A drum is a musical instrument which falls in the percussion category. Percussion instruments are those that produce a sound when they have been impacted. A drum consists of a drumhead, which is usually hard-pressed on a circular casing and is usually beaten by the hands of a drummer with drum sticks. The sound from the beating can result in noise or a harmonization for music. Another component of the drum is the resonance head, which is normally located underneath the casing. Drums have been around for a very long time and their designs and effects have been consistent over the years. The sound a drum produces may be dependent on its shape and size as well as the type of material.
Who participates in a Drum Battle?
A drum battle usually requires two or more drummers who exchange solos containing their musical ideas. Simply put, a drummer is the person who beats the drum to match musical notes. A drum battle is usually ensued when drummers exploit the drumming style, one after the other. In some drum battles, drummers may seek to defeat each other. In other drum battles, the most important thing is to have fun while disclosing your musical style to others as well as learning from others when they disclose their style. A drum battle can be described as a rhythmic way to display one’s ideas and emotions.
Resources needed for a drum battle
- Drummers
- Drumsticks
- Drum kits
- Officials
- Time keeper
Drum Battle Instructions
Drum battle instructions are inclusive of four easy steps.
Step 1: Before initiating a drum battle, you will need to set up your drum kits on the band’s opposing side. If there is no backing group present, set up the drum kits beside each other.
Step 2: The next thing to do is start the battle. A drum battle is usually initiated by a pre-determined amount of bars. These bars are used to prepare and institute the rhythm that the battle will use. Generally, the battle is started off by both drummers, drumming together before each does a solo. It is usually recommended that a solo starts off simply and ends with a bang. When a solo starts with a bang, officials usually expect it to end with a bang; a simple ending usually gets a lower grading than those that are ended with a bang. Bangs may include a free style filled with polyrhythm.
Step 3: Drummers should trade their solos with each other, that is, one playing one after the other. At this point it is recommended that keen attention is paid to the rhythm and style of the opponent’s solo. This usually helps to produce a better solo.
Step 4: To end the drum battle, simply perform your solo after your opponent. The ending is usually the most anticipated, so one should give the officials the bang that they are looking for. One can impress the officials by combining speed and accuracy in the freestyle.
