drums
Percussion instruments played by striking a membrane stretched over a frame.
In Depth
Drums are among the oldest and most universal musical instruments, found in virtually every culture worldwide. They produce sound when a stretched membrane — called a head — is struck by hand, stick, mallet, or beater. The pitch and tone depend on the drum's size, shape, membrane tension, and shell material.
The modern drum kit, assembled in the early 20th century, combines bass drum, snare, toms, hi-hat, and cymbals into a single instrument played by one person. This configuration became the rhythmic backbone of jazz, rock, pop, and virtually all contemporary popular music. In the orchestra, timpani are the primary drums, tuned to specific pitches.
The oldest known drum is over 8,000 years old — a clay drum found in China. Drums predate every other musical instrument except possibly the human voice.