The Fort York Drums play a variety of music from the late 18th and early 19th century.  The music is predominantly British in origin, and written specifically for the fife and drum.

The Fort York Drums has a distinct sound from other fife and drum corps in the U.S.   The Drums has been influenced by other Canadian corps such as the 41st Fife and Drum Corps out of Fort George and the Battalion Corp of Drums out of Toronto.

The music is selected by the Drum Major and Fife Major to suit the skill level and interpretive needs of the Corps.  The Drums perform a variety of music including formal marches, folk tunes and duty calls, as was typical of martial musicians of the period.  Every effort is made to select tunes and beatings from original manuscripts.  Some of the most important sources of historical music include:

	Samuel Potter, 1815
	Aird Collection, 1780-95
	Buttrey Manuscripts, 1790
	Rumrille and Holton, 1780
	Ashworth, 1812
	Clark, 1797
	Rutherford, 1756