Yamaha first manufactured drums in 1968.
Early Yamaha drum equipment borrowed
concepts from from Ludwig drum set models.
But Yamaha soon acquired a place among
the top drum manufacturers and led the
industry with innovative shell construction
and finish techniques.   

In 1993 Yamaha came out with the Yamaha
Enhanced Sustain System, known as YESS, for
mounting drums. YESS hardware minimizes shell
to mount contact, allowing maximum drum
resonance. Additionally, the mounting
hardware is attached to the shell at its
nodal points where the shell's vibrations
are of the lowest amplitude. In 1995 the RC
9000 Yamaha drums were reintroduced, enhanced
with the YESS.   

In addition to making acoustic drum kits and
hardware, Yamaha is also a major manufacturer
of best selling electronic drums. Popular
Yamaha electronic drums, in order of
increasing cost, are the Yamaha DTXpress,
Yamaha DTXpress Special, and Yamaha DTXreme.