Drum FULL - Part 3: Drum Tom

In the previous two parts of the FULL Drum series , we learned about Snare Drums (Part 1) and Bass Drums (Part 2). In this post, we'll be talking about Toms, originally thought of as a sound effect but now an essential component of every drum kit.

Originally called the tom-tom, the Tom is a simple drum that requires no additional mechanisms such as the Snare drum or the Foot Pedal. Most drum kits have up to one Snare drum and one Bass drum (sometimes two), but can have any number of Tom drums in different sizes. Tom can be used to play a filler, add color to a tune, or even substitute for a Hi-hat.

Drum HISTORY TOM

The first drums appeared in Asia in the late 1800s, known as "Chinese tom-toms" made from simple wooden cases. Diameters range from 20cm to 35cm, with a depth of only about 10cm. These drums cannot be adjusted as there are no tuning rings or rods. Leather panels (often elaborately painted) are simply glued to the top and bottom of the case.

When the modern drum set began to take shape in the early 1900s, American drum manufacturers imported these drum sets, branded them, and included them as part of their rigs. Sometimes the Toms are attached to the Bass drum washer, and sometimes they are simply placed on an "effects table" (a table on which various percussion effects are placed). Larger Toms are supported using tripods. It wasn't until 1940 that the tripod was replaced by a straight, adjustable metal leg that was attached to the case. Tom with that type of mounting is called a "floor" Tom.

In the 1920s, drummers started using deeper Toms that were typically mounted on Bass drums (via rails), and those drums had an outer finish that often matched Snare and Bass drumheads. The upper ends can then be adjusted, but the lower ends are still stuck and cannot be adjusted. This is a big problem because the head is made from calf or animal skin and is very susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity. It wasn't until the late 1950s that plastic drum heads (made of mylar, polyester, or a mixture of the two) appeared. This was a big breakthrough because the plastic tips kept their adjustment even when the temperature and humidity changed.

"SING, SING, SING"

Legendary drummer Gene Krupa worked with drum manufacturers in the 1930s to develop the type of drum we know today. Krupa insists that the top and bottom heads for his Toms must be adjustable. These revolutionary Toms used metal rings to hold their heads, along with tension bars (adjustable with a drum key) for adjustment. His drumming performance on the 1936 hit "Sing, Sing, Sing" included some of the most famous tom riffs in music history. Krupa also helped establish some of today's standard Tom sizes such as 33cm x 23cm and 40cm x 40cm (diameter x depth).

RED PRICE SYSTEM

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, rack systems for Tom drums evolved from rails into the sturdy tubular form we see today. As rock music became popular, drum sets tended to be larger, some drummers using sets consisting of four or more Toms of varying sizes. The Tom can be mounted on a Bass drum, on a floor stand, or - as is the case with the Floor Tom - on a stand with a bracket that attaches to the case. Not only do these make installation faster and easier, they also reduce the area of ​​the drum kit compared to using separate racks. Another benefit of using a stand is that some drummers prefer the sound of the Bass drum when the Toms are not directly attached to it.

Drum diameter and depth of TOM:

Today, the standard diameters for Tom drums are 20cm, 25cm, 30cm, 33cm and 36cm, while the floor Tom is usually produced in 36cm, 40cm, 45cm diameters. Case depth is also variable: Standard depths are 20cm, 25cm, 33cm and vaf640cm. The Yamaha Absolute Hybrid Maple mounts traditional diameter Toms, but can be ordered with slightly different depths.

The Yamaha Absolute Hybrid Maple toms come in a variety of sizes.

As with other drums, the basic pitch of the drum depends on the diameter and depth of the shell. Larger shells usually produce a lower pitch. Smaller shells provide more "snap" and faster response, while deeper shells enhance performance, create more overtones, and add weight to the sound.

There is no rule about tom size for specific types of music. Many jazz drummers prefer Tom 30cm x 20cm and 35cm x 35cm, while you'll find 33cm x 23cm and 40cm x 40cm or 45cm x 40cm in rock drum rigs. A combo drum set usually comes in smaller sizes like 25cm x 20cm and 30cm x 20cm and a 35cm x 35cm deck Tom. The lower skin is sometimes removed (although more commonly used for recordings rather than live performances) for a louder sound and a more open tone with less resonance.

Other Toms are available, such as the roto Tom (which has a single adjustable head in a metal frame without any housing) and the Extra Large Concert Tom, which has a deeper case and no bottom end. . They are specifically designed for a full orchestra and are generally not recommended for use in drum kits, although they were used by some rock drummers in the 70s and 80s.

MATERIALS FOR TOM Drums

Tom cases can be made from fiberglass, acrylic, and sometimes stainless steel, but wood is still the most popular material by far. Wooden cases are usually made from several pieces of wood such as oak, birch or maple (oak, birch or maple).

Oak is used in the Tom Yamaha Live Custom Hybrid Oak drum. This wood produces round tones, mellow highs and warm lows. The shell of the drum is made from oak surrounded by a dense phenolic layer. The design of the Live Custom Hybrid Oak case emphasizes attack power while increasing the drum's dynamic range.

Yamaha Recording Custom and Stage Custom Birch toms are manufactured from birch wood. Aries performed particularly well, helping the drum sound to flow through the mix. It produces bright, vibrant tones with emphasis in the low and high frequencies, and the mid frequencies are slightly reduced.

Maple is one of the most popular woods for drum shells and is used in Tom Yamaha Absolute Hybrid Maple and Tour Custom drums. The maple shell delivers warm bass, slightly enhanced mids, and balanced lows and highs. The Absolute Hybrid Maple shell combines maple panels with an inner layer of wood - a hard and heavy wood that combines with a maple to produce a rich, clear sound at a variety of volume levels. The Yamaha PHX (“phoenix”) drum shell is made of jatoba, kapur and North American maple panels. This unique construction maximizes the performance and increases the vibration of the drum head.

MAXIMIZING RECOMMENDATION

Tom is designed to resonate, but sometimes hardware attached to the case can dampen that resonance. YESS (Yamaha Boost Sustain System) I, II and III fitted on all Yamaha drum kits (except Stage Custom Hip and Rydeen models) acts as a shock-absorbing and mitigating mounting system contact between the case and the mount, allowing the case to vibrate for maximum - hence, for maximum resonance.

Yamaha YESS tom mount

The pins can also reduce case resonance and that's why the Absolute latch on the Tom Yamaha Tour Custom drum is designed to not touch the case thanks to the rubber pads.

Another approach is taken with Yamaha's Tom PHX drums, using a hook latch system. In some areas of the case that produce unwanted overtones, these hook pins will be attached there. This design quickly mutes unwanted overtones and creates a pure sound. The hook latch system also makes changing heads quick and easy.

Tom offers a wide variety of timbre options for your drum set and can also help make your playing more fun. Best of all, you can start with just one or two Toms and add more when your technique is ready.