Physics Of Drums Essay

Register to read the introduction… To change the tension on a drum, one has to tighten the various keys that lay around the rim. When tightened, it tightens the drumhead making the membrane more taught. The tighter the drumhead is, the faster the vibrations on the membrane, the lower the amplitude and the higher the frequency. This causes a higher pitch sound. If the drumhead was loosened, the pitch would be lower. Depth also plays a large role in the sound of drums. The more depth a drum contains, the longer the standing wave between its heads. This causes a lower tone and a higher volume because there is a higher amplitude. Drums with less depth have a higher tone and less volume. Snare drums are basically shallow drums that have a string of wires under the bottom head. These “snares” vibrate against the bottom head when hit and create a crisp …show more content…
The smaller the diameter of a drum, the higher the pitch and tone are. As the drums progressively get bigger, the pitch and tone get lower. The largest diameter drum found on a drum set is called the bass drum. Its big size, matched with its loose tension, give it an extremely low tone and pitch. This drum is very important and provides the main beat to many songs it’s used in. The material used in the shell is also an important factor. Drum makers use different materials in drumheads for different reasons. Wood is almost always used in the production of drums on a drum set. The thickness of the wood affects the sound because the vibrations resonate in the shell. Thicker shells produce louder drums. They reduce the transference of energy from the head to the shells. The vibrations are more focused on the drumhead, so more of the energy is used to create the sound waves. This causes a louder volume. Thinner shells easily transfer energy from the heads to the shells. The shell vibrates and less energy is used to create the sound waves. This causes a lower volume. Musicians who play rock tend to use thicker shells, while jazz musicians use thinner shells. The thickness of the drumhead also affects the sound. The thicker the drumhead is, the lower the pitch. The thinner the drumhead is, the higher the pitch. If a drummer wants to create a louder volume when they are playing, they could also use a heavier drum stick. The more force a drummer uses on the drum, the louder the volume is. In order to increase the force, one can increase the mass or the acceleration. By using a heavier drumstick, the drummer is increasing the mass, therefore; increasing the force. This increased force causes a louder