Drum Circle

Very few instruments can make the hair on your arms stand up in the way that a didgeridoo can. Long and low tones escape the base as you blow into it, creating a musical sound that can't be replicated with any other pipe. Although not as popular in modern times, the didgeridoo is the world's oldest wind instrument. A natural wooden trumpet that was traditionally fashioned from eucalyptus trees, the Didgeridoo is still widely used in traditional celebrations today. Some modern didgeridoos are created from PVC pipe, and recently an electronic version was created with the help of blue tooth technology and a little computer know-how.

The type of materials used to create it as well as the length of the instrument affect the sound created by the Didgeridoo. Long pipes produce low sounds, and short pipes are capable of more high-pitched sounds that can sound similar to birdcalls. Using tubes of bamboo, eucalyptus, or teak that was hollowed out by termites or ants, ancient peoples were able to easily craft wooden didgeridoos. As insects hollowed the interiors, no two didgeridoo's were alike and the instruments all had a different sound. The mouthpiece is fitted with beeswax to create a seal when blowing. Today's pipes are made either by hand crafters or machines, and most remain undecorated out of respect for ancient aboriginal ancestry. You control the sound of the pipe, as the player themselves can produce different sounds with a change in lip shape or breathing. Most didgeridoos are currently used in Celtic and Ska music.

The electronic didgeridoo takes the windpipe to an entirely new level. Fitted with a blue tooth accessory and a wireless microphone, the user blows into the PVC pipe and transmits the audio straight into the computer. The electronic didgeridoo looks more like a telescope or a rifle, and the pipe itself is fitted with toggle switches and push button switches enabling the user to adjust the sound and contrast of the pipe while blowing. No longer do you need to huff specifically to create sounds, as the electronic didgeridoo adjusts the melody for you. The sound is part Star Wars, part jungle, and it gives you a flavor of primitive music straight onto your computer.

To make an electronic didgeridoo, you'll need an advanced degree in electronic tinkering. It's a pipe that is unique to the inventor Kyle Evans, the enthusiast who decided to take his PVC didgeridoo to the next level. The electronic didgeridoo is proof positive that when technology meets primitive instrument, the results can be spectacular.

Labels: didgeridoo, djembe in modern music, percussion.instrument, world.percussion

Check out great deals on musical gear from Latin Percussion and Toca. All sale prices are good until 12/31/09 or while supplies last.

	Toca Wood Cajon, Bordeaux Sale Price: $179.99
	Toca Wood Cajon, Honey or Green Burst Sale Price: $179.99
	Toca Wood Cajon, Burl Oak Sale Price: $179.99
	CP Wood Bongos, Natural or Dark Finish Sale Price: $43.99
	CP Wood Conga Set, Natural Wood Finish Sale Price: $249.00
	Toca 14" African Mask Mechanically Tuned Djembe w/ Bag Sale Price: $119.99
	LP Aspire Bongo Kit Sale Price: $119.99
	World Beat 4-Piece Rhythm Essentials Kit Sale Price: $21.99

Labels: latin.percussion, LP, percussion, toca, world.percussion

Ask a person what regret they have from their childhood is, and very often they will say that they wish they had learned to play an instrument. Whether it was the guitar, piano, violin, or drums, a child's innate ability to learn music and excel as they grow cannot be matched by an adult attempting to learn a similar instrument. Musical talent is not something that everyone has, but with practice it can become a valuable part of your daily life.

Music is all around us. It is such a powerful force that you can't walk down the street without hearing some type of music. It has the ability to elevate mood and relax us, and the creation of music can be extremely therapeutic. Autistic children, for example, benefit greatly from the creation of music. Group sessions involving music, such as a drum circle, allow the children to form a sense of connection with their peers. Music therapy is a widely prevalent form of treatment for anxiety, stress, and depression.

Learning to play music doesn't come as easily for some as it does for others. If you are in your 30's and just starting out, your learning curve on the instrument will be steeper and it may take you a bit longer than a younger person to pick it up. Why is it more difficult as you get older? For one, our brain's ability to learn new things declines slightly with age. We are no longer a sponge, ready and able to pick up new things, in the same way that children are. Another reason adults take longer to learn to play music is that they lack motivation. For adults, there are many distractions that will prevent us from focusing solely on music. Children, without a care in the world for the most part, can concentrate on one task without worrying about work or what to make for dinner. Yet another reason is that, as we age, we develop into left or right brained functioning people. Some people are artists, some excel at business. We are all different, and as such our musical abilities are different as well.

If you are looking for an instrument that suits you, consider your interests first and foremost. What type of music do you like? Rock, classical, pop, Latino? Focus your instrument search on the type of music that suits you best. Second, consider your budget. How much money do you have to spend on an instrument? Items such as pianos can be rented, but guitars or drums are inexpensive and easy to purchase. Third, ask yourself if you are planning on playing an instrument as a social medium. Do you want to participate in a band and play electric guitar or a drum kit? Are you interested in drum circles and want to join a community of drummers playing the djembe, congas or didgeridoo? Music can be part of a social setting, but also can be used as a solitary mode of relaxation.

Learning to play music can be difficult, but it can also be a very fulfilling part of your life. Decide which instrument or style of music is the best for you and focus on it as much as possible. With time and dedication, your ability to play music will flourish.

Labels: drum.circle, Fun, Learn Music, music, Music Education, music.therapy, world.percussion

What are the differences between a Riq and a tambourine? They tend to resemble each other and seem to be played in a similar style, however there are subtle differences that make each one unique.

The riq (also spelled riqq or rik) is a type of tambourine used as a traditional instrument in Arabic music. It traditionally has a wooden frame (although in the modern era it may also be made of metal), jingles, and a thin, translucent head made of fish skin (or, more recently, a synthetic material). The frame of the riq can be covered on both the inner and outer sides with inlay such as mother-of-pearl, ivory or decorative wood, like apricot or lemon. It has ten pairs of small cymbals (about 4 cm in diameter), mounted in five pairs of slits. The skin of a fish is glued on and tightened over the frame, which is about 6 cm deep. In Egypt the riq is usually 20 cm wide; in Iraq it is slightly larger. The player of the riq plays without singing. The player alternates between striking the membrane and shaking the jingles, as the need for freedom of movement necessitates that they stand up. Students of the instrument are required to master the technical problems imposed by the timbre of the membrane and the jingles, both separately and in combination; aside from developing a virtuoso technique they also need to learn the many rhythmic cycles and the techniques of modifying them through creative invention.

The tambourine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a single drumhead mounted on a ring with pairs of small metal jingles. Most modern tambourines used in western popular music today consist only of the ring and jingles, with no drumhead. The tambourine can be held in the hand or mounted on a stand, and can be played in numerous ways, from stroking or shaking the jingles to striking it sharply with hand or stick or using the tambourine to strike the leg or hip. It is found in many forms of music, classic music, Roman music, Persian music, gospel music, pop music and rock music.

Remo Prizmatic Tambourine

10" Tunable Tambourine

Riq 8"

Glen Velez Riq

Labels: cymbals, drumhead, fish.skin.head, jingles, percussion.instrument, riq, tambourine, world.percussion

Welcome to X8 Drums!

X8 Drums is a premier online store for all things hand drums. Specializing in pristine quality djembe drums that are manufactured using legally certified timber that is environmentally sustainable, our staff is well trained at helping artists and hand drum enthusiasts fill their needs with the right gear.

We're truly independent, serve a niche market, and are focused on matching up our customer's needs with the right product. Providing a hassle free online experience complete with accurate information, knowledgeable staff, great selection, and full transparency are at the heart of what we're about.

Check out the customer feedback page to find out what to expect when you are a part of X8 Drums.

In addition to offering the entire line of top hand drum manufacturers; X8Drums.com features a Drum Circle blog on topics such as hand drum news, djembe video lessons, how-to articles, drum circle events, and instrument care. The site also offers a hand drum artist directory as well as expert advice on its extensive offering of hand drums.

Spend some time with us, bookmark the site and join our monthly newsletter to keep in touch with the latest news in the X8 community. (subscribe to the newsletter on the bottom left-hand side of this page and get a coupon!) We're a think-tank full of ideas working to provide you with exceptional educational content and the best quality instruments.




About the X8 Logo
Our logo tells all... The "X" (as in the way the brain is wired) and "8" (Infinity symbol) are deeply compelling and significant symbols that summarize the Cosmic Nature and Purpose of Drums and how they can harmonize and elevate the human nervous system.
Many thanks to Baba Issa for the interpretation.

The dancing icon is just a dude enjoying the beat of the drum. Sorry, no deep meaning for him. Although we're open to suggestions. :-)

Thanks for visiting and enjoy the drums!

Some of our most popular content:
Djembe Buying Guide
How to Tune a Djembe
Best Beginner Djembe
Free Djembe Rhythm Video Lessons
Virtual Drum Circle
How to Adjust a Cajon

 

 

Labels: about.x8.drums, cajon, cajon.drum, cajons, world.percussion, x8.drums

Bongo Drums are a type of world percussion instrument traditionally made up of two different size drums attached to each other. The larger drum is called a hembra (Spanish for female) and the smaller drum is called the macho (Spanish for male). Drumhead sizes vary between 6" & 7" to 7" & 8 1/2". There are even smaller drum sizes for children: Yes, bongos for kids. Those sizes are typically around 5" & 6". During the early half of the 20th century, Afro-Caribbean rhythms had a huge influence on popular dance music and jazz worldwide. This brought bongos into our cultural vocabulary, from Beatniks to Mambo to the current revival of Cuban folkloric music.

The history of bongo drumming can be traced to the Cuban music styles known as Changui and Son. These styles first developed in eastern Cuba (Orient province) in the late 19th century. Initially, bongos had heads that were tacked and tuned with a heat source. By the 1940s, metal-tuning lugs developed to facilitate easier tuning. It is believed that Bongos evolved from the Abakua Drum trio 'Bonko' and its lead drum 'Bonko Enmiwewos'. These drums are still a fundamental part of the Abakua Religion in Cuba. If joined with a wooden peck in the middle, such drums would look much like the bongos we know today.

Bongos are traditionally held between the legs, with the macho up against one thigh and the hembra down against the opposite calf. Most right-handed players place the macho in the upper left position, as the basic "martillo" pattern focuses on the macho. Lefties can do whatever works best for them. Always strike the drums with the pads of your fingertips, never with your knuckles. Striking with the bony joint will make a louder sound at first, but you will injure your hands that way, and risk causing or aggravating arthritis in your fingers. Practice striking with the pads, using a "snappy" wrist motion, and you will develop the crisp loud sound you want.

Labels: beatniks, bongo, bongo.drum, bongos, bongos.for.kids, caribbean.rhythms, cuban.music, drumhead, hand.drum, world.percussion

One of the largest U.S. manufacturers and suppliers of ethnic musical instruments, Mid-East has been family owned and operated for over 33 years (since 1973). They've stayed in business this long because they offer top quality products, and stand 100% behind everything they make.

The inception of Mid-East occurred back in the early 70's when Alice was working as a belly dance instructor. Belly dancing was the rage in the 70's and one of Alice's tasks, as a teacher, was to find the most reasonably priced materials for her students. Enter husband (Steve). At that time Steve worked as a stockbroker dealing with financial numbers all day. When Steve found out what the zills (finger cymbals) were costing he said "I could make them better and for less." And he did. After supplying Alice's students, they began to manufacture and supply zills to a number of dance studios. It wasn't long before their living room was turned into a makeshift factory. All four of their boys helped to count, clean, and bag zills. Within a few years Steve quit his stockbroker job. The family was in business. Customers began to show interest in a number of other instruments, and as they did, Mid-East began to manufacture and import bongos, tambourines, African Djembe's, Dhol's, and more ethnic based instruments from around the world. Today the company is housed in an 18,000 square foot warehouse in West Melbourne, Florida.

Don't be surprised if you have difficulty selecting that one special piece from our Mid-East line of percussion instruments. If you have questions, our knowledgeable staff at X8 Drums is dedicated to providing friendly and helpful service. We want our customers to know that Mid-East makes well crafted instruments at an exceptional value. We only carry the best!!

Labels: african.djembe, bongo, dhol, ethnic.instruments, mid-east, tambourine, world.percussion

For over 22 years Tycoon Percussion has been manufacturing high-end, top quality, percussion instruments for musicians worldwide. They have over 150 skilled craftsman creating all types of percussion instruments including bongos, congas, djembes, timbales, and cajons to name a few. Tycoon currently produces around 40,000 sets of percussion instruments each year and venture to all the main music exhibitions including NAMM.

Tycoon instruments are known by professional percussionists (such as Virgilio Figueroa, David Stanford, Tamasito Cruz, Inocento Alvarez, and Arnaldo "Arnie" Silva) to deliver pure, crisp sound every time they are played. Additionally, Tycoon percussion is known for creating beautiful sought-after glossy finishes that catch the eye of even the most critical player. They continuously change and develop a unique array of colors and patterns to constantly bring excitement to their line of percussion based instruments.

Tycoon Percussion has consistently been growing since the mid-80's when they first began producing their line of top quality hand drums and percussion instruments. Their percussion products are sold in every major country worldwide and are now finally available in the United States. In 2006, Tycoon established a U.S. distribution center in Reno, NV and most recently opend a new U.S. office in Pasadena, CA.

Tycoon Djembe

Tycoon Bongos

Tycoon Congas

Labels: bongo, cajon, conga, djembe, NAMM, percussion.instrument, timbales, tycoon.percussion, world.percussion

Remo has long been known for building quality drumheads for drumsets. For nearly 50 years, Remo has been consistently breaking new grounds in the drumhead industry leaving all competitors in the dust. Ask any professional drummer what drumheads they use and most will answer Remo. They have roughly 77 patents on drumhead technology and continually lead the industry. Back in the 60's drumhead sizes were of various sizes and there wasn't much consistency in construction and tone. Remo changed all that when they figured out how to standardize drumhead sizes and additionally began investing aggressively into R&D on all things drumming

They eventually segued into World Percussion with same idea. Build top quality drumheads for world percussion based instruments and "they will come." Remo essentially revolutionized hand drumming by bringing modern drumhead technologies and performance to traditional world percussion instruments. Due to the huge diversity of hand drums, Remo eventually developed 12 differently shaped world percussion drumheads using Fiberskyn 3, Sude, and Nuskyn to fit most of today's popular drums. Their drumhead technologies are rugged, have consistency, and are weather resistant. Remo's worldwide collection of hand drums includes: Djembe, Bongo (Bongo drum buying guide), and Conga from countries including Africa, Asia, Brazil, and Cuba.

Remo is the benchmark by which other competitors manufacture their products. Would you believe that Remo heads are found on over 90% of drumsets - it's true I looked it up. I'm talking dw, Pearl, Ludwig and Yamaha. Simply put - they're the best!

Labels: bongo, conga, djembe, drumhead, hand.drum, hand.drumming, remo, remo.world.percussion, world.percussion