What is a tongue drum?

The title of this article is "What is a tongue drum", so you might be looking for information about wooden or steel tongue drums . Two out of three internet users are looking for information about steel tongue drums, so we will cover both types, but focus more on steel tongue drums, which you can also find in our online shop at Sonodrum.

The tongue drum is extremely popular because anyone can play it straight away, without having to have any special musical knowledge or skills. You order the tongue drum and you can start playing the same day you receive it. There are simply no wrong notes, it always sounds harmonious and can be used for many occasions.

Find out here what the origins of the instrument are and what is so special about the tongue drum that many people buy and play it.

What is a tongue drum and what is its origin?

The material the instrument is made of also produces the sound itself, without the need for strings, membranes or an external sound body. There are also other names for them, such as tank drum, hank drum or handpan .

It resembles the appearance of a flying saucer and it has a unique, very pleasant sound quality that is created by the "tongues" hitting each other.

The number of reeds varies depending on the instrument, with each reed producing a different note.

Where does the tongue drum come from?

The instrument has been around for a very long time, if you think of the wooden drums of the Aztecs, the so-called log drums or tone drums. A comparable instrument is the slit drum of African origin, which were the first precursors of the current steel tongue drums .

What we know today as the steel tongue drum was invented by Dennis Havlena. The American developed it further through ingenious experiments with a propane tank! The principle is very simple: you cut the bottom off two tanks, weld them together and then cut out the tongues, the width and length of which determine the note.

Some still make them this way, but nowadays there are industrial manufacturing processes that produce much more beautiful and elegant models. Take a look around the shop and choose the size and color you like best from the shades offered.

Scales and types of tongue drums

Lotus drums come in a wide range of scales, and recently there are also models with variable scales that allow the user to set the kalimba to different scales. This way you can play a wide range of scales without having to buy multiple tongue drums. There are even electro-acoustic models that can be connected to a guitar amplifier or sound card and offer an infinite number of effects (looper, delay, etc.).

Which tongue drum is suitable for me?

There are steel tongue drums that are tuned in the major, minor, pentatonic, Akebono scales, etc. Choosing between all these scales is often difficult because all the notes sound wonderful, but you can only choose one. That is why buying a tongue drum is the result of long and thorough consideration, because the instrument should accompany you for many years.

So you should be able to assess yourself very well to be sure that the scale you have chosen really suits you, so that you don't regret your choice after a few months. The scale you choose will always accompany you when you want to play your tongue drum and will be your faithful companion when traveling, jamming or meditating.

Conclusion

Whether you're a seasoned musician or a complete novice in the field, these instruments will capture your imagination in a quarter of a second. Like so many others before you, have you been captivated by the sound of this amazing object and wanted to know more about it before embarking on your adventure? Then hopefully this article has served you well. As previously discussed, the important thing is the scale you want to choose and the size of the instrument. Listen to different scales using videos on YouTube and decide on your favorite sound.

At Sonodrum you will find tongue drums in C and D major . You can never go wrong with them. Have fun!