Exploration and development:

The evolution, function, and development of my “drum set”. 

A drum set is nothing more than a set of drums, put together to serve a function inside of the music you are playing. The set of drums can be anything but it should reflect and serve the music being performed.  Below are some photos of various drum sets I've created for the different music I’ve been a part of over the last several decades. 

  • In this basic set up I used two bass drum sources: the cajon and the Egyptian darbuka drum. Goat skin heads offer a warmer tone and a wider range of tuning. This allows smaller drums to tune down into the bass range.

  • This setup expands on the first by adding another bass drum source with the larger frame drum. I also added another sound with the smaller tambourime drum.

  • This custom tom-tom setup of five frame drums is made by BIRA of Rio de Janeiro.

  • This is the same setup as the first kit with the two bass drum sources. I added some extra noises with auxiliary percussion and the tambourime drum.

  • What you hit it with is just as important as the instrument itself. A stick is how we transfer energy between our bodies to the instrument.