Czechoslovakia
lignatone
pre Amati
1957
amati
140/7 Red
1965
amati
140/7 Orange
1967
amati
Modern
1990
United States
drum workshop
P. Erskine
2010
Gretsch
Broadkaster
1960
Gretsch
Broadkaster
1960
Leedy
Improved Swingster
1940
Ludwig
Traps
1920
Ludwig
Professional
1928
Ludwig
Home Outfit
1935
Ludwig
WFL Buddy Rich Model
1954
Ludwig
Classic
1966
Ludwig
Probeat
1970
Ludwig
Vistalite
1974
north
Music Technology Inc.
1972
purecussion
Portable
1990
rogers
Starlighter
1965
rogers
Headliner
1965
rogers
Londoner Five
1975
slingerland
Radio King
1941
slingerland
Classic
1972
United Kingdom
ajax
Nusond
1968
arbiter
Autotune
1975
beverley
Big-Beat
1972
carlton
Trap Set
1940
hayman
Vibrasonic
1972
john grey
Cracerjack Trap
1930
john grey
Consort Trap
1930
john grey
Broadway
1966
keith prowse
Branches All Over London
1940
natal
Jim Marshall Kit
2012
premier
With Beverley Console
1935
premier
54
1965
premier
Europa Twin
1968
premier
58
1968
premier
111
1970
premier
202 Modell
1972
premier
303 Modell
1972
premier
303 Red Pearl
1972
premier
Soundwave
1972
premier
olympic
1975
premier
Resonator
1978
premier
Clubset
1995
rose-morris
Shaftesbury
1970
simmons
Electronic
1970
Suitcase
Little Prince
1930
France
asba
Jazz-Set
1975
Japan
hoshino
Acril
1980
hoshino
Delux
1980
hoshino
Professional
1985
pearl
Dynamax
1969
pearl
Jazzrock pro
1975
tama
Star
1965
tama
Royal Star
1972
tama
Swing Star
1980
tama
Royal Star
1975
tama
Imperialstar
1982
tama
Superstar Jazz
1983
tama
Artstar I
1983
tama
Techstar
1985
Yamaha
YD 5222WT
1985
Yamaha
Recording Custom
2002
Yamaha
Hipgig-Rick Marotta
2007
Hungary
Angel
Rosewood
2020
dubán
Green
1968
dubán
White
1972
dubán
Tiger
1965
Finkey
Acoustic
1985
Finkey
Electronic
1985
kozmosz
Elite
1970
medveczky
K.Gy. model
1940
medveczky
With Lefima Bd.
1960
medveczky
Gold
1960
Medveczky
Jazz
1962
medveczky
Bányay
1949
medveczky
Gold-Black
1967
medveczky
UK Flag
1970
mogyorossy
Art Deco
1930
mogyorossy
With Leedy Console
1938
reissman
Jazz Drum Set
1930
remenyi
Jazz Drum Set
1935
sternberg
Standard
1938
sternberg
Two-Way
1945
Stowasser
Radio Orchestra Kit
1935
turbo designer
With Sonor Designer Hardware
1995
Tymar
T. Bendzsel Design
2005
wagner
Jazz Drum Set
1940
Germany
deri
Junior
1970
korri
Tromsa
1965
sonor
Nr. 1604 Schlagzeug
1920
sonor
Military
1943
sonor
Star
1957
sonor
Star
1957
sonor
Action
1970
sonor
The Swinger
1973
sonor
Super Champion
1975
sonor
Champion Professional
1978
sonor
Performer
1990
sonor
Jungle Set
2010
tacton
Modell IV.
1970
tacton
Modell VII.
1970
tacton
New (red)
1980
trixon
Swing
1960
trixon
Speedfire
1965
tromsa
Blue Oyster
1970
tromsa
Orange Oyster
1970
tromsa
Silver Pearl
1970
tromsa
Kombi 1000
1983
trowa
Bigband
1965
trowa
Exquisit
1965
trowa
Supersonic
1972
zimmermann
Jazzband
1930
Italy
Meazzi
Bebop
1961
Meazzi
Tronic
1970
Meazzi
Tronic
1970
Meazzi
Max Roach
1970
Meazzi
Hipercussion
1980
tamburo
Opera
1999
Switzerland
Imperial
Princess
1960
Australia
sleishman
twin
1965
United States
calato
regal tip
1980
drum workshop
9000
2010
duplex
unknown
1920
duplex
heyn
1940
fish
unknown
1920
gretsch
floating action
1980
gretsch
monster
unknown
leedy
fraser
1920
leedy
unknown
1920
leedy
low hat
1920
leedy
X-L
1940
leedy & strupe
unknown
1930
ludwig
ludwig
1909
ludwig
staccato
1920
ludwig
junior
1927
ludwig
junior
1930
ludwig
speed king
1960
ludwig
junior
1964
ludwig
red universal
1964
ludwig
blue reversible
1964
ludwig
standard
1975
ludwig
super speed
unknown
ludwig
ghost
unknown
ludwig
juvenile
unknown
rogers
JET
1960
rogers
Swiv-o-matic
1965
rogers
Supreme
1972
rogers
Adjustable Footboard
1977
rogers
Jet Speed
unknown
rogers
Split-heel
unknown
title
champ
unknown
slingerland
epic
1940
slingerland
duncan
1940
slingerland
Tempo King
1970
slingerland
Yellow Jacket
1985
sunnyshide
Cha-Cha
1920
usa
double
1920
usa
Noname Double
1920
walberg & auge
unknown
1940
wooden
snowshoe
1910
United Kingdom
Beverley
Long John
1980
Beverley
new generation
1970
Beverley
Black Knight
1980
crowell
patent pending
unknown
hayman
speed matic
1965
john grey
unknown
1930
john grey
unknown
1930
john grey
unknown
1930
john grey
easired
1970
olympic
unknown
1960
premier
popular
1930
premier
swingster
1935
premier
250
1965
premier
250-s
1969
premier
252
1980
premier
6251
1983
premier
EDP 300
1995
rose-marris
Shaftesbury
1970
France
Asba
caroline
unknown
depose
unknown
1950
jacques
capelle
1975
sonic
unknown
unknown
Japan
pearl
No.810
1980
pearl
P-880 TW
1987
pearl
910
1990
pearl
Speed Pedal
unknown
tama
King Beat
1970
tama
Camco
1980
tama
?Hi-Beat
1980
tama
?Flexi-Flyer
1980
tama
King-Beat
1980
tama
Probeat
1990
tama
Hp 60
1990
yamaha
Ultra Heavy Duty
1970
yamaha
unknown
1980
yamaha
Fp850
1990
yamaha
Iron Cobra
2000
yamaha
Iron Cobra
2000
Hungary
kozmosz
unknown
1960
kozmosz
unknown
1965
kozmosz
unknown
1970
low-hat
soroksár
1950
medveczky
Bányai
1944
medveczky
gold
1965
medveczky
silver
1970
medveczky
with tambourine
unknown
medveczky
with cow bell
unknown
Germany
cito
double
1925
cito
cito
1930
elite
unknown
1940
er
unknown
1940
fox
name
1940
korri
unknown
1960
lefima
low-hat
1935
lefima
unknown
1940
pax
unknown
unknown
son
7000
unknown
sonor
unknown
1920
sonor
charleston
1920
sonor
duplex
1927
sonor
stabil
1930
sonor
unknown
1930
sonor
ebenso
1930
sonor
cyklop
1931
sonor
unknown
1945
sonor
unknown
1950
sonor
standard
1950
sonor
rasant
1954
sonor
unknown
1956
sonor
presto
1957
sonor
unknown
1960
sonor
tempo
1964
sonor
presto
1964
sonor
Giant Step
1965
sonor
unknown
1968
sonor
Z5318
1975
sonor
Champion
1975
sonor
Daniel Humair
1980
sonor
Z5317 Phonic
1980
sonor
Z5321 Phonic
1980
sonor
Signature
1984
sonor
Performer
1990
sonor
Force 2000
1993
sonor
Force 2001
1998
sonor
Giant Step
2001
sonor
Charleston
unknown
tacton
unknown
1960
tacton
unknown
1960
tacton
unknown
1970
tacton
unknown
1970
trixon
Tf2
1950
trixon
Tf3
1956
trixon
Exquisit
1958
trixon
tf5
1967
tromsa
unknown
1970
tromsa
unknown
unknown
Italy
meazzi
hollywood
1965
Romania
unknown
old pedal
1910
Switzerland
imperial
unknown
1956
imperial
unknown
1960
swiss wood
unknown
1940
Taiwan
unknown
unknown
1925
unknown
unknown
1935
unknown
roman
1950
unknown
unknown
1960
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
unknown
The modern snare drum was developed from the old military signalling and battle drum. They appear in musical works as character instruments from the end of the 18th century. Later they become a permanent member of the classical percussion instruments of symphonic orchestras. The snare drum is also an important jazz percussion instrument. Within a drum kit all musical initiative start off from and return to this drum. The sound of the snare drum is what a trained performer uses to express the full scale of emotions music can express, from the sensitive to the brutal. Its design is simple. Skins are stretched both over the top and bottom of the drum body made of wood or metal. Metal wires are stretched over the lower skin. The drummer only hits the upper skin. As a result of striking the drum skin the air column enclosed in the drum body transmits a wave of pressure to the lower skin, as a result of which the wires resting on the skin start to vibrate making the characteristic sound of the snare drum.
Jazz and rock drum kit snare drums
Symphonic orchestra snare drums
Military (parade) snare drums
Town crier drums
And custom-made snare drums
The only thing that creates the connection between the drummer and the instrument. Many ideas were tried out before the populous family of drumsticks gained its present form. The various designs conformed to the various sounds and styles of playing music, thereby creating drumsticks, tympani mallets, brushes and combinations of these. Add to this the different shapes of stick, the materials used and their weights that musicians prefer to handle.
A wooden drumstick consists of three parts: the shaft (cylindrical), the shoulder (conical, thinning) and tip (spherical, conical or oval in shape). The diameter of a drumstick shaft varies between 10 to 18 mm. Its total length can be 350 to 450 mm. They are usually made of tough, half-hard wood, with carefully selected grain direction and quality. Exotic wood types are preferred, such as hickory and white oak, but excellent drumsticks can also be made from species native to Hungary such as ash, mulberry and hornbeam.
When a drummer picks up a paid of drumsticks they immediately know it they are good for them or not. Weight is extremely important, and what is even more important: that both sticks in a pair be of the same weight.
A wooden drumstick consists of three parts: the shaft (cylindrical), the shoulder (conical, thinning) and tip (spherical, conical or oval in shape). The diameter of a drumstick shaft varies between 10 to 18 mm. Its total length can be 350 to 450 mm. They are usually made of tough, half-hard wood, with carefully selected grain direction and quality. Exotic wood types are preferred, such as hickory and white oak, but excellent drumsticks can also be made from species native to Hungary such as ash, mulberry and hornbeam.
When a drummer picks up a paid of drumsticks they immediately know it they are good for them or not. Weight is extremely important, and what is even more important: that both sticks in a pair be of the same weight.
Wooden drumsticks (jazz, military, custom)
Tympani mallets
Vibraphone and xylophone mallets
Aluminum drumstick for practice
Brushes (steel and plastic)
Decorative drumsticks
Unplugged drumsticks
Special drumsticks
Brass cymbals of various size and shape we widely used even in ancient times, from Assyria to Egypt and Rome. They appear again in the 17th century in Ottoman Janissary music, then later Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven use them in their works. From the 19th century they become a permanent member of the percussion section, and essential in classical, military and dance orchestras.
Jazz and entertainment music adopt them in the 20th century, and with time famous jazz drummers develop the way they are played. The bronze composition of cymbals is discovered by an Armenia alchemist in medieval Constantinople. The Zildjian company was founded in 1623 and moved to the United States in 1929, but apart from them numerous descendants and followers even today make their cymbals on the basis of the Turkish recipe. The sound of a cymbal depends on the material composition, its thickness, hammering and diameter. The complexity of its sound is difficult to put into words: deep growling, hissing, bright ringing. And one or another sound quality is elicited depending on the way it is struck.
Jazz and entertainment music adopt them in the 20th century, and with time famous jazz drummers develop the way they are played. The bronze composition of cymbals is discovered by an Armenia alchemist in medieval Constantinople. The Zildjian company was founded in 1623 and moved to the United States in 1929, but apart from them numerous descendants and followers even today make their cymbals on the basis of the Turkish recipe. The sound of a cymbal depends on the material composition, its thickness, hammering and diameter. The complexity of its sound is difficult to put into words: deep growling, hissing, bright ringing. And one or another sound quality is elicited depending on the way it is struck.
Zildjian
Istanbul
Bosphorus
Sabian
Paiste
Ufip
Amati
Zyn
Rodjian
Trowa
Meinl
Wuhan
The sharp distinction between musical genres has become faded. Years ago recorders were only heard in folk bands, and kettledrums only in symphonic orchestras. Since jazz and popular music started to use percussion instruments that were only previously used in symphonic orchestras, the items collected by the Drum Museum has also widened.
The field is very rich, as innumerable bass drum, symphonic orchestra snare drum and kettledrum models were made, not to mention cymbals, gongs and bells, etc.
At the beginning of the 1970s an experiment German drummer, Günter Sommer, used kettledrums, gongs, tubular bells and harmonium whistles for an hour-long independent production. Using his percussion instruments he told the audience an entire story, which has a beginning, middle and ending, the usual figure of the percussion accompaniment was replaced with the performing artist, who can express anything and create a complete musical experience. “I play with my instruments, I play just like a pianist or flautist. I create unity between the melody, harmony and rhythm on a conventional rhythm instrument,” said Günter Sommer.
The field is very rich, as innumerable bass drum, symphonic orchestra snare drum and kettledrum models were made, not to mention cymbals, gongs and bells, etc.
At the beginning of the 1970s an experiment German drummer, Günter Sommer, used kettledrums, gongs, tubular bells and harmonium whistles for an hour-long independent production. Using his percussion instruments he told the audience an entire story, which has a beginning, middle and ending, the usual figure of the percussion accompaniment was replaced with the performing artist, who can express anything and create a complete musical experience. “I play with my instruments, I play just like a pianist or flautist. I create unity between the melody, harmony and rhythm on a conventional rhythm instrument,” said Günter Sommer.
Bass drums
Snare drums
Timpani
Vibraphones
Cymbals
Gongs
Triangles
Temple blocks
Crotales
Tubular bells
From the 1950s the music of South America conquered audiences with a single stroke through the rumba, samba, tango and bossa nova. The three main sources: Brazil, Argentina, Cuba and Puerto Rico. The most renowned drummers in the word of Latin percussion instruments: Alex Acuna, Airto Moreira, Don Alias, Giovanni Hidalgo, Glen Velez, Horacio Hernandez, Sheila E, Tito Puente, Trilok Gurtu, Luis Conte, Mongo Santamaria. Similarly to native peoples they played their instruments usually with their bare hands and only rarely with battens or sticks.
Small percussion instruments
Congas
Bongos
Timbales
Cowbells
Udus
Cajón
Tank drum
When I started the collection I didn’t want to even hear of other instruments, only drums. However, I was completely taken by a beautiful pre-war Sternberg accordion that was up for sale. Then, one after the other, wonderful old instruments found their way to me, which, with their atmosphere and decorative design, are witnesses to a time gone by, and are so rare that each and every one must be saved.
Trumpet
Saxophone
Horn
Tuba
Fanfare
Acoustic guitar
Hawaiian guitar
Bass guitar
Stroh violin
Benjo
Accordion
Harmonica
Whistles
Singing bowls
Swiss cowbells
Copper bells
Personal items and instruments donated to the Drum Museum by famous percussion artists during their lives or after their death.
Cymbal case of Alvin Queen
Cymbals used in the Oscar winner movie “WHIPLASH” (2014)
Baseball cap and drumsticks of Elemér Balázs
Medveczky drum kit and charts from Bányay Lajos
Premier drum kit of Bardóczi Gyula (Neoton)
Snare drum of Billy Cobham
Rogers snare drum of Győző Brunner (Metro, Taurus, Korál)
Medveczky and Ludwig drum kits of András Dán (Holéczy, Stúdió 11)
British made drum stands of Csaba Debreczeni (Bergendy, Stúdió 11)
Drumsticks of Ferenc Debreczeni (Omega)
Autographed photo of Gene Krupa
Cowbell and cymbal case of George Jinda
Zildjian cymbal and black tie of Vilmos Jávori
Simmons electronic drum kit of Péter Kaszás
Sonor drum kit of Kenny Clarke
ASBA drum kit and personal belongings of Gyula Kovács
Drumsticks and photos of Imre Kőszegi
Diaries of Alfonz Krizsik
Performer boot and drum cases of József Laux (Omega, LGT)
Autographed poster of Louie Bellson
Drumstick and cymbal of Mike Mangini
Sonor drum kit of András Mohay (Budapest Jazz Orchestra)
North drum kit from Nina Hagen Band
Photo album of Jenő Orlai (Chappy)
Snare drum of Anna Pásztor (Anna and the Barbies)
Peter Erskine life’s work exhibition
Medveczky drum kit of András Schwarcz (Exvér)
Paiste gong and Tama octobans of János Solti (Generál, LGT)
Drumsticks of András Veszelinov (Syrius)
Drumstick of Weisz “Api”
The first items in the Drum Museum library from the seventies include systematically collected photographs, newspaper cuttings and instrument catalogues. These were added to by pre-war illustrated instrument price lists found in the Rózsavögyi Music Store, the Jazz Forum periodicals purchased in the Polish culture store and specialist drum publications from abroad.
Hohner Music Hungary (once exclusive distributor of Sonor drums and Zildjian cymbals) operating since the beginning of the nineties by donating the first copies of all new catalogues and posters to museum.
The histories of many famous, mainly American drum factories have been recorded in recent decades. These book are all here on the shelves. Also to be found here are the guest books full of the signatures of famous people that have visited the museum since 1992. The several thousand brochures collected during my correspondence are currently stored in 64 drawers. Here you can trace back the past forty years of 64 percussion instrument factories.
There is a place in the library where I store the wines bottled in honour of the Drum Gala by the Ferenc Winery in Szekszárd, and in another I always put away one each of the gifts made with the logo of the museum, just for posterity.
Hohner Music Hungary (once exclusive distributor of Sonor drums and Zildjian cymbals) operating since the beginning of the nineties by donating the first copies of all new catalogues and posters to museum.
The histories of many famous, mainly American drum factories have been recorded in recent decades. These book are all here on the shelves. Also to be found here are the guest books full of the signatures of famous people that have visited the museum since 1992. The several thousand brochures collected during my correspondence are currently stored in 64 drawers. Here you can trace back the past forty years of 64 percussion instrument factories.
There is a place in the library where I store the wines bottled in honour of the Drum Gala by the Ferenc Winery in Szekszárd, and in another I always put away one each of the gifts made with the logo of the museum, just for posterity.
Photo archive
Drum charts collection
Music magazines
Drum magazines
Patent specifications
Books on the history of drum factories
Jazz history books
Sound recordings (jazz records, drum solos)
Video recordings (videos, DVDs, education materials, concerts)
Instrument catalogues
Posters (drum company advertising posters)
Correspondence