Since we are called drummers since we hit drums...

MrPockets

Gold Member
Do people who are only playing the cowbell referred to as cowbellers?

And what about:

cymbalers
timpaniers
crashers
chimers
glockenspielers
bassers
snarers
vibraslappers
wood blockers
tam tamers (gonger)
etc

We seem to enjoy this train of thought based of another thread.
 
Well, I do fancy myself to be a cymbalist.

N
 
1) “Timpanist” is a pretty standard term.

2) I think that a gong and a tamtam are different instruments. I could look it up, but it would be too much effort, don’t you think?

3) I have it on good authority that the suffix “er” is borderline disparaging, compared to “ist” which is complimentary. So presumably being called “percussionist” is preferable to “drummer.” The obvious bias against us is evident in the standard terminology: “guitarist,” “bassist,” “vocalist,” but then “drummer.”
 
I believe I would call them percussionists, but still musicians.

Dennis
 
They are called percussionists. Sorry Dennis didn't mean to reign on your parade.
 
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2) I think that a gong and a tamtam are different instruments. I could look it up, but it would be too much effort, don’t you think?

A tam-tam is a sub-type of gong. ie a tam-tam is a gong, but a gong may not be a tam-tam.
 
Most of us here are technically percussionists (players of percussion instruments) but in common practical language we are drummers. Advertise yourself as a percussionist and people will think you play hand percussion rather than drum kit.

Anduin, there's also "singer" and "trumpeter" so if -er has less respectful connotations it must have stemmed from a long time ago.
 
They are called percussionists. Sorry Denis didn't mean to reign on your parade.

You actually didn't. I believe my slight degree of sarcasm to the OP's initial post got lost somewhere in the translation, lol. l'll have to be more aggressive next time and less tongue-in-cheek. ;)

Dennis
 
Triangulator or triangulist ?
 
A tam-tam is a sub-type of gong. ie a tam-tam is a gong, but a gong may not be a tam-tam.

They're in the same family, but I don't think one is a "sub-type" of another. Gongs are tuned, tam-tams are not. It's really that simple :)


And for the record, I am a percussioner/drummer (I study classical and play in bands on the side). When I finish my degree (with some
additional and official drum set studies), I'm allowed to call myself a percussionist/drummist :p
 
How about "Acoustical Mylar Membranist?"

"Okay, the guitar player and bass player's here and the singer's passed out on the Marshall stack over there, but where the hell is my acoustical mylar membranist?"

Hey, I like it!
 
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