Tabla

Dholak

Dhol

African

Djembe

Djun Djun

Kalimba

Middle Eastern

Darabuka

Latin

Congas

Bongo drums

Indian Subcontinent

Tabla
The smaller drum, played with the right hand, is called 'dayan' (meaning right). The dayan can be made from wood eg. neem or shesham (rose wood). Another name for 'dayan' is 'tabla'. The larger drum, played with the left hand, is called 'baya' (meaning left). The bayan can be made from metal eg. brass, copper, aluminium or from terracota or ceramic. Another name for 'bayan' is 'duggi'. The bigger the diameter of each drum, the lower the pitch and vice versa. The playing technique for both drums involves extensive use of the fingers and palm movement. This produces different sounds. The dayan can produce 7 different sounds. The bayan can produce 3 different sounds, but applying pressure to the bayan changes the pitch. Both drum shells are covered with a skin, constructed from goat. Tuning is done by hitting the 'gatte'. Fine tuning can be done by hitting the braided portion of the head ('gajara') using a metal hammer. For stability while playing, each drum is positioned on a ring called 'binna'. Back to top
Dholak
The Dholak (sometimes dholaki) is a classical North Indian hand drum. A dholak may have traditional lacing or turnbuckle tuning. The dholak has a simple membrane and a handle on the right-hand side. The left-hand membrane has a special coating on the inner surface. This coating is a mixture of tar, clay and sand (dholak masala) which lowers the pitch and provides a well-defined tone. Back to top
Dhol
The dhol is a double-sided sided barrel drum (straight barrels also exist) played mostly as an accompanying instrument to the traditional Punjabi dance of Bhangra, the traditional dance of Gujarat, Raas, and the religious music of Sufism, Qawwali. In Qawwali music, the term dhol is used to describe a similar, but smaller drum used with the smaller tabla, as a replacement for the left hand tabla drum. The typical sizes of the drum vary slightly from region to region. In Punjab, the dhol has generally shrunk in size to fit the needs of the bhangra players who do energetic dances. In India and Pakistan, the dhol remains large and bulky to produce the preferred loud bass. The drum consists of a wooden barrel with animal hide stretched over its open ends, covering them completely. These skins can be stretched or loosened with a tightening mechanism made up of either interwoven ropes, or nuts and bolts. Tightening or loosening the skins subtly alters the pitch of the drum sound. The stretched skin on one of the ends is thicker and produces a deep, low frequency (higher bass) sound and the other thinner one produces a higher frequency sound. In contemporary Punjabi music, dhols with synthetic, or plastic, treble skins are very common. Back to top

African

Djembe
A Djembe (pronounced jem bay) also known as djimbe, jenbe, jembe, yembe or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin covered hand drum, shaped like a large goblet, and meant to be played with bare hands. The djembe originated in West Africa, and is an integral part of the region's musical tradition and culture. The djembe is now popular all over the world. Back to top
Djun Djun
A Dunun (also known as dundun, doundoun, or djun-djun) is the generic name for a family of West African bass drums that developed alongside the djembe. These form the bass line in West African drumming. Double-ended bass drum, skinned with cow hide and strung with thick black cord. Back to top
Kalimba
Sometimes known as the 'Hugh Tracey' after the South African musicologist who adapted it from traditional instruments, this is the best quality, sweetest sounding, most accurately tuned kalimba available. Finger holes in the back of the sound box for vibrato effect. Back to top

Middle Eastern

Darabuka

From Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia in North Africa, through Turkey and Iraq to the Russian 'stans', the Middle Eastern crescent shares a rich musical heritage. Doumbeks and Darabukas (sometimes confusingly called 'tabla'), Riqs, Bendirs and Mazhars, finger cymbals and qaraqebs, all combine to produce their distinctive blend. Again we don't leave you on your own but offer a range of tuition materials to give you a helping hand. The goblet drum (also chalice drum) is a goblet shaped hand drum used in Arabic music, Persian music, Balkan music, Armenian music, Azeri music and Turkish music. Its thin, responsive drumhead and resonance help it produce a distinctively crisp sound. It is of ancient origin, and is believed by some to have been invented before the chair. Back to top

Latin

Congas
The conga is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum of African origin, probably derived from the Congolese Makuta drums. A person who plays conga is called a 'conguero'. Although ultimately derived from African drums made from hollowed logs, the Cuban conga is staved, like a barrel. These drums were probably made from salvaged barrels originally. They were used both in Afro-Caribbean religious music and as the principal instrument in Rumba. Congas are now very common in Latin music, including salsa music, as well as many other forms of American popular music. Back to top
Bongo drums
Bongo drums or bongos are a percussion instrument made up of two small drums attached to each other. The drums are of different size: the larger drum is called a hembra the smaller drum is called a macho. Someone who plays the bongos is called a bongocero. The two small drums that make up Bongos are typically made of wood, metal, or composite materials, attached by a thick piece of wood. The drum head can be made of animal skin or it can be synthetic. Some bongoceros prefer the sound of X-ray Film as the head on the macho. Back to top