In construction of a drum having at least one drum head, the drum head is set in tension, by assistance of a fastening counterhoop, to a suspension ring fixed to one open end of a tubular kettle and a double-type screw unit used for manual fastening of the drum head includes lug nuts mounted to the suspension ring preferably via idle, tiltable engagement and cooperative fastener bolts mounted to the counterhoop in screw engagement with the lug nuts on the suspension ring. Automatic centering is performed by the screw unit during fastening thanks to the idle, tiltable engagement and such automatic centering by the screw unit enables high tension fastening of the drum head without causing any breakages in the screw construction.

A drum includes a drum shell, a drum head, a counter-hoop and a shell hoop. A drum skin extends over the open end of the drum shell and has a circumferential bead. The counter-hoop has a downwardly and outwardly extending flange which bears on the bead. The shell hoop has a rim which extends upwardly and outwardly. An adjustable clamp ring engages the flange of the counter-hoop and the rim of the shell hoop through correspondingly inclined portions. The clamp ring has a breach and a tightening mechanism so that when the clamp ring is tightened, the counter-hoop is forced downwards, thereby tightening the skin.

A musical drum with a drum face, a wooden drum body and a buffer element. The buffer element is situated between the drum face and the drum body. The drum face includes a drumhead and a rim for clamping the drumhead across the buffer element by way of clamping screws. The pressure exerted by the drum head on the buffer element is absorbable by the buffer element.

A drum having improved acoustic characteristics includes a rigid annular bridge at one or both ends of a thin resonant annular shell attached to the bridges. A drum head is mounted on the bridge by a tension mechanism attached only to the bridge, and the drum is mounted on a drum stand by mounting hardware attached only to the bridge, leaving the shell free of load bearing and tensive and compressive forces and making the shell resonate more effectively. The bridge is machined from a solid block of wood formed of horizontal laminations. A microphone can be mounted on the inside of the bridge, with electrical leads exiting the drum through the mounting hardware. A snare drum having a thick body instead of a resonant shell is machined in the same way and has internal head tension members that make it possible to have a thicker body.

A drum comprising a drum shell (11) formed with a circumferential channel (17) in its external surface; a shell hoop (15) located in the channel (17); and at least one fixing member (16), in which the shell hoop (15) has a radially outwardly inclined portion (26) arranged to engage a clamp ring (31), and the fixing member (16) includes means for attaching drum fittings, the fixing means (16) being fixed relative to the shell hoop (15).