How we make our drums

Wood

We use mainly alien, invasive, exotic woods – Jacaranda; Camphor and Cedar – that are cleared mostly from residential properties. These woods have excellent carving properties, are medium density and very resistant to cracking, which when you consider how much bumping, bashing and banging goes on, on a drum, is a good thing!

Skins

Hand drums are covered with goat skin, the thickness of which determines some of the sound. A thin skin will give a very high pitched tone sound, whereas thick will mellow the pitch. However bass ports are covered with a thick hide, normally cow, the thickness of which determines the depth of the bass.

More about the kind of drums we make

Drum shapes vary with different cultures but generally can all be played together as they all vibrate in some way when struck with the hands. Some of the more popular drum shapes include Djembes; Ashikos and Bass Ports.

Djembe Sound – sharp, high pitched tone with a slap of thunder and deep, tight bass. Shaped much like a large goblet – a bowl and a flute – and tuneable with a string system.

This drum is available in a range of sizes, the popular being 10″ (25cm) and 12″ (30cm). Oversized drums from 13″ to 16″ are only available on custom order.

Ashiko Sound – warm, open, high tone with solid bass. This drum is played with the same hand technique as the Djembe. It is cone shaped and also tuneable with a string system. Available in two head sizes – 10″ (25cm) and 12″ (30cm) and lengths from 17″ (45cm) to 27″ (70cm). This drum is made from slats.

Bass Port / Bass Ashiko Sound – deep, solid bass and generally covered with a thick hide, e.g. cow or buffalo. Bass drums are generally played with mallets or sticks. They provide the marker which keeps time for all the other players when a group of people play together. The head circumference of bass drums ranges from 12” (30cm) upward.

Dunun Sound – a variety of bass sounds, as the Dunun comprises 3 double headed bass drums. From large to small, they are Doundounba; Sangban and Kenkeni and are normally played as a set, but can be separated and played individually.