Foot drum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A foot drum is any type of drum that is typically played by striking it with the bare foot or pedal and beater combination. The most common type of foot drum is the kick drum or bass drum of a drum set or trap kit, which consists of a deep cylindrical shell with drumheads attached to both ends.

Contents

[edit] Instrument History

Archaeologists have unearthed 'foot drums' in several southwestern and central-Californian US Native American archaeological sites inhabited, or formally inhabited, by the Miwok, Maidu, Aztec, and Hopi Indian tribes. These drums were often semicircle cross-sectioned hollow logs laid over wood covered 'resonating' pits positioned according to custom in kivas or dance houses. The foot drums were played by stomping on top of the hollow log with the structure's poles used for steadying. [1][2][3]

Since the 1930s, many Chicago area musicians, producers, and engineers have referred to the bass drum as the foot drum or 'foot.' Although not commonly used today, the 'foot drum' name is still used in areas of the music recording industry.[4]

Although now a major component of typical drum kits, foot drums were often played with pedals singularly or in combination with other foot played percussion instruments manufactured in the early-20th century by Sonor, Max Flemming, Duplex and Viktoria companies.[5]

Besides the typical bass drum and pedal, there are other varieties and playing styles of foot drums. They range from complete foot pedal played drum kits to a heel struck Cajon and stompbox.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Densmore, Frances (1939), “Musical Instruments of the Maidu Indians”, American Anthropologist, New Series (no. Jan. - Mar., 1939) 
  2. ^ Parsons, Elise (1940), “Relations between Ethnology and Archeology in the Southwest”, American Anthropologist, New Series (no. Vol. 5, No. 3 (Jan., 1940)) 
  3. ^ .Lowie, Robert H. (1938), “The Emergence Hole and the Foot Drum”, American Anthropologist, New Series (no. Vol. 40, No. 1 (Jan. - Mar., 1938)) 
  4. ^ Recording Institute of Detroit [1]
  5. ^ Winnie's Drumkit Vintage Drum Collection. Amsterdam, Netherlands [2]

[edit] External links