Tongue drum, courtesy of acousticopia.comLast time Jeff and I ventured up to Red Lodge we stopped in a hoity toity furniture store to browse. (Red Lodge is half kitchy quaint, half hoity toit. It's both a tourist/retirement town and a place where farmers and the declining families of old coal mine backers live.) As we browsed about I found this box with strange spoon shapes cut into its lid. Noting a small leather-head mallet, I looked around to make sure that the clerk had gone, and tapped at the spoons.
A warm, glowing sound emanated from the box, sounding like a cross between a gong and a woodwind. Warm as copper, as smooth as water.
"Oooh," I said, looking at Jeff with huge eyes. "That's nice."
What I found was a tongue drum. It's a drum with a long history, played in Africa, Asia, and South America. It's close cousin is the mbira, the gourd-shaped instruments with little metal tongs that are strummed with the fingers. I have always loved drums, drawn to these particular instruments because of their earthy song. The tongue drum produces some of the earthiest notes with the most ethereal tones.
Some of my favorite tongue drum videos:
Tongue Drum (just try not to dance like a goddess about a fire to this one!)
I so need to get one, yes indeed.
That sounds beautiful! My husband and son both play drums--wonder if I can get them to change???
ReplyDeleteShow them to some of the tongue drum demo sites via YouTube! I love the tribal sound these drums are capable of producing.
ReplyDeleteGreat tank drum, tongue drum, metal tongue drum for any excellent value. Help make your songs using our drum.
ReplyDeletetongue drum
steel tongue drum
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