Purdue Big Bass Drum

The Purdue Big Bass Drum is a percussion instrument played by the All-American Marching Band of Purdue University. At a height of over ten feet (three meters) when the carriage is included, it is branded by Purdue as the "World's Largest Drum." Since its inception, it has become a lasting symbol of the marching band as well as the university. The drum can be seen at all home football games as well as parades, alumni rallies, the Indianapolis 500 Race, and many other special events.

The drum stands approximately ten feet high on its carriage. Purdue is reluctant to disclose the exact measurements of the drum. Many of the original components, the carriage, axle, wheels, and wood shell of the drum are all intact and well preserved. Since its trip to Ireland with the "All-American" Marching Band in the spring of 2013, the drum has been remastered with new paint and select new parts to replace ones damaged on the trip. The carriage is built upon a Ford Model T back axle and wheelbase. The rims are steel wire spoke rims common during the 1910s in the racing circuit.

The drum is handled by a crew of four chrome-helmeted bandsmen, who are selected for their strength and agility, along with two beaters. They painstakingly rehearse every movement of the "Monster" drum to assure its being in the right place at the right time in accordance with the precise timing necessary for the fast-paced shows presented by the "All-American" Band.

In 1921, Purdue Marching Band Director Spotts Emrick commissioned the Leedy Manufacturing Company in Indianapolis, Indiana, to produce a massive bass drum (cost: $911.12). Other bands were trying to make large drums at the time, but most could only achieve a diameter of about four feet. The main constraints included finding cattle skins large enough to use for drum heads, and carrying the drum both during and in between performances. After months of searching, Leedy's suppliers solved the first problem by finding steers weighing between 2,000 and 3,000 pounds each, which are said to have been from Argentina. These large heads put a great strain on the shell, requiring special reinforcement rods to be designed. While other marching bands had tried having two people work together to move their large drums along the football field, Emrick and Leedy decided to use a wheeled carriage. After contacting Jesse Lemon of the New York Central Railroad, Emrick was able to find a baggage car with a door large enough to accommodate the Monster.

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