A frame drum is one of the most widely used instruments in the world. It’s a shallow drum with a lot of surface area to hit. The diameter of the drum’s face is usually larger than the depth of the shell. It is the world’s oldest instrument, having existed for centuries in every corner of the globe. The frame drum is found in many different cultures, including the most well-known type in the West: the tambourine.
The frame drum is one of the most versatile drums available. They can be played with one hand held in the air, both hands on the ground, between the legs like a bongo, or with a mallet. It can also be played in a variety of styles. It can be played with the fingertips for short, quick notes; the thumbs for a “thumb roll”; the palms or hand claps for a louder, higher sound; or mallets or sticks for a more recognizable rock and roll style. Because of its size, the frame drum provides a unique opportunity for harmonic precision and a wide range of sounds with a large head size.
Many frame drums are hand drums, which are drums of various sizes that are played with the hands rather than a mallet. They are frequently round, and in the case of drums like the tambourine, they can be embellished with various rings or pieces to provide a jingling accompaniment. This type of frame drum can have one or two drumheads, with one side serving as an open face opposite the head and the other as a hitting surface.
The traditional frame drum has a shell made of a variety of bent woods, including oak, ash, and others. A drumhead, usually made of animal skins or hides, has been stretched over these shells. Frame drum heads and shells have recently been made of a variety of man-made materials.
Many early cultures developed the frame drum around the same time. Early types originated in the Middle East and Central Europe. They’ve become popular in upbeat Latin music, as well as being used as a defining sound in a variety of Middle Eastern and Indian sounds. They’ve made appearances in American popular music, with the tambourine serving as a percussive background instrument in some cases. With 1960s pop groups and songs like Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man,” the frame drum entered the Western consciousness.