WHERE IS THE “LOW BOY” ON THE DRUM SET?

Before I go into culture/genres and drum set use, I feel like I need to talk about one more ingenious invention related to this instrument.  This invention came about in the 1920’s and was called the low boy, which was the predecessor to the hi-hat.  This useful and cool-looking instrument stood about 12 inches high, and had two cymbals that would close together when played with the foot.

Before the invention of the low boy, drummers would accent beats 2 and 4 by choking a cymbal with their hands…that seems like a lot of work!  Once these accented beats could be played with the foot, the hands were freed up to syncopate rhythms to a greater degree.

The low boy was elevated twice in its history – first to 20 inches high, and this became known as the sock cymbal.  Later it got elevated even higher and became known as the hi-hat, which is the incarnation that is still used with contemporary drummers.  The hi-hat came about because drummers wanted the option of playing these cymbals with drumsticks, and not just their foot.

Stop by the Earthtone School of Music website to take drum lessons and learn how to play that hi-hat!  www.earthtoneschoolofmusic.com/drumlessons.html

By Tim Kurteff-Schatz

IT’S ALL THE BASS DRUM PEDAL’S FAULT!

What is meant by the title of this blog is that the invention of the bass drum pedal had a great deal to do with the invention of the drum set. This pedal invention took place in the late 1800’s, and well, it’s not all the bass drum pedal’s fault. The snare drum stand gets equal credit in the formation of the drum set. Before these two inventions, percussionists would strap these drums to their bodies, or set them on a chair.

The main reason for musicians needing to play more than one percussion instrument simultaneously is linked to Civil War-era bands. After the war, bands would often play events indoors, and space limitations would not allow for more than one percussionist in a room, so that person learned to be the octopus-like forbearer of the modern drum set player.

In the next blog, we will start to explore how musical genres and culture began to shape how the drum set was played. Until then, keep playing music, and if you don’t know how, then sign up for some lessons at Earthtone School of Music! earthtonemusic.org

by Tim Kurteff-Schatz