Peart also plays drums in a cool local rock band. It's quite a rush hearing him play. Ah, the band's done. There goes our lousy football team back on the field. And here comes Professor Peart. Hey, great job out there, Professor.

[Professor Peart]

Hey, thanks, trustee. How goes its smarty pants?

[Trusty Narrator]

Uh, the smarty pants say hey. Only I can hear them. Anyway, nice sized crowd came to see the game today, don't you think?

[Professor Peart]

The game? I don't think so. Let's face it, our team stinks. If anything, all these people came to see the halftime show featuring our award winning band.

[Trusty Narrator]

You think so?

[Professor Peart]

I know so. Look, half the crowd's leaving.

[Trusty Narrator]

Well, the band was great, especially the drummers.

[Professor Peart]

Oh, yeah, Our drum ensemble is one of the best in the country.

[Trusty Narrator]

I'll say.

[Professor Peart]

Hmm.

[Trusty Narrator]

Since the game isn't very interesting, maybe now's a good time for you to teach me and the smarty pants a thing or two about drums. Such as when were drums first discovered and how have they been used throughout history? What are drums made of? Why do different drums sound the way they do? And finally, do you have to take lessons to learn how to play the drums?

[Professor Peart]

Sounds good. Although maybe we should get away from this awful game.

[Trusty Narrator]

Good call. Get ready to march to the beat of a whiff of science and history on who's smarted?

[Professor Peart]

Who's smarted? Who's smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science or history? Listen up, everyone. We make smarting lots of fun, but who's smarting?

[Trusty Narrator]

Hey, smarty pants. Trusty here with a special mission for all the smartypants listening. But unlike a top secret mission, this mission requires you to tell everyone. That's right. Your job is to spread the word about who's smarted so we can keep growing and bringing you awesome new episodes. To qualify for this mission, let's play a little game. Who do you know that would love who smarted but doesn't listen to the show? Is it A, a friend, B, a teacher, C, a relative like your favorite cousin? Or D, a neighbor who loves fun facts? Got someone in mind? Great. Question 2. Where and when will you tell this person about who's smarted? Is it A, on a playdate, B at school, C, in the car, or D on the phone? Pick one, make a plan, stick to it, and best of all, complete this not so top secret mission. I'm counting on you, smarty pants. The more people you tell, the bigger we grow. Which means a lot more smarting for you. Okay, smarty pants, we've relocated to the band rehearsal room where things are a little lot less noisy. I may have spoken too soon, but that's okay because this episode is all about drums. In fact, smarty pants, are you ready for a quick guessing game about drums? Great. Okay, listen up. Professor Peart will have one of his drummers play a type of drum. See if you can guess which one it is. Okay, here we go. Okay, what do you think? Was that sound made by A steel drums, B a bass drum, or C bongo drums? If you said B bass drums, you're right.

[Professor Peart]

In most marching bands, it's that deep thump thump of the bass drum that keeps the rhythm for the other instruments to follow along with.

[Trusty Narrator]

Does that deep sound have anything to do with the size of the drum? Because that bass drum is huge.

[Professor Peart]

That's exactly right, Trusty. The bass drum is actually the largest of all the drums in marching band or in a rock and roll drum kit. And it makes the deepest sound with the drum head on both sides being struck using felt covered mallet drumsticks.

[Trusty Narrator]

Nice. I also noticed it's the only drum that appears to be held vertically or straight up and down.

[Professor Peart]

Good observation. Instead of hitting down on the drum, the drum is held upright and the drummers hit the sides of it.

[Trusty Narrator]

Wow, they must have pretty strong back muscles to hold up that big heavy drum.

[Professor Peart]

Yep. Plus they wear a special harness. But being a bass drummer in a marching band isn't for everyone.

[Trusty Narrator]

Okay, next drum. Listen up, smarty pants, and see if you can guess what this one's called, is this one called A, a snare drum, b, an oil drum, or C, an eardrum? The answer is A, a snare drum.

[Professor Peart]

The snare drum is smaller than the bass drum. And as you can hear, the pitch or sound from the snare drums are higher than the bass.

[Trusty Narrator]

Yep, you can hear a big difference. Why is it called a snare drum, smarty pants? Any ideas?

[Professor Peart]

It has to do with a set of metal wires that are strung across the bottom surface of the drum. That group of wires is referred to as a snare. When the drumsticks strike the top surface of the drum, the wires below vibrate, which causes that metallicy sound. There's a few variations of snare drum. There's the kind found on a rock drum kit. And then there's the marching snares that can be worn and played while walking or marching.

[Trusty Narrator]

I noticed the snare drummers holding their drumsticks much closer to the top of the drum as they hit it rapidly.

[Professor Peart]

Hey, good observation. It's very different from the bass. But while the snare drum sounds like it's trickier to play, the bass drum is often harder to play because it's not trying to blend in with the other instruments. Rather, it's doing its own thing independent of the rest of the band.

[Trusty Narrator]

Interesting. Okay, last one for now, Smartypants. What kind of drum is this? Is it A, a tin drum, B, a treble drum, or C, a tenor drum? The answer is C, a tenor drum.

[Professor Peart]

A tenor drum is a membranofoam drum without a snare, meaning it's made from a stretch membrane which gives it this mid range sound that's between a bass and and a snare. And because there's no snare, it doesn't have that extra rattle to it, but you can still play it fast. And just like the marching snare can be worn and hit while walking, Sometimes four or even six tenor drums called quads are mounted together for carrying and playing on the march.

[Trusty Narrator]

Wow, those are all so cool. What about you, smarty pants? Do you have a favorite? I kind of like them all.

[Professor Peart]

Hey, trusty, follow me. I want to show you my recording studio. It's where me and my rock band, we write, perform, and record music together.

[Trusty Narrator]

Ooh, I can't wait to see and hear what you have in store.

[Professor Peart]

Cool. Don't worry. It's just a quick walk.

[Trusty Narrator]

Not if we use my teleportation app. Here we are. Whoa. I've never seen so many drums in one place. There are bongos, timpani, congas, tabla drums from the Indian subcontinent, and these smarty pants. See if you can guess what these drums are called. Is it A, tin drums, B, metal drums, or C, steel drums? The answer is C, steel drums.

[Professor Peart]

Steel drums, otherwise known as steel pan drums, were created on the island country of Trinidad and tobago in the 1930s. They're pretty advanced because different parts of the pan or drum produce different sounds. But that beautiful, unique sound is the soundtrack of many North American islands and are sometimes used by bands to add a cool or colorful sound.

[Trusty Narrator]

Wow. Did you know there were so many types of drums? Smartypants. Professor Peart, how old were you when you first started playing the drums?

[Professor Peart]

Not that young. More like five years old. My dad saw how much I enjoyed banging on pots and pans with wooden spoons, so one day he brought home a pair of bongos to see if I'd like hitting them. Ooh.

[Trusty Narrator]

Bongos are a great first drum to learn on. Mind if I give it a shot?

[Professor Peart]

Absolutely. Go for it, Trusty. Hey, not bad. Not bad at all. Not good, but definitely not bad.

[Trusty Narrator]

Ha. Thanks. So once you mastered the bongos, then what?

[Professor Peart]

Then I started taking lessons on a full drum kit like this one right here.

[Trusty Narrator]

Wow. We'll get into some more drumming right after this quick break. And a word from our sponsors. Have you ever had that moment where your kiddo looks up at you from the kitchen table, frustrated, stuck on their homework, and you want so badly to help them, but you just can't? Not because you don't care, but because school. School is different now. Math looks like a foreign language, the grammar rules have changed. Not to mention you're juggling five other things and dinner is burning. Every parent I know has been here. That's why I want to tell you about something that can make your life easier. Ixl. It's an online learning program that helps your child with math, English, science, and social studies from Pre K to 12th grade. But while that would be enough, what makes it extra special is how it adapts to your child. It figures out what they need and guides them gently toward mastery. And Just like WhoSmarted, IXL makes learning fun. Your kids get instant feedback and even earn rewards. So if you're trying to set your child up for success, then set them up with ixl. It works and it's fun. And now who smarted? Listeners get 20% off when you sign up [e-mail] that's ixl.com smarted 20% off. So you can get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. And be the helpful parent that you were meant to be. Okay, let's be honest. Life is a lot right now. Between school drop offs, back to back meetings, half folded laundry, and texts you forgot to reply to, who has time to launch that business idea that's been living in your notes? Apple, since 2021. Especially with that one thing standing between you and finally getting your business out into the world. A website. That part always feels like a brick wall. You want it to look professional, you want it to work. And you don't want to spend a lot of money on it. That's why I'm telling you, use Squarespace. With Squarespace, it's as easy as tell it what your idea is. Pick a style you love. Boom. Website. They've got tools for selling, scheduling, newsletters, online stores, all of it. And it looks beautiful and it works perfectly. And the whole thing happens in minutes in the middle of your real messy, overloaded life three months from now. Don't let the reason you still haven't launched your business be but the website. I built my first Squarespace site in less than a half hour. This is the sign for you. To build yours, go to squarespace.com smarted and use code smarted for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Need more time? You just need the right tool. That's Squarespace.

[C]

A whole new season of terrestrials is coming. Radiolab's family friendly show all about nature. This season we are back with a new batch of episodes where we come face to snout with some of the wildest, gnarliest creatures on this planet. We discover music, magic, medicine, and a whole lot of fun. Starting April 17, all on the Radiolab for Kids feed wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Trusty Narrator]

Now back to whosmarted. So this is your rock drum kit for when you play with your band?

[Professor Peart]

Exactly. A standard drum set comes with five drums. There's the snare, the bass, which you play by stepping on a pedal or two pedals, two different sized toms, and one large floor tom. And a couple of cymbals too, of course.

[Trusty Narrator]

Okay, but you have a lot more than five drums here.

[Professor Peart]

Yeah, my touring kit has about 30 different pieces.

[Trusty Narrator]

30?

[Professor Peart]

Yep. Not including this gong.

[Trusty Narrator]

Wow. How do drummers memorize which drums to hit and in what order?

[Professor Peart]

Simple practice. The more you play, the more you learn and the more you develop your muscle memory and your musical ear.

[Trusty Narrator]

Gotcha, Smartypants. True or false of all instruments, drums have been around the longest. The answer is true, probably.

[Professor Peart]

While we don't know for sure, we do know that percussion instruments, which are instruments played by hitting them, were among the earliest. And there's evidence the first membrane drums consisted of naturally hollow tree trunks covered at one or both ends with the skin of animals, fish or reptiles, including alligator.

[Trusty Narrator]

I've read about archaeological digs going back to around 6,000 BCE where they've uncovered what appear to be drum like instruments in areas of ancient China. And many historians see them being used in Africa some 50,000 years ago.

[C]

Whoa.

[Professor Peart]

Hey, look at you with the drum facts. Trusty. Nice job. But hey, do you know what ancient drums were used for?

[Trusty Narrator]

Um, no.

[Professor Peart]

It's been said that drums were most likely used during certain types of ceremonies. And we know here in the United States, drums were used quite frequently throughout our history.

[Trusty Narrator]

Oh yeah? How so?

[Professor Peart]

Much of the history behind the drum in the USA starts with Native American tribes who use them on many occasions. This included celebrations, meditation, ceremonies, and of course, storytelling. In fact, drums played such an important role in Native American culture, they were referred to as the earth's heartbeat or the spirit of life.

[Trusty Narrator]

That's beautiful.

[Professor Peart]

Drums also played a role in the American Revolution and the Civil War.

[Trusty Narrator]

Really Smartypants, do you know how drums play a part in battle? Yep. I'm not exactly sure either, but the professor knows.

[Professor Peart]

During the Civil War, drummers known as drummer boys would use their drums as an essential line of communication on the battlefield. Different drum calls would mean different things like keep advancing or retreat. Drumbeats also helped keep soldiers in step as they marched in unison.

[Trusty Narrator]

Nowadays, drums are featured prominently in marching bands from small schools to giant universities, and of course by bands playing rock, blues, jazz and other forms of music. Oh, and the professor here can play them all. Think you could play us out?

[Professor Peart]

Hey, sure thing. I'm in no rush.

[Trusty Narrator]

A double dose of long distance shoutouts to Rowan and Michael in County Down, Ireland. Thanks so much for smarting with us, you two. We're so glad you love listening, laughing and learning about all the different subjects with me and all your friends from whosmarted this episode. Drums was written by Dave Double Bass Davis and voiced by Adam Styx Davis and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh hi Hat Hahn. Our associate producer is Max More Cowbell Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Extension Extended Drum Solo Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis. Who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Entertainment production.