There are many definitions for drum & membranophones. Letâs look at a couple shall we?
Merriam Webster defines Drum as (Noun) " any of a class of musical instruments (such as a drum or kazoo) whose sound is generated by striking, rubbing, or singing into a stretched membrane .
Dictionary.com defines a Membranohone (Noun) as âany musical instrument, as a drum, in which the sound is produced by striking, rubbing, or blowing against a membrane stretched over a frameâ
. It goes on to state Origin of membranophone First recorded in 1935â40; membrane + -o- + -phone. Membranophone was first recorded in the 1930s. Itâs a blend of membrane, a late Middle English term from Middle English membraan âparchment,â which ultimately derives from Latin membrÄna, and -phone, a combining form used in words for musical instruments.
Who uses membranophone? Dictionary .com displays-- Citations for membranophone
To the people who like to collect and use big words, [drums] are membranophones.
Merriam Websterâs origin of drum is âOrigin and Etymology of drum probably from Dutch trom; akin to Middle High German trumme drum. First Known Use: circa 1534â. It also referencesâcompare aerophone, chordophone, electrophone, idiophone, lamellophone. Are we going to use these instead of wind instrument, vibrating strings, electronic instrument, gong or block, Jewâs harp?
So, why change drums to membranophone just for the sake of Change? Drums have been called drums for 500 years. Even now when I type membranophone, spell check does not recognize it. Why confuse tens of thousands of new users? Is it beneficial to be specific as to the type of drum we are describing? Of course. Should we dump the drum? I certainly hope not.