How to Play Rotary Toms

Tom drums or rotary toms originated in Asian and Native American cultures. The drums produce a hollow sound. Most modern drum sets were not equipped with toms until the 1900s. Tom drums are available in sets of three to four toms ranging in size. Playing the rotary tom drums adds style and depth to a performance

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Drum sticks or mallets

1. Identify the different pitches of each tom. Smaller toms produce a higher pitched note. The different areas on the drum head also produce different tones. The closer to the rim you hit, the higher the pitch.

2. Read the music. Sheet music for tom drums shows higher and lower notes for the different sized toms. Most music is available in tri-toms or quads. Become familiar with the placement of each tom's notes on the sheet music.

3. Hold your sticks correctly. There are two ways to hold drum sticks. One way is to grasp the drum stick in your fist with your thumb pointing toward the tip. The other method is to hold the drum stick as if holding a pen or pencil; this method is common with jazz drummers.

4. Play the main beats first. Practice until you are comfortable with the tom drums' placement and their distance from each other.

5. Add in the accents. Once you are confident in the main beats, begin to add accents and variations of the beat.