X8 Drums Blog

School is out and the world has opened up for a summer of fun in the sun. Keeping children entertained over a long summer break can be challenging for even the most active and inventive parent or caregiver. Whether the challenge is entertaining a group of kids at camp or home, battling the rainy weather that comes and goes or just finding something new to make a memory, drumming can be an easy way to occupy, entertain and educate our youth this summer.Kids love drums and …

Summer heat and fun can take a Djembe, Congas or Bongos on an adventure across the country, or just through the streets of a neighborhood. With the warmth and laid-back attitude that summer brings, drumming seems like a natural way to pass the time away. While you’re out there beating out a rhythm with friends, remember that your drum will only sound as good as the time and effort you put into its care.Drums manufactured with an animal skin drum head are much more suscept …

A wedding is a moment to last a lifetime, celebrating the love and commitment of two people pledging to share their lives with each other, surrounded by family and friends. Weddings are as unique as the individuals celebrating this commitment, and while many of these commitment ceremonies remain traditional, each wedding has its own flavor representing the personalities involved. From the flowers to the cake, the clothes to the music, a wedding can define a couple, their …

The sounds of Blue Man Group and Stomp have been inspirational to many who have wanted to create their own instruments out of everyday items. While banging on pots and pans with a spoon is childish, creating “real” instruments out of items such as trash cans, coffee canisters, buckets, garden hoses, and water bottles takes the patience of an adult. The results are well worth the trouble. Creating your own instruments can be a way to showcase your creativity and musical p …

Caring for your Djembe properly can make all the difference in its appearance, sound, and longevity. Well maintained Djembes can last for years or more. By meeting your Djembe's basic needs it will, in return, serve as a center-piece to your drum circle and showcase the beauty of its own construction and history.Djembes are usually made of African hardwoods with animal skin stretched over the face of the drum. These elements make it especially sensitive to temperature and …

While drum circle performances usually utilize different types of drums, there are other percussion instruments that can add depth to the sounds of a drum circle. These percussion instruments may not get as much attention as the bongos, djembes, or doumbek drums, they are time honored percussion instruments. Such instruments include the claves, wood blocks, bells, shakers, and other hand held percussive instruments. These instruments add their own special tones to the mus …

Music and spirituality are both important aspects of cultures around the world. Through music, legends, mythology and tales of the history and events of a people are told. Spiritual ties are defined through the music, connecting families, tribe and clans together, and to the lands on which they have lived. Many cultures attribute much of the development of cultural mysticism to the instruments created to make those songs. The djembe, for instance, has its own spiritual es …

From the inspiration of drumming greats to the opportunity to be a part of a unique community of individuals, drum circles are a fun way to engage with others and develop a vast range of skills and abilities that are wholly beneficial to the body and mind. Drum circles are popping up in a variety of places including hospitals, schools and in workplace events, as well as in parks, during celebrations and festivals and in homes across the country. These events not only enco …

Quite often, the call of the drum has a way of taking over the senses of the drummer. The need to drum on a Djembe or beat the troubles of the day away on a Cajon drum can lead to frantic and cathartic drumming sessions, easily spanning hours when the motivation is present. Drumming has a wide range of health and wellness benefits that can be personally beneficial to the drummer and to the audience, but it is ultimately the health and wellness of the drummer that can be at ri …

Music is one of the greatest joys of life. It is present in cultures around the world, each with a unique sound and flavor that helps define the people and lands from which it originates. Music has a place so many aspects of life, from celebrations and festivities to entertainment and inspiration, and can be a powerful tool in the search for mind-body wellness. By merely listening to music, people and communities can benefit, picking up an instrument, however, can have an …