How
Much Do You Know About Drums From Around The World? Test
Your Knowledge With Our International Drum Quiz.
By Pat Beaven
All of life is a rhythm-fest! The first rhythm we come to know - while
still in uterus – is our mother’s heartbeat; in every culture,
for as long as history has been recorded, drums and drumbeats have
echoed that primal sound. Hand-drumming: hand on drum, skin against
skin, or creating a vibration on the drum with a variety of beaters
has always been a popular way for people to express themselves. Drums
have been used for sending messages, telling stories, frightening
enemies, as a way of teaching, worshipping, celebrating, and mourning.
Mark each statement true or false to see how much you know about the
diverse drums of the world …
1.
Legend says the bodhran, or Irish frame drum, started life as
a pan for shaking husks off grain.
True
False
2.
Tabla
is the name for the pair of drums you see most often played by
Indian musicians.
True
False
3.
The
Latin tambora originated in Chile.
True
False
4.
Bob
Marley, the King of Reggae, incorporated traditional Nyabinghi
drumming – music from the strictest Rastafarian sect –
into his tunes.
True
False
5.
Friction
drums produce their sound when wire brushes or bunches of twigs
are rubbed across the drum head.
True
False
6.
Dumbek,
doumbek, and darrabuka are all ways of naming the traditional
hour-glass shaped drum from the Middle East.
True
False
7.
The
traditional West African djembe is often called “the healing
drum”.
True
False
8.
Congas
and bongos are two ways of referring to the same drum.
True
False
9.
Gagaku,
the official music played in the Japanese imperial court, uses
four drums: the kakko, the tsuri-daiko, the da-daiko, and the
ko-tsuzumi.
True
False
10.
Modern
kettledrums evolved from Arab naqara that European soldiers brought
back from the Middle East in the 12th and 13th centuries.
True
False
11.
Water
drums are of Polynesian origin.
True
False
12.
African
talking drums imitate the tones of languages such as Yoruba to
send messages to people up to 30 kilometres away.
True
False
Answers!
1.
True.
Apparently
that’s its history! Pronounce it “bo – rawn”
and you’ll sound so knowledgeable.
2.
True.
It’s
how you refer to the pair of drums, and is also what the smaller
of the two is called. The larger drum on the drummer’s left
is called a bhaya.
3.
False.
This
merengue drum originated in the Dominican Republic.
4.
True.
The
rhythms of reggae are based on Nyabinghi, which uses three kinds
of drums: the bass, the funde, and the akete.
5.
False.
The
membrane on a friction drum is pierced by a stick which is pulled
up and down or rubbed between the hands to make a growling-type
sound.
6.
True.
Traditionally, the drum body was made of clay or wood and the
membrane was goatskin; now many drummers prefer metal and plastic.
7.
True.
This
is one of the world’s oldest hand drums. Say “jen –
bay” when you say it!
8.
False.
Bongos are a pair of small drums, while the barrel-shaped congas
are the very largest drums used in Latin music.
9.
False.
All
except the ko-tsuzumi, a drum that’s an important element
in Japanese Noh drama.
10.
True.
The
naqara’s sound appealed to soldiers there to fight in wars,
so they brought the drums back to Europe with them on their return.
The drums were known as “nakers” in England.
11.
False.
American
First Nations people made water drums by filling an iron pot one-third
full of water, then securing buckskin tautly across the top. Water
splashing up as the drum was played kept the skin tight.
12.
True.
A
large drum is used for the low tones, and a small drum for the
high tones, although sometimes a single drum is used, with tones
being changed by altering the tension of the membrane.
How
did you do?
9
or more correct?
A big drum roll, please … congratulations – you really
know your World beats!
5
– 8 correct?
Not
quite a Professor of Percussion, but enough left-brain knowledge
to enhance right-brain enjoyment of the diverse drumming experiences
you may encounter!
4
or less correct?
You
probably didn’t even realize what a big, wide world of drumming
there was out there. Look at it this way – you’ve learned
a lot!
Pat
Beaven is an actor, educator, and freelance journalist who revels
in the spirit of cultural diversity where she makes her home in
Toronto, Canada. Her work has appeared in newspapers and magazines
across North America; she has a special interest in culture-specific
movement disciplines, and is a staff writer for several dance publications.
