Scots-Irish Music
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Drums
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The Tradition of the Lambeg Drum in Ireland

I can't recommend highly enough that if you wish to know more about these Drums, then the place to go is this on the 'Fife & Drum Website' where you'll find an excellent analysis by Diana Atkinson: s3

That page contains some excellent information & fascinating photographs, plus many useful references to good books & useful Lambeg related websites worth checking out. So, to tempt you further, here's a quote from that page to demonstrate just how interesting it is.

'History and Origins of the Lambeg Drum'

"The historical background of the lambeg is relatively uncertain and vague. Many theories or stories concerning the creation and development of the drum have been presented over the years, causing much discrepancy and incongruity. The most common fable is that the drums were first constructed in the town of Lambeg in County Antrim. It has also been highlighted that it was in Lambeg that the drum was first played with arched canes in 1871, having originally been beaten with wooden, ball headed sticks up to this point.

Famous drum manufacturer William Hewitt of Sandy Row, Belfast, additionally claims that his grandfather produced the first lambeg drum in 1870. Author Gary Hastings however, contradicts this tale, highlighting that ‘the oldest reference to them which I have [is that] two were bought for a certain Orange Lodge in 1823. They were called ‘lambegs’ as early as that and it is likely that they were made in Lambeg (County Antrim) as I am not aware of any other explanation of the name.’

There is also the renowned legend that the lambeg drum was initially brought over from Holland by King William’s troops during the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. According to Fionnuala Scullion this theory could well be true, since a drum resembling the size and shape of the Lambeg is displayed in Rembrandt’s 1649 painting entitled, ‘The Night Watch.'"

To listen to the sound of the Lambeg, check out this BBC page. You'll find a short Video Clip at the foot: s3

You can also visit this page & watch the numerous clips of Lambeg Drumming: s3

  
     
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'The Snare Drum'

To put you in the picture, here are a couple of extracts from an excellent piece on Snare Drumming, written by Allan Chatto in January 1996 entitled - 'Brief History of Drumming: s3

“The drum, particularly the snare drum, is termed "an instrument of indefinite pitch". That is to say, its' pitch can not be easily or accurately changed. How did drummers learn to play the drum? From the earliest times there was obviously some form of rudiments devised so that many drummers could play in unison. Of course there was then as there is today, only …"two drum sounds". They are …"The TAP and the ROLL”. But there are a great many variations and permutation patterns adding variety to these fundamentals.”

The drum would first accompany the fife and so "Drum and Fife Bands" were born. The Fife is a very old instrument, originally having only five sound holes. Later more holes and also keys were added to extent the range of the instrument.

It would seem likely that in this era, that the fundamental rudiments, such as. The Single Tap, The Double Top, The Paradiddle and Roll, came to be standard elements. Later would come the Embellishments such as…The Flam and The Drag.

In 1933, in Chicago USA, a group of drummers from all over the country came together to discus methods of teaching drumming. They all agreed on a set of "the thirteen Rudiments of Drumming". Later a further thirteen rudiments were added to this list to form the "Twenty six Essential Rudiments of Drumming". Soon the "National Association of Rudimental Drummers" was founded. In a very short time their world wide membership included a number of the leading pipe band drummers in Scotland. In 1962, the NARD published a book containing 150 solo score written by their members.

Within the pipe band movement in Northern Ireland, the Piping and Drumming School of the RSPBA (N.I.Branch) was of a similar opinion. This saw the publication by P/M Sam Baille in 1982, of the "Integrated Approach", together with Graded Lessons. The Music Board of the RSPBA also began compiling the first of three "Structured Learning" manuals. Volume 1 was published in 1987. This was followed by two further manuals in 1989 and 1990. The three covered the RSPBA College Examination Syllabus for the Certification requirement for the Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced levels for both pipers and drummers."

by ALLAN CHATTO s3

A site worth keeping an eye on is

'Corps of Drums', Northern Ireland: s3


  
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Bass Drum

Other Drums involved with the playing of Scots-Irish Music include the Bass Drum, which some describe as the - "The heartbeat of all marching bands".

The Rattly

The Rattly is a double-headed goatskin side-drum, a bit like the old Long Drum but with larger skins. Like many drums used today, these drums have military origins going back to the 16th century.

The Ulster Scots Folk Orchestra tell us that "a drum of this type which was used by the Covenanter armies is preserved in Ayrshire (Strathern) , Such Drums would have been common in armies which operated in Ulster during this period, including the Catholic Army of Ulster and the New Scots Army."

Also that - "The Rattly is traditionally used in Ulster in combination with the Lambeg and fife, producing a deeper sound than the crack of the larger drum. The Orchestra use it both in drum ensembles and to accompany songs."

  
     
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