The bass drum is the largest of the drums, whose low, powerful stroke is felt by the body rather than heard by the ear. It has no definite pitch and serves for powerful accents, build-ups, and setting a deep rhythmic pulse.
In the symphony orchestra the bass drum stands vertically and is struck with a soft mallet — for thunderous climaxes, depictions of a storm, cannon volleys, catastrophes. Within the drum kit it is a horizontal “kick” drum, struck with the foot through a pedal: it is what sets the steady “walking” beat (four-on-the-floor) in rock, pop, and dance music. Together with the snare, the bass drum forms the rhythmic “skeleton” on which an enormous part of world music rests — from the symphony to disco.
