X8 Drums Blog
What to Expect at a Drum Circle
You’re heading to your first drum circle, excited that you’ve
finally found your “tribe” of people and a place to express your
creativity and spirituality through the magic of drumming. It is an
exciting time, and if you have not ever been to a drum circle, you may
not know exactly what to expect from the experience. Just like drums
and people, drum circles vary in many ways. There are different types of
drum circles, each with its own set of guidelines and purposes, so
be
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17th Mar 2022
Dear Santa, I Want a Djembe: The Hand Percussion Shopping Countdown Begins
The second week of November has been designated, “Dear Santa
Letter Week,” by the people who plan our calendars and remind us that the
holiday season is happening right now… as if the holiday decorations in stores
after Labor Day weren’t enough of a clue. There is a bright side to this week
of gluttony, though; even if you’re not a Christmas person, this is a really
good time to get your priorities straight and demand what you want out of life –
especially the drums and hand percussion ins
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21st Nov 2021
So, You Want to Buy Your Kid a Drum?
As adults, we want to be sure that our children are given
the best tools for success in life. We watch, eagerly (and, maybe cringe a little) as
those little minds and bodies develop their own interests, opinions and voices
that are such important parts of the personalities we have pledged to love, no
matter what. Then, one day, those little hands start slapping or tapping on a
bucket, a pot or even on our own drums. In that moment, we realize, life has
come full circle.
My kid is
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20th Nov 2021
Gifts for Drummers? Good Things Come in Small Packages!
Even the most organized gift-giver runs into problems during
the holidays, right before a birthday or even before a wedding or other
milestone that requires a present. Usually, that problem is forgetting to get a
gift, or that need to have one more item to make the experience of giving just
that much more incredible.
Now, imagine you need one of those gifts for a drummer. A
drummer who probably already has everything he or she wants, because picking
drums and percussion instrument
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20th Nov 2021
Holiday Stress: We Know Why the 10 Drummers Drummed
There’s drumming for the love of music and rhythm, and then
drumming for education or perfecting our craft. In truth, drummers have a
million reasons for drumming and drumming has many mysteries to the
non-drummer, but, there probably isn’t a person out there who can’t see how
drumming is great for stressful times.
Did you get all of that? We’re a little stressed with all of
this holiday business going on.
Stress is probably one of the most common reasons we reach
for our
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20th Nov 2021
Why a Kalimba is Not an Mbira
“Kalimba” and “mbira” are often used interchangeably to describe a kalimba or an mbira. It can be pretty confusing when learning about either of these African instruments and even more confusing when you’re trying to buy one. To ensure you have the best experience when shopping for your new kalimba at X8 Drums, we thought we’d talk a bit about why a kalimba is not an mbira.The kalimba looks pretty similar to an mbira, and both instruments consist of a wooden soundboard with steel keys that pl
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20th Nov 2021
Djembe Rhythm Library and Lessons
We're here to support players of all experience levels with the resources needed to advance their skills and keep up with the maintenance of their drums! We offer a plethora of Djembe Lessons, Re-heading/Tuning how-tos, Rhythm Libraries, and Play-Along tracks to guide you through practices and gain new techniques!Follow our links below and get started playing! Be sure to hit that 'Like and Subscribe'!Djembe Rhythm Library:
https://www.x8drums.com/.../djembe-rhythm-samples-and...Djembe Buying G
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20th Nov 2021
Drum Fashion: How to Dress Up your Djembe
Not that we would ever encourage “drum envy,” but, have you
ever noticed that some djembe drums have a little more going on than the rest?
We’re not talking the hand-carved djembes (although, those are pretty great) or
the djembes that come directly from Mali, Senegal or Ivory Coast.We mean the djembe drums that include a bit
more style and flair than the rest… the djembes that seem to know they’re the
boss of all drums, the warrior-styled djembe drums that take no prisoners.The djembe drum
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10th Sep 2019
"Didge Man" Omid Aski Laridjani Shares His Story of the Didgeridoo
"Didge Man" Omid Aski Laridjani has spent time with the Yolngu tribe in northern Austraila learning about and experiencing the ancient culture of the didgeridoo. In this video he shares his connection to this instrument.
Video Highlights:
The didgeridoo is a wind instrument that comes from the northern territory of Australia. It is a powerful tool, an invitation to learn your instinctive language. The language of energy.
What do I mean by that? When you see trees dance to the wind
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9th Sep 2019
Which Drum should I Choose - Traditional or Synthetic?
With so many beautiful drums to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start. In this guide we get you past the first hurdle of djembe buying, which is deciding whether to go with a traditional rope tuned djembe or a mechanically tuned version.
“Traditional” Djembe (JEM-bay)
The “traditional” djembe has a roped tuning system and a leather head and a wooden body. The head (the membrane that’s played) is made of goat skin as it has been for hundreds of years. A system o
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9th Sep 2019