Can a drum be considered a musical instrument?

A drum is a percussion instrument in which one or both sides of a sturdy and generally drum-shaped body are covered with a taut membrane. Drums can be struck by hand or with a pestle and mortar to produce sound. The drum is an important instrument in African traditional music as well as in modern music, with some bands consisting entirely of drum-based percussion instruments. In addition to being a musical instrument drums were used in many ancient civilizations to convey messages. Different types of drums, such as timpani, were tuned to specific pitches. More commonly, different types of drums or percussion instruments are combined with each other to form the jazz drums that often appear in popular music.