Drum Circle

Like any hand drum, playing the Doumbek can be an uplifting experience. This beautiful goblet shaped drum has a sound that differs from other hand drums. The sound comes across as crisp and the slaps yield an openness that carries across the room. When you are listening to the Doumbek being played, you are immediately drawn into a feeling of being surrounded by Middle Eastern culture, and it's impossible to not want to join in the fun.

To master the Doumbek, you need a sense of rhythm and timing, as well as knowledge of the basic hand techniques that will bring this instrument to life. Your first step should be to find a timing chart that is specific to the Doumbek, and master the sounds that accompany each note on the chart. Timing is truly everything when playing the hand drum, and it is important to play the correct beat with the correct note. When you vary the high notes with low notes, your music will come across as energetic.

There are three basic sounds you can create on the Doumbek; Doum, Tek, and Ka. The 'Doum' sound is created by using the four fingers of the hand you primarily use when drumming and striking the center of the drumhead. When hitting the drumhead, you should be trying for a resonating tone. To achieve that, pull your fingers away quickly as though touching a hot object.

The 'Tek' sound is also created using your primary drumming hand. To make this sound on the Doumbek, you should focus on the space where the head leaves the rim of the drum and use the tips of your fingers. You can use one finger or two when creating the Tek sound, but your focus should be on removing your fingers quickly so that the sound resonates across the drumhead. The sound should be tinny or slightly ringing in nature.

The 'Ka' sound is similar to the Tek, except for that it is created using the opposite hand. When creating a Ka sound, you strike the drum in the same area but you can also include hitting the shell. The Ka sound is said to be more difficult for a beginner to master, as you are required to angle your arm across the drum or grab at the drum to make the sound.

In addition to Doum, Tek, and Ka sounds you can create on the Doumbek, there are also many advanced techniques that you can master on this drum. Open slaps, snaps, and rolls are used together to create inspiring music that will have your audience captivated. These techniques are more difficult to master than the average beats, and as you advance in your drumming career you will be able to develop an ear for alternating beats on different areas of the drumhead.

The Doumbek has an almost mystical quality, both for the individual playing it as well as those listening and dancing to the beats. Work on increasing your skill by mastering simple techniques, then work your way up to more advanced drumming.

Labels: Doumbek, How to Play Doumbek, meinl, Meinl Doumbek

Meinl cymbals just introduced a 10" Candela series percussion hihat along with an applicable Low Hat designed specifically for cajon players.

This extremely thin pair can be played with hands or lighter sticks and responds instantly. Perfect for cajon players who need a warm and soft sounding hihat which mounts comfortably within reach of the player.

Listen to this hihat:

The Meinl Drum Gear Low Hat can be mounted down to a minimum height of 27" (69 cm), perfect height for seated players.



To see more detail and buy:
Meinl Candela Percussion Hihat for Cajon Players
Meinl Drum Gear Low Hat

Labels: cajon, cajon.drum, cajons, cymbals, meinl

Meinl Cajon Headliner Series is constructed with a wooden (Siam Oak) body and various premium wooden frontplates. In this video, the frontplate is made from hand-selected Mahogany wood.

On the bottom of the drum, there are four rubber foot stoppers for dependable stability during performances.

Inside the drum there are adjustable wires to manage your buzz or "sizzle effect". You'll also find an Allen wrench tucked in the beam of the drum that runs along the middle of the backside of the playing surface. You can pop the Allen wrench out to Adjust your drum, then put it back for safe keeping during play and transit. The placement for the Allen wrench is such that it will not disrupt the sound of your Meinl cajon.

Once you have the Allen wrench out, play the drum a little to sample the sound. You'll then have a sense of the adjustments that need to be made to achieve optimal tones.

Tune your cajon at the bottom of the drum. Flip it over and use the Allen wrench to tighten or loosen the screws between the two front rubber stoppers. Just a quarter turn is all you need to make a noticeable difference, so take it slow and test the sound between each adjustment.

Once you are done, place the drum back on the floor and play some patterns. You might find that the tuning is good, but the slaps are not quite where you want them.

To get more or less slap our of the drum, you will use a screwdriver to tighten or loosen the top edge of the frontplate. The more space you create between the frontplate and the resonating body, the more response you'll get.

When working with the frontplate adjustments, always loosen the outside screws first. Do not adjust the middle screw.

Once your drum is in tune and the slap is optimal, you are ready to play.

And that is the introduction to the Meinl Headliner Series Cajon.

Labels: cajon, cajon.drum, cajons, meinl, Performers

Welcome! Today we are introducing the Trejon.

The reason they call it the Trejon is because the drum has three surfaces that you can play. It's a significant advancement in the development of cajons by Meinl Percussion.



Let's discuss the various parts of this cajon drum:

• The large frontplate in the middle of the drum will deliver your deepest tone.
• On your left-hand side, the small frontplate produces a brighter tone.
• On your right-hand side, you will find the snare drum.
  

On the side of the drum is a knob to adjust the snare. Turn it up for full snare effects or turn it all the way off for to create an additional tom.

Further adjustments for controlled sounds can be made by loosening or tightening the screws on the three frontplates. Each one can be adjusted separately, offering endless range for the player.

This is really an amazing cajon drum that is out on the market now and you gotta love it.

Watch the video above for a demonstration of three basic notes that you can play on the Trejon.

And of course, like all high-end Meinl Cajons, you have your own padded drummer's throne on top of the drum.

The Meinl Trejon is an amazing asset for any serious drummer. Use it for more range at acoustic gigs or mic it for electric shows to spice up the backline.

Labels: cajon, cajon.drum, cajons, Jimmy Lopez, meinl, Performers

Jason Mraz is one of the hottest names in music. The singer songwriter, who grew up in Mechanicsville, Virginia, took his musical cues as a teenager from Dave Matthews Band, the Agents of Good Roots and musical theater. He moved to New York after high school graduation to matriculate at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, but left after a year.

Mraz began playing the guitar, but the quality of his voice bears testament to his training as a vocalist; he is known for his broad and unmistakable tenor. Mraz began busking in New York, but later moved home to Virginia, before setting out for the opposite coast.

After settling in San Diego in 1999, drawn to the singer-songwriter scene, Mraz began playing at local coffee houses, like Java Joe's. He signed on for a weekly residency at the hot spot, notorious for launching huge stars, like Jewel, to fame. At Java Joe's, Mraz met his future percussionist, Noel "Toca" Rivera. Mraz calls Toca Rivera a "vocutionist," or a percussionist who also sings.

Toca Rivera, his brother, and Mraz originally formed a band with two guitars and Rivera on the djembe drum, but over time, Rivera's brother left the band. They then created a duet, with Mraz on guitar and Rivera on djembe.

Within a few years, Mraz and Rivera were signed to Elektra and released Mraz's first album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which featured their first top twenty single, "The Remedy (I Don’t Worry)." Three years later, after signing with Atlantic Records, they released Mr. A-Z, which debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 album chart.

The most popular album by far has been Mraz's most recent studio album, entitled We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. Thanks in large part to "I'm Yours," the album's lead single, We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 200. Mraz and Rivera have now been playing together for seven years.

"I'm Yours" has been one of the most popular songs on the charts in the last year, and helped to make Jason Mraz a household name. Topping the charts in America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, "I'm Yours" was certified gold in 2008 by the RIAA.

Toca Rivera swears by Meinl instruments. In the video to the right, of the duo playing their hit single, "I'm Yours," Toca plays a Meinl Floatune Series Wood Djembe. The Meinl Floatune Series Wood Djembe is a high quality djembe, made of top notch components. Based on traditional West African djembes, this hand drum creates sharp sounds, with crisp tones produced by slapping the center of the drum head. Based on the size of the drum, the pitch can vary, but all Meinl Floatune Series Wood Djembes are made with a rubber wood body and goat skin drum heads. The drum can be tuned easily, and Meinl includes tune up oil and an L-shaped tuning key with the purchase. The drum is available in three colors: African Brown, Gold Amber Sunburst, and Natural.

Labels: djembe, djembe in modern music, djembe.drum, Jason Mraz, meinl, Toca Rivera

Virtually all percussion instruments that are manufactured today are made in Bangkok, Thailand. Bangkok's close proximity to the raw material and skilled labor needed to manufacture percussion instruments make it an ideal location. Brands such as Tycoon, Latin Percussion, Toca, Meinl, and Fat Congas to name a few are all manufactured in Thailand. In fact Latin Percussion and Toca are subsidiaries of Kaman Music. However, only Tycoon owns its own factory in Bangkok. Most other brands rent factory space in Bangkok to manufacture their line of percussion instruments. The factories rented are in many cases generically set-up to produce all sorts of products - not just percussion instruments. That's not to say that these brands aren't quality, it's just the reality.

Because of Tycoon's specialized factory for making percussion instruments, there are some cases where companies commission Tycoon to manufacture their percussion instruments where they are eventually shipped to the states and sold to you under a different brand name.

Tycoon Percussion has been manufacturing high-end percussion instruments in their own factory for 20 plus years and has just recently decided to market the Tycoon Percussion brand in the U.S. market. We decided to carry the Tycoon percussion line because of their excellent reputation and experience in making top quality instruments. The Tycoon Percussion brand name is very well known and respected in Europe and Asia and is now on its way to becoming a top competitor in the U.S market. We're excited to offer these high quality instruments directly to you at the lowest guaranteed prices. Enjoy!!

Labels: bangkok, bongo, conga, djembe, fat.congas, latin.percussion, meinl, percussion.instrument, tambourine, toca, tycoon.percussion