In the marching percussion world, there seems to be some unexplainable reason why the coolest drummers are nearly always in the tenor drum line. Well, they'd at least like to believe that, and the observable fact that the average person watching a drumline typically praises the tenor drummer first doesn't help at all.

From a musical standpoint, though, the tenor drums—the multi-toms, the quads, the quints (in our case, quints)—serve as the high-pitched, alto/tenor sound in a percussion ensemble, rounding out the snare and bass drum parts. Furthermore, a set of quads or quints obviously have an immensely larger melodic range than does a single snare drum. Of course, within Cal Percussion, the tenor drums' melodic range likewise pales in comparison to that of the glockenspiel; but it is specifically the sound of a drum and the musical versatility of a set of them that makes the tenor drums distinctly important to the full and overall sound of the (battery) drumline. Therefore, tenor drums have, in the recent course of the marching percussion world's progression, proven to be a favorite among drummers and virtually indispensable to any drumline that has sought to play percussion pieces, cadences, and performance parts with percussive style and groove. A tenor drummer must be well-versed in not only the rudimental drumming of a snare drummer, but consciously so for multiple drums, enabling them to perform a variety of skillful maneuvers and techniques that they are so well-known for.

It is specifically because tenor drums add the essential percussive style and groove to a field show that makes the Cal Tenor Drums such a significant part of the Cal Band. One of the primary purposes (indeed, if not the primary purpose) of a university/college marching band is to entertain its audience; it goes without saying that the tenor drums are essential to meeting that end. Some of Cal Percussion's most well-liked cadences depend almost fully on their tenor drum parts and grooves; much of our repertoire cannot even be considered if there isn't a tenor drummer present at one of our performances.

Equipment:
(The University of California Tenor Drum Line has signed no endorsements, and does not necessarily recommend nor discourage use of the following equipment.)