Drumhead

A drumhead is a membrane stretched over one or both of the open ends of a drum. The drumhead is struck with sticks, mallets, or hands so that it vibrates and the sound resonates through the drum.

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Originally, drumheads were made from animal skin. In 1956, Chick Evans invented the plastic drumhead. These plastic drumheads are cheaper, more durable, and less sensitive to weather than animal skin heads, so they are used by a great majority of drummers. Despite the benefits of plastic heads, many timpanists and orchestral percussionists prefer animal (typically calf) skin heads because they tend to produce a warmer, more pleasant sound. Drummers in historical reenactment groups such as fife and drum corps also use animal skin heads for historical accuracy. Skin heads are used on most hand drums, including djembes and congas. Another common material used for drumheads is aramid fiber, such as kevlar. Fiber heads are used mostly in marching percussion, because they are much more durable than plastic, and they can sustain high tension required to get the high pitch sound which is desired.

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Membrane: A membrane is a thin, typically planar structure or material that separates two environments. Because it sits between environments or phases and has a finite volume, it can be referred to as an interphase rather than an interface. Membranes selectively control mass transport between the phases or e...

Drum: For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation)....

Sound: :This article is about compression waves. For other meanings, see sound (disambiguation)....