The Tom-tom (トムトム Tomutomu), also simply called the tom, is an instrument in the percussion family. A musician who plays the tom-tom is called a tom-tom drummer or simply a tom-tom player.
Construction[]
The tom-tom drum consists of a cylindrical shell made of wood or man-made materials like fiberglass with a diameter usually between 15 cm (6") to 46 cm (18"). It also has metal hardware including rims, tension rods, and mounting systems. Lastly, it has a head that is struck to produce sound.
The tom differs from the snare drum in that it does not have snares inside. Otherwise, structurally, they are near identical.
Variants[]
Concert Tom/Single-headed[]
Toms used in drumkits have two heads, one on top and one on the bottom, however concert toms only have one head. They have been used in drumkits in the past but fell off in popularity many decades ago.
Tenor Drum[]
Tenor drums are actually a broader type of drum that toms fall under (the distinction being tenor drums aren't necessarily cylindrical). However, they are more often than not classified as the same. Tenor drums are most often used in marching bands in sets of multis, including two (duos), three (tris/trios/triples), four (quads), five (quints), or six (sextets/six-pack/hexes/tenors). Often the term "quads" can refer to any number greater than 4.
Floor Tom[]
The floor tom is a standard member of drum kits. It resides on the floor to the right of the player. It is usually as deep as it is wide in diameter, and usually mounted on three legs. It is pitched between regular toms and the bass drum.
Rototoms[]
Rototoms are small, shellless drums that only have a head and frame. They are usually mounted in sets of three, and can be rotated to change their pitch. In essence, they are like a crossbreed between the timpani and tom-tom. As such, they are often used to train timpani students due to their small size and portability, as well as most of the techniques carrying over.
Octoban[]
The octoban, also called tube tom is a deep, narrow, single-headed drum. They were originally featured in tuned sets of 8, or a whole octave, hence the name. Sets of two, four, or eight drums are a common addition to drumsets. They are usually placed to the left of the player, above the hi-hat.
Performance[]
Tom-toms tend not to be the main focus when used, and instead add colour to pieces. However, in some ensembles like marching bands, toms are used extensively and may end up providing a somewhat melodic role, especially in percussion solos. Sometimes this can be done in conjunction with the bass drum when they are a part of a drumkit, particularly with the floor tom to provide a deep, intense beat.
Scoring[]
Toms are used in many types of ensembles, including concert bands, symphony orchestras, and marching bands, as well as in pop, rock, hip-hop, and other genres through use of drumkits.
Toms are typically the least used of the big four members of the drumkit (snares, kicks, cymbals, and toms).
As portrayed in Hibike! Euphonium[]
- Toms are used by Narai Tanabe as a part of the drumkit in Takarajima and Gakuen Tengoku.
- Toms are used in movement 2 of Liz and the Blue Bird.
Gallery[]
| Woodwinds | |
|---|---|
| Brass | |
| Strings | |
| Percussion | |
| Other | |