5 drum items that changed music forever?

opentune

Platinum Member
Which drums, cymbals, or even hardware changed drumming forever?
What are they, in your opinion, experience or vast knowledge? We're talking big changes.

I don't have any of the above, but I'd start with the bass drum pedal.
 
Raising the sock cymbal up to the height where they became known (and played) as hi hats.

Bundling all the various percussion items into one contraption or "traps" kit.
 
I think more advanced head tech like mylar was/is a big deal. I've seen a few drums with old-school style real "skins" and they look like a huge pain in the ass, not to mention sound not so good in a lot of situations.
 
Zildjian moving to America around 1928 and developing cymbals for specific use on the "trap-set."
 
I know you're talking about products, but I think in terms of the progression from Baby Dodds to Chick Webb, then Max Roach to Tony Williams. There's four big ones right there ;)
And then, the shameful plug, the progression from Tony to Jon Bermuda Schwarz!
 
I know you're talking about products, but I think in terms of the progression from Baby Dodds to Chick Webb, then Max Roach to Tony Williams. There's four big ones right there ;)
And then, the shameful plug, the progression from Tony to Jon Bermuda Schwarz!

What you don't know is that Bermuda only started playing the drums because the band already had an accordion player.
 
Nobody said double pedal yet? Okay, I won't either. I agree about the sock/hi-hat transformation. And along with that, the development of the ride cymbal, which allowed the beat to move over there and up in register.
 
the shure SM 57… the swiss army knife of microphones!!! i had a set and we used them on everything! amps for guitar, bass, and keys, acoustic guitars, overheads, toms, snares, kick, trumpet, flute, and some vocals when the more expensive audio technica mic crapped out-lol! plus they've been the go to instrument mic for the pros and hobbyists for almost thirty years!!! oh, and they're rock solid in construction!

everyone has posted some great replies, especially the hi hat and zildjian remarks… bravo!
 
Speed King. Or rather, the first kick pedal.

- Reggae Mangle
 
Many noble advancements towards shaping the modern drum kit have been noted, for sure.

But I think the biggest evolutionary leap in playability must be the development of the drumming shoe, surely? Talk about a modern miracle right? I mean, who'd have thought that a need as vital as pedal specific footwear would ever be available in our lifetime?

The Krupas, The Dodds', the Blakeys, the Bellsons and the Richs must be rolling in their graves to know that something so desired and so coveted, yet so far out of reach in years gone by, is now readily available for around the mere cost of an average mortgage. Who knows, if these guys had access to drumming shoes they may actually have been able to do something useful, creative and memorable on those pedals.

'Cos I swear, I heard about a guy who got a pair and went from 16ths at 120, to in excess of 250bpm in 15 minutes......they simply must work. The internet told me so.
 
the shure SM 57… the swiss army knife of microphones!!! i had a set and we used them on everything! amps for guitar, bass, and keys, acoustic guitars, overheads, toms, snares, kick, trumpet, flute, and some vocals when the more expensive audio technica mic crapped out-lol! plus they've been the go to instrument mic for the pros and hobbyists for almost thirty years!!! oh, and they're rock solid in construction!

Not to get too off topic, but I've had quite a few SM 57 microphones go bad. It usually starts in their inability to reproduce a low frequency response. All in all, they're inexpensive, very available and very easily replaced. There are also different versions of this microphone, the originals were made in the US and now they are being made in Mexico, unless you happen to receive some type of cheap forgery.

Dennis
 
Many noble advancements towards shaping the modern drum kit have been noted, for sure.

But I think the biggest evolutionary leap in playability must be the development of the drumming shoe, surely? Talk about a modern miracle right? I mean, who'd have thought that a need as vital as pedal specific footwear would ever be available in our lifetime?

The Krupas, The Dodds', the Blakeys, the Bellsons and the Richs must be rolling in their graves to know that something so desired and so coveted, yet so far out of reach in years gone by, is now readily available for around the mere cost of an average mortgage. Who knows, if these guys had access to drumming shoes they may actually have been able to do something useful, creative and memorable on those pedals.

'Cos I swear, I heard about a guy who got a pair and went from 16ths at 120, to in excess of 250bpm in 15 minutes......they simply must work. The internet told me so.

+1


....................
 
I think the big ones are the "low-boy being raised and becoming a "hi-hat, the advent of the bass drum pedal, as well as the use plastic film for drumheads.

One other thing that should deserve an honorable mention is the proliferation of technique DVDs/videos. That's something our early drum heroes never got to take advantage of during their prime.

Imagine where drumming would be if Jo Jones, or Big Sid Catlett, or Art Blakey, Max Roach, Elvin Jones etc. were able to produce drum videos back in the day.
 
1. the console and trap table
which evolved into the rail consolette , tom arms, rack systems, floor stands, and every tom and cymbal mounting device available today

2. floor tom basket which evolved into floor tom legs

3. the snare stand was quite revolutionary and worked much better than tilting it on a wooden chair

4. how about the suspended cymbal itself

5. low boy to hi hat

6. bass drum pedal


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chickwebbatdrumsholding.jpg


floor tom basket
floortombasket.png
 
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