X8 Drums Blog

Everyone loves a good cajon drum. They’re like the ninjas of the drum world, really. Sneaky little boxes that are full of rhythmic surprises for all. Cajon drums have a long-standing history in Afro-Peruvian music and are especially present in Flamenco… but, they are also pretty great in all other types of music, too. That’s how they keep up their ninja skills, they just sneak up on the beat in all their boxy glory, and as soon as you try to get a better look, they pretend to be ordinary ( …

From the dawn of time, people have been called into the life of drumming and rhythm-making, as if heeding the directives of ancestors and rock gods from around the planet, and perhaps beyond. In order to drum, however, these people have needed to make their own drums or percussion instruments, giving us all plenty of modern incarnations of drums to happily use in our own devotion to the groove within. With all of the options available to drummers and percussionists today, there are stil …

As fans of Middle Eastern music and the belly dancers who inspire the “doum-tekka-tek” in our hearts, we’ve often been asked what kind of drum is best to learn these nuanced rhythms and help keep the shimmies going long into the night. The answer? The doumbek drum. The other answer? The darbuka drum. There are never simple answers in drumming. Ever. Darbuka drums, doumbek drums and even djembe drums are all very similar instruments in terms of the construction, shape and materials …

Drumming is a lot more than just picking up two drum sticks and hitting a drum. There are nuances to drumming that the rest of the world knows little about, which lend to the stereotype of a drummer being, well, not entirely vital to the overall epic nature of music. When you got your first drum, or discovered your love of drumming and rhythm, you probably did just pick up a pair of drum sticks and start hitting a drum. It’s a pretty natural action, no different than picking up a guit …

Nothing beats the low, droning hum of a didgeridoo. As an ancient instrument that represents the aboriginal culture of Australia, the didge holds many mysteries that captivate us all to this day. Didgeridoos are used in drum circles and as instruments of healing for both the listener and the person playing it. But, let’s face it, a didge is pretty hard to transport, just because of its size. Plus, when you’re carrying around a didgeridoo, you’re probably getting stopped a lot and quest …

If you’re one of those music fans who scour the backside of album covers or the sleeve of a CD, you probably noticed that some artists are given credit for being a drummer, while others are labeled as a percussionist. You may even see both titles next to an artist’s name, causing you to once again question everything you ever knew about the world of music, rhythm, drums and percussion instruments. We feel your pain. There are legendary drummers who would never once say they’r …

There’s a certain allure to drumming that is best captured in the audio or video of a song, but is somehow lost in many of the photos of a drummer completely engaged in his or her passion for rhythm. Much like any other physical activity, the still shots of a drummer can reveal some unique expressions and faces, all of which can be taken out of context and shown as the next great Internet meme (or worse). Very few of us are stock photography models sitting behind a drum set or with a djemb …

On any given spring day, you can hear the soft jingle of a local band of tambourine players as they glide through the meadows, ribbons trailing behind them, punctuating each step with joyful sounds. Well, ok, that doesn’t really happen so much anymore, but, it is a great visual for anyone who sees the tambourine as more than just an accent percussion instrument, but, a true instrument in its own right. Tambourines have been around since ancient times, where they were mostly seen in the …

What do drummers love doing? We love to drum. We drum on our drums, percussion instruments, desks, steering wheels, and sometimes, on ourselves. Look at Kevin Bacon right there - he's playing a tambourine!  But, we have to sadly admit that drumming doesn’t always allow us to spend quality time with our family and friends. Or, if we’re sick or injured, we can’t necessarily pick up the sticks or grab our djembe and rock out. We’re only human, and once in a while, we have to put a …

We all know that shot of energy from a couple of Twinkies or a super-double-crunk-mocha-latte-with-a-twist-of-B-12 are two ways for any drummer to keep up the momentum during the hours of practice required to be great, up on a stage or in the throes of a drum circle. But, there is also a lot of talk about how drumming can be just as much exercise as running a marathon. Hours of drumming has an impact on your body – you sweat, you burn calories, you thirst and you hunger. Marathon r …