The Acoustics of the Modern Jazz Drum Kit

Abstract

Introduction Other than the human voice, there is likely no musical technique older than using percussion to produce rhythmic beats (Morley, 2013). Anthropologists and historians have described possible scenarios where ancient people created rhythmic sounds by either striking their bodies, stamping their feet, or through the repeated striking of tools on stone or wood (Blades, 1992; Montagu, 2002). The earliest examples of percussion instruments crafted by people include rattles, rasps, and shakers that were used rhythmically.