entomology of 'side drum'

[drummist]

i'm reading Percussion Instruments and their History by James Blade (very interesting). It's an English book copyright 1970 and he calls the snare drum a 'side drum' throughout. maybe dumb question but- is side drum still a common term in Britian (or elsewhere)? If not, when did the term die out? I've never seen a snare referred to as a side drum in American lit.

anyway, just curious....

[Webmaster]

I have always heard the term in a marching context.

Side drum referred to a snare drum.

Basically when you march with a strap (not the systems they have today)
the drum would sit on one leg off to the side.

Here are a few prints depicting early marching drums and the military.

http://www.vintagesnaredrums.com/images/my_collection/literature/marching_pictures/neary_marching_soldier4_th.jpg (http://www.vintagesnaredrums.com/my_collection_marching_drummers.html)

Then again this is what I remember and I would gather it is still in use for that context.

David

[drummist]

yeah, right- i understand why it would have been called a side drum. in fact i used the point in my description of how traditional grip came to be in the drum manual i'm writing. but this guy is referring to it as side drum in mostly a symphonic or orchestral context. so apparently the name carried over to some extent but i am curious if side drum was still in common usage in the 70's or if this guy was using outdated terminology. in other words, should i write "that's why it used to be called..." or "that's why the British call it..." in my manual?

he also calls traditional grip "rabbit grip" (and explains it's because the sillhouette of the left hand resembles a rabbit) which i think is a cool name.

thanks,
andrew

[Webmaster]

Here is the Camgridge Dictionary definition.

snare drum noun [C] (ALSO side drum)
a drum with twisted wires stretched across the bottom which shake against it when it is hit

So I guess I was trying to say that in general it might not be a specific British term, but a marching term. Since that carried over into the name of a "Snare Drum" it would mean the same thing to most people. Snare drum - Side Drum and also Trap Set - Drum Set. So specifically saying "British call it..." would probably require a Historian of Marching drums to substantiate that. So personally I would use the statement "Snare Drum also commonly referred to as Side Drum based on early marching...."

We have an overseas group of guys that check into the forum, so let's se what they say.

The Rabbit Grip is something I have never heard before so that is a new one on me!

Is this for print or a project for something? Sounds like interesting reading.

David

[Webmaster]

I found this little tid bit online

History

The earliest form of the snare drum was the medieval tabor. The tabor is a doubleheaded drum. It often has one simple gut snare. The tabor was often played along with a three-holed pipe in the Middle Ages. Today this combination can still be found in modern European folk music.
The tabor gradually increased in size during the 15th century. It emerged as a military instrument by the 16th century.
It was popularized by the fife-and-drum corps of Swiss mercenary foot soldiers. This version of the drum was a large instrument carried over the player's right shoulder, suspended by a strap. It is to this instrument that English word "drum" was first used.
Laces were used to increase the tension of the heads. It was accomplished by lacing a cord in a W or Y pattern around the shell. This method was replaced with the development of a top hoop. This hoop was used with tension screws, which could alter the tautness of the drumhead.
Snare drums were primarily used as military instruments and are still associated with the infantry and the fife. They were introduced into other music in the 18th century when it was first used in the orchestra. In the 19th century it replaced the tenor drum of military bands.

This is the web site I found it on: http://www.mathcs.duq.edu/~iben/snare.htm

Interesting topic!!!!


Thanks


David

[Webmaster]

O.k. I have also heard marching drums called field drums, here is a larger article on the topic.

http://www.nexuspercussion.com/FieldMusic.html

Sorry, none of this really helps your topic, but I enjoy the research part!

David

[drummist]

interesting that the article says tabors are double sided when i have seen several and they are usually single headed, with the snare or snares either above or below the only head.

here's a link to the the manual i've been writing:
http://www.andrewwilshusen.com/drummanual2005.htm

it's still in progress and i would love any feedback.

i added a sentence using your "also called" advice and threw it in there as a parenthetical side note in the Angles section (where I talk about the proper angle of the snare when using trad. grip). i also said it can be called a military drum but i should add the field drum too. or maybe i was thinking field when i wrote military?

anyway, thanks for the comments.

[drummist]

oh, nevermind, tabors are double headed. i was thinking of the bendir, which is a single headed arabian drum with a snare or snares that pre-dates the tabor.

[Webmaster]

Wow, sorry for not getting back to you sooner, I was still reading your article.

Let me know if you want a feature on the web site and or show a much larger group of people your work?

I'm always looking for content.

The main web site is huge in regards to traffic and visitors.

Thanks

David

[drummist]

wow, thanks. i'm not sure it warrants a "feature" but i'm all for the prospect of getting it out to whoever might find it interesting. i mean if you think it warrants a feature i'd be flattered. Feel free to link it or do whatever you want with it really.

i've actually been editing it this week (it was probably changing as you were reading it) and am pretty happy with it. now i have to go through and put in footnotes to give proper credit to "borrowed" info. although it's almost entirely my own opinions and what's not is listed in the bibliography.

speaking of sources, does anybody know the source of a magazine interview where Max Roach says drumming is only single strokes and double strokes? i'm fairly certain it was an issue of "Percussive Notes" and I don't think the interview was with Max but rather someone giving an anecdote. I read it ten years ago but it was a back issue so who knows what year the mag. was. I've been pulling my hair out trying to find it.

[Webmaster]

I will put it up some time this weekend.

Thanks

David