Saturday, December 29, 2018

BAND #6


3 comments:

Chic Silber said...


Maybe Eric can tell us

when these BIG bass drums

went out of style

John Shepherd said...

Bass Drum says Wheeler & Wilson, Bridgeport, Ct. Wheeler & Wilson was a sewing machine company in Bridgeport. The company was sold to the Singer Corporation in 1905. Does the band have a circus association that's not apparent?

Thank you Wikipedia!

John Shepherd said...

The bass drum shown in the photo is not unusually large. It appears to be about 36" (based upon the fellow sitting beside the drum), which is about the same as drums used by current concert bands or orchestras - and by some marching bands (check for photos of the U.S. Army Band or the Army Field Band).

It's true that bass drums used in drum kits today tend to be smaller (18" to 22") and those used by 'drum corps style' drum lines likewise (16" to 28"), but those drums don't have to keep the beat over a wide area without amplification.