Tenor drums in CW bands?

[pjdrums96]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

I second Mr. Chappell's advice on where to buy period hoops, guts, and skin heads. George Carroll has a wealth of knowledge and is more than happy to share what he knows. All it takes is a phone call or e-mail.

I have also included a picture of a drum without a snare strainer. As you can see, the guts are simply hanging out from between the bottom head and counter hoops. You can also see that there are not many strands of gut either. Having many strands of gut is more of a modern mindset.

Patrick Jones

[pjdrums96]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

Sorry, here is the attachment.

Patrick Jones
Camp Chase Fifes and Drums

[FlatLandFed]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

Gents,
I enjoyed the link to Mr. Carroll's site. Before I pester him -- any rationale behind why the hoops would be red or blue or another color? Up to the unit? Branch of service?

I'm most familiar with red but haven't paid it much nevermind up to now. Modern drums I thumped in school had chrome or nickel plated hoops, so my limited experience isn't applicable.

Thanks.
Paul Hadley
Flim Flam Man

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

From 1862 U.S. Regulations:

"113. The front of the drums will be painted with the arms of the United States, on a blue field for the infantry, and on a red field for the artillery. The letter of the company and number of the regiment, under the arms, in a scroll."

There is no mention of hoop color in the regs, but the vast majority of the surviving contract eagle drums' hoops I have seen are red. The second most common color is blue. In A Pictorial History of Civil War Era Musical Instruments and Military Bands, there is a Elias Howe artillery drum with a red field and red, white, and blue hoops.

The photo that Mr. Jones attached is a great example of a drum that would be used by a typical Union drummer.

[Dan Munson]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

Thanks again to everyone for weighing in about the tenor drum issue. I am beginning to feel overwhelmed by what I don't know (oh well, I've been there before...). As I am writing from my work desk, I will have to check the drum dimensions, rope hole count, etc., when I get home.

I have a picture of the drum, but I'm not having any luck attaching to my post.

By the way, here's another question: what would be the most commonly used type of rope for the drum. The rope on it now appears to be pure cotton. I sure don't want to use an all-Dacron or mixed natural/Dacron like those offered by Cooperman. On the other hand, they offer a supposedly all-natural "linen" rope as well. But I have seen some photos of period drums that at least look like they were roped with hemp. What's the range of options here? Thanks again!

Dan Munson

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

From Elias Howe ads and publications:

"SNARE DRUMS...with...fine linen cord. Also, constantly on hand and for sale... Cords of Hemp and Flax, and made of fine Linen Shoe thread...

The Regulation Drums of the United States...sixteen inches across the heads, the shells are twelve or thirteen inches high...hemp cord and snares, but without snare fastners. The sticks are sixteen or seventeen inches long, of cocoa or rosewood; the slings or belts are of white webbing, two or two and one half inches wide, with brass carriages as sheaths for the sticks."

[Dan Munson]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

That is great information on the ropes, Will. Thanks! I have some 1/4" hemp coming my way, so I will re-rope with that. Our "what is it?" drum has 8 ears, hence 8 holes in the hoops. It is evidently non-regulation in size, with shell size of 13-1/2 x 13. So we won't be able to represent this as a "contract" drum, I guess. I believe it has been mentioned here, and I think I've seen on Web, that Federal drums were not all of "regulation" size. But I'll leave it to you guys, with more knowledge on the matter, as to whether a drum with this shell size will fit into the period. Assuming this drum can "work," $55 (Cooperman) for a period snare strainer assembly isn't that much, and from the photos and drawings on Cooperman, making the "bed" and "gates" don't seem to pose a problem. But Will's quotation of "regulation" US drums being sans a snare strainer, along with the photo of a drum without strainer, has me intrigued. Thanks again for the pointers!

Dan Munson

[Horton]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

It has been said in a previous post but I will say it again. Go through George Carroll and see if he can help you first. It will most likely be cheaper and more authentic than cooperman.

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

A 13 1/2 diameter drum may be a little small for a grown man, but drums with 12" and 13" diameters were evidently offered by Elias Howe:


"The usual size is 16 inches across the heads, and 12 inches high, (the regulation size). Also, 12, 13, 14, 15, 15½, 16½, 17, 17½, 18, 20. Also, BASS DRUMS, of 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 40 inches. Every Drum is warranted to give satisfaction in every respect."



Cooperman's strainer is copied from an original, but the cost is high. Personally, I really like the Cooperman strainer. I don't know how much Mr. Carroll would sell a strainer for. Be sure and tell him that you want one copied from an CW period original. If you chose to skip the strainer, thinner, lighter gauge snares would be the way to go.

[Dan Munson]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

I don't if anyone is still sniffing around this thread, but I wanted to report on my attempt to improvise a snare a la the photo and discussion posted above in this thread. I took some extra gut guitar strings I had laying around and, at an event this past weekend, I field-rigged a 4-strand "snare" across the bottom head. (Yes, I understand 6 or 8 strands would be more correct, but I I only had enough gut for 4 strands for this little "test".)

By thunder, it worked! Well, anyway, it certainly raised the pitch to something closer to another snare drum I was beating with. And you could definitely hear something of a "ring" or "snap" in the sound, not just a "thump." I don't know how much having another 2 or 4 strands would have improved things -- I suspect that much of the remaining pitch difference was a product of the difficulty in getting (and keeping!) enough tension on the snares, using just the force of hand-pulling. The strainer assembly must certainly have an advantage in those categories, acting just like the tuners on a guitar.

Dan Munson
Co. K, 100th Penn'a, V.I.

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

What appears to be a original drum with 4 snares can be found here:

http://www.sharpsburg-arsenal.com/Misc__Items/Meacham_US_Snare_Drum__JS237_/meacham_us_snare_drum__js237_.html

[Dan Munson]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

Excellent link! Thanks very much.

Now, continuing with the "See how much I don't know" series of questions, is there perhaps a source of instruction on A) creating what I guess is called the "pig-tail" knot, and B) weaving the drag rope into that "daisy-chain"?

Dan Munson

[fiferjackdoyle]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

Pigtail instructions: http://www.fifedrum.org/drums/pig.shtml

Drag rope instructions toward bottom of this page: http://www.midlandhighlanders.org/tugging_drum.htm

Jack Doyle

[Dan Munson]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

Mr. Doyle, both links are just what I was looking for. Thanks very much! Everyone on this thread has been very helpful, which shows that when you need to learn about something, Step 1 is to ask people who have been there and done it.

-- Dan Munson

P.S. -- Ummmm, I don't suppose there's a link where one can download "Instant Drum Skills," is there? (Just kidding - as with any other instrument, I know it's, practice, practice, practice...).

[fiferjackdoyle]

Re: Tenor drums in CW bands?

I recommend the Sturtze Drum Instructor, a manual sold by the Company of Fifers & Drummers. Good illustrations and text. http://www.companyoffifeanddrum.org/...musicbooks.htm

Just as a child must learn letters and words before writing sentences, a drummer must master each rudiment before combining them into beatings. If you have no opposed grip, rudimental drumming experience, buy a good practice pad and practice opening and closing rudiments until you can control them.

Some call drumming a discipline and, I agree with them. To do it right, it will take about two years of practice to really become proficient.

Jack Doyle