Rudiments and Rope

Rope: H**p cordage was predominantly used on rope tension drums in the 18th and 19th century. Due to the fact of how h**p is grown and processed today, it is nearly impossible get get h**p rope of the same quality as was commonly available 100 years ago. The fibers were longer and much finer since the plants were allowed to grow to a more mature age. Therefore, more strands could be placed together and still only have a diameter of 3/16”.

So, what are the options for today? Imported h**p from France is a good option, but has a stiffer feel and takes a while to break in. Also, the larger number of strands make the diameter a little bulky. Domestic h**p is thinner, but doesn’t seem to keep its twist. And anything you can get from a hardware store is garbage.

What do you do? I know this may come as a surprise, but this is one area that I am ok with using a synthetic product because nothing available is close enough to the original stuff. One particular rope vendor has really nice 3 strand rope that looks and feels like many of the original types posted here. Therefore, I don’t mind using this until a better, natural option is available.

In a recent post, another maker commented about bearing edges, attempting to claim that they were made a certain way, and mine were somehow incorrect.

Here are four different original drums showing the variety of bearing edges used by 19th century makers. The first is a rounded edge, no angle at all. This drum was made by A.W White of Boston.

The second shows an uneven angled cut, and very slight slope. Unlabeled, but Massachusetts made.

Third is closer to what some modern makers use today, but not perfect. This is from a Soistmann contract drum.

The fourth is literally flat, no edge at all. Eli Brown drum.

And finally, the last pic is showing the a snare bed from a Klemm and Bros. drum. These are often smaller and shallowing than modern snare drums utilize.

Strainers/Tensioners/Fasteners 19th Century

As with the 18th century, the vast majority of drums still had no tensioning system for adjusting the gut snares that ran across the bottom skin. However, more options did start to become available.

First, brass drum shells seemed to have still utilized the simple design used during the 18th century as seen in the first image. They sometimes appear on wooden shelled drums, but it's always hard to tell exactly when they were added.

Next, what I call hoop mounted horizontal strainers, began to appear in the 1830s. These were usually brass and adjusted the tension of the guts by means of a thumb screw. I've included a side-by-side comparison of an original I copied and have used on reproductions I've made. This style was definitely regional, also. Certain makers used them frequently, while others did not.

Finally, vertical strainers come on the scene, which are then used up to the 20th century. These are accurate, of course, but are overused in the hobby as they seemed to be reproduced more than the other styles.

Summary: Like most things, certain strainers were used by specific makers. So, you can't just pick and choose, unfortunately. Contract eagle drums made for the U.S. government did not have strainers. This is referenced in Howe's Drum and Fife manual of 1861: "...nine or ten holes in each hoop, h**p cord and snares, but without snare fasteners."

Drum Heads: Elias Howe’s UNITED STATES REGULATION DRUM AND FIFE INSTRUCTOR published in 1861 states in the introduction, “The heads used are usually calf, goat or sheepskin.” George Bruce writes in the DRUMMER’S and FIFER’S GUIDE in 1862, “In the opinion of the author, calf skins, when properly dressed, make the best heads, on account of their strength and elasticity.”

In 1849, Joseph H. Rogers began making calfskin heads for drums and banjos in Brewster Station, New York, and continued into the 1950s at least.

So, natural skin heads are the only option for a historically reproduced drum. Furthermore, no muffling strip should be used either. Muffling the sound of a drum would have been contrary to everything they were meant to do: perform dury calls in camp over a large area to many soldiers. There is not a period painting or photograph where one is visible.

I have used more expensive skins from both Pergamena Parchment and Stern Tannery. Pergamena had never made drumheads, so I had sent them some and worked through the kinks with them. I then hooked them up with Cooperman. I also have used cheaper skins I get from Earthtone. I have a great relationship with them and get skins from them often.

There is never a guarantee on skins, and have personally busted brand new expensive ones the first day playing. Therefore, I opt for the cheaper version, but still high quality.

The image below shows a calf skin on the left and a goat skin on the right.

Gut tensioners/snare strainers. We'll first start with the 18th century. The majority of 18th century drums had no tensioning system to adjust the gut snares. The guts simply were wedged between the counter hoop and flesh hoop, allowing the player to have access to the ends of each length. One would simply pull each strand tight after tensioning the leather braces.

Where strainers/tensioners are seen most is on brass shelled drums. These were usually simple designs of bent iron or brass with a threaded hook and wing nut. The same design was used in the 1800s as well, so it's sometimes difficult to say when the strainer was added. However, adding one of these in the middle of a large tack design would not be correct. This would have been something done later down the line.

As a side note, you may notice that every single example lacks any sort of decorative vent insert of either bone or wood. It appears that those sort of decorations were reserved for drums made in the 19th century.

Counter Hoops: As with the drum shell, these would usually made of the same species of wood such as Ash, Oak, or Maple. Again, the ends would be tapered to allow a scarf joint when steam bent and glued. The vast majority of drum makers used iron nails along the seam to secure it. Some did not use any, while others consistently used many along the joint. This was necessary since hide glue was not as strong as our modern glues. Oil paint was then applied, red being the most prominent color used, followed by blue. Brush strokes are certainly visible on originals, so there should be evidence of the same on reproductions. Hoops that are sprayed with a modern paint gun are very easily distinguishable since the finish is usually perfect.

In summary: Steam bent wood counter hoops, oil paint, and usually secured with iron nails.

Below are examples of hoops I copied from originals. Each maker, for the most part, used a particular pattern on their hoops, much like the brass tack designs on shells.

Drum shells constructed in the 18th/19th century were predominantly steam bent. Even though some examples exist of stave constructed shells, this was not widespread or common. Also, ply construction did begin in places like New York City in the 1860s, but that was limited to 2/3 plies, and those did not hold up well in the elements. The final product was also greatly different than what is available today with the outer layer clearly overlapping itself with an obvious seam.

So, for historically minded folks, a solid steam bent drum shell of Ash, Maple, or Oak would be most appropriate. Steam bent shells were scarfed on both ends to form the overlapping joint, which was then held with hide glue and either brass tacks, copper/iron nails, or a combination of tacks and nails. Reinforcing hoops would also be added to the interior top and bottom sections and then bearing edges and snare beds cut.

Even though shellac was becoming the gold standard for furniture finishing in the 1800s, oil varnish was the "go to" for exterior finishes. Shellac is far less superior as an exterior finish due to its breakdown in the elements and its inability to expand and contract with the wood. Stain was used in a variety of shades from honey to dark brown.

Summary: Steam bent wood drum shell with brass tacks/nails along the overlap and oil varnish finish. Examples below of my work, all steam bent and oil varnished.

If you are looking for an instrument and are going to be talking to the public about history, steer clear of anything that looks like this. These are very poorly made imported toys, not even instruments. They in no one represent what was actually carried in the 18th and 19th centuries. The price point might be persuasive, but save your money for something better. I will be explaining the differences between what is historically accurate, and what is not in coming posts.

Based on photographic evidence, a large majority of musicians during the Civil War received a simple white webbing over the neck style sling, as seen in the first photograph. However, privately acquired slings were not uncommon and these styles were used into the 20th century. A wide variety existed, some more much more decorative than others. Here are a few from my collection.