THE DRUM CORPS

The drum corps of a pipe band consists of a section of drummers playing nd snare drums and the bass section. In the early days of pipe bands, rope tension snare drums were common, but as the technology evolved, so did the music. Pipe band drummers now play on drums with very tight, knitted kevlar heads, designed for maximum tension to create a very crisp and strident sound.

Due to technological innovations and changing aesthetics, this crispness has become an integral part of the pipe band sound. Today's drummers are often able to execute extremely complicated and technically demanding rudimental patterns. The pipe band drum corps is responsible for both supporting the piping with a solid rhythmic foundation and sense of pulse, and creating an interesting contrapuntal line unto itself.

The line played by the drum corps, referred to as the drum score, is usually based on rudimental patterns and can often be quite involved, with solo, unison and contrapuntal passages throughout. A popular pattern in many scores is for the lead drummer to play a phrase, and the section to play in response. This technique is known as "the chips".

While standard practice in pipe bands is for the pipe section to perform the traditional or standard arrangements of the melodies, including gracenotes, drum scores are very often composed by the lead drummer of the band. In competition, one of the adjudicators grades a band on how creative their scores are and how well they fit the piping - this aspect of the judging is known as 'ensemble'.

The Bass Section

The Bass Section usually consists of a section of tenor drummers and a bass drummer. Their role is to provide rhythmic support to the entire ensemble. In this respect, the bass section allows the drum corps to delegate their timekeeping responsiblities and allows more freedom in the drum scores.

Generally, the bass drum provides a steady pulse, playing on the downbeat and on the strong beats of the bar, and the tenors support that pulse, often adding supporting beats, accents and dynamic interest.

Tenor drums in their modern form are a relatively new addition to the pipe band. While pipe bands of yesteryear would often include tenor drummers, they would usually be "swinging tenors", players who would swing their sticks for elaborate visual effect but who would rarely play.

Today's tenor drummers play pitched drums, and careful thought is given as to which pitches to use and at which times. In some cases, five or six tenor drummers have been used, providing a palette of individual pitches for use in a variety of musical situations. The swinging also known as flourishing has developed somewhat into an artform with drummers playing and swinging in unison or sequential flows.