Originally they were used in pairs and were played on horseback or camelback. These drums were played in cavalry bands in Europe, accompanied by trumpets. During the 17th century, when the instruments were slightly improved, they were introduced into the orchestra. Almost without exception they were still used in tandem with trumpets, and this custom was adopted by such baroque masters as Bach and Handel and such classical composers as Mozart and Haydn. While animal membranes formerly were used exclusively in kettledrum construction, synthetic materials are often used in modern drums.
Larger drums produce lower-pitched sounds than small drums.
The tighter the membrane is stretched over the bowl, the higher the pitch when the membrane is struck. Sticks covered at their ends with leather, felt, or similar material produce a more muffled sound when they strike a drum than do uncovered sticks of ebony or other wood. Kettledrum parts from this time use a military style of playing that reflects the drum's origins as a cavalry instrument. The percussion provided the bass for trumpets and emphatic punctuation in louder music. While a composer such as Henry Purcell wrote softer passages for drums, this sort of writing was rare, given the instruments' forceful and penetrating sonorities.