Drums can be traced to the beginning of man.Hollowed out logs were found along with other artifacts.The logs were first used for communication then used for ceremonial functions.Later on hides/skins were stretched over the end of a stump or log and this began the history of drums. If you are referring to the modern drumset,they started out as separate items:a bass drum,a snare drum a tom tom and …showed first 75 words of 382 total…

…showed last 75 words of 382 total…ceremonies,to the mounted timpani players in the middle ages,to the drummers leading the soldiers in the Revolutionary and Civil wars(most people don't know ;but a requirement to be a lead drummer in the civil war was that a boy needed to be an orphan.Because their life expectancy was 10-12 weeks!),to the drum sections in a modern marching band or orchestra.The drums are the pulse,the heartbeat of the music.