Archive for the 'Drums' Category

Ethnic Drums

When it comes to music, whether instrumental or mainstream bands, karaoke’s or any other form of music, Ethnic Drums play an important role to provide base and theme. In fact ask people which instrument they’d fancy learning and there are many enthusiasts who will echo the drums. When you’re talking about drums don’t limit you’re scope of music because here’s one place where you’ll get drums from different parts of the world, drums that have been echoing history over the generations. Find every Ethnic Drum need today.

If you’re keen on music you’ll know the difference between sounds and the extent to which you can create and merge unique sounds with mainstream music. You may never travel to every quarter of the world, but here we can give you music from all corners of the world. Whether its Indian, African, Caribbean, Japanese or Australian ethnic drums you have in mind, there is all that and much more for you to try your hands at.

You can get your hands on a wide range of ethnic percussion instruments. This includes bodhrans, doumbeks and Shaman drums. In case you have never heard of them here’s where you can learn about the opportunities music presents to you. Know more about what the world around you offers, it’s only about realizing and asking with arms wide open and you could be transported to a distant land with the medium of music. The African djembes and ashikos, Indian tablas and dhols will help you view music with a much broader perspective and open up more doors to your musical existence.

You can now choose from ethnic instruments that are used the world over in varying styles of traditional music. This includes folk, celtic, medley and classical. In case you’re not too sure of what you want or what can match your music tastes, it’s made all too simple for users. Selecting the right ethnic drum has been made easy because each one you’re curious about has detailed information regarding its development, history and use. Whatever your musical taste is there’s always one that you could use. Choose from Bongo drums, Cajon Drums, Conga and/or the Darbuka.

They have been use from the early years when mankind lived in forests. It was used as a means of communication and helped send out messages to the tribes and communities in and around a particular region. Each drum beat signified something and in time drums became an important part of life. From long distance communication, to being an important part ceremonial and religious functions drums have always been popular.

Ethnic Drums were used for war cries, to send spy messages, as warning signals and in case of any new occurrence. Drums were used to hunt animals and to pay tribute to leaders. They have played an important role in history and are still around to provide great joy. The best thing being every user can make their own beats and every new creation keeps the tradition of them marching forward. So come find your calling in a range of Davul Drums, Dunun, Kpanlogo, Mridangam, Taiko, Tambourine, Tan-tan, Timbales, timpani and the likes of many other ethnic drums.

About the author: Ethnic Drums
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

Tuning Your Drum Set

Tuning your drum set is one of the most important maintenance activities as a drummer. Even before the drummer starts playing or recording he has to ensure that the drum is well tuned and ready to sound good. A general drum kit consists of bass drum, cymbal, snare, hi-hats and toms.

So while tuning your drum set, you can start by tuning the snare drums.

Tune the top head at the very start. Turn each lug clockwise to increase the tension of the head and to increase the drum pitch. You can also, tune one lug and then tune the lug on its opposite side preferably 180 degrees away. The drums are bound to sound better when you do not tune these lugs in a circular sequence. However, be careful not to tune it too high, as the heads tend to break easily.

While tuning your drum set test the pitch of each lug when finished by lightly playing about one inch away from the lug with a drumstick Also, make sure while tuning your drum set that all lugs have equal pitch. At this point your drum should be tuned.

The next step in tuning your drum set is by tuning the toms.

You can start by tuning the bottom head of each tom-tom. You can then use the same tuning sequence as the snare technique for tuning each lug and then its opposite. After tuning the bottom move to the head. The head is where the pitch is located. Thus, it is very important that you have an idea of what pitch you want. Tune it to the pitch you want.

After you have got the right pitch, check each lug pitch so that it matches the others in the same manners as the snare drums.

After tuning your toms, the next step in tuning your drum set is the bass drums.

Start by tuning the head at first. It is advisable not to spend too much time tuning, as the head does not have much impact on the sound of the drum. After you have spend time tuning the head, you can start tuning the lug of the back head in the same manner as you tune the toms and snare. You should make sure your drum is tuned neither too high nor too low. Bass drum sounds really depend on the style of music you’re playing and how much impact the drum has with the group you play with.

When tuning your drum set, you must initially imagine the tones you want to hear, it is then important that you must discover how to tweak those exact tones from each drum. While tuning your drum set look closely at your snare drum and try to decide exactly what factors most affect the tonal quality.

Notice the square headed screws around the top and bottom rims of the drum. They are known as tension rods or tension screws. They screw into the lugs, which are usually mounted permanently on the sides of the shell of the drum. You may tighten or loosen these screws with a tool called a drum key.

A drum key can be purchased at any music store for a dollar or two. Adjustments to the tension screws with a drum key will affect the tension on the drumhead, which will raise or lower the pitch of the drum.

However, tuning your drum set depends more on your ear and the tone you want.

About the Author: Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: guitars,drums, drum sets, drum tuning, and synthesizers, keyboards.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

Tips for Buying Drum Kits

Buying a good drum kit is one of the most essential concerns for a drummer. A few tips on buying drum kits will however make this task easy.

Tips on buying drum kits 1
Know the parts of the instruments. The major step when buying a drum kit is to know the combination. Not all drummers have the same combination. So if you are a drummer who prefers to use various percussions, be prepared to invest in a kit that will cost you differently from other kits.

Tips on buying drum kits 2
Buy the stands. A simple kit for beginners will consist of cymbal and cymbal stands. As a purchaser, make sure that the stands have wing nuts for the tops. Also, complete your set with a foot pedal for bass drum along with hi-hat stand and hi-hat clutch for hi-hat cymbals. But most importantly you should purchase a drum key along with the general kit. The drum key will help you to tune your drums with ease.

Tips on buying drum kits 3
Old is gold. While buying drum sets, it is always advisable to buy your kit from reputable dealers. Also make sure you have a guarantee on your drum set. A guaranteed drum set usually has more longevity.

Tips on buying drum kits 4
Affordability. Brand name cymbals can often be expensive for the pocket. However, cymbals in packs of 2 to 4 can make the purchase inexpensive. One can always upgrade them later but make sure that both top and bottom heads are on the drums. Make sure none of the tuning lugs on the drums are missing.

Tips on buying drum kits 5
Prepare a checklist. Before you get into a store, prepare a checklist. Besides being sure about cymbal stands and nut’s presence, a few more things should also be checked. Be sure that laminate or exterior drum finish is in good condition. The hardware should appear comparatively sturdy and all the locking mechanisms should be secure. Double check to see that the drumheads are in a relatively good shape. It is very important as the entire sound depends on it. Also, replacing them at once can be a very expensive task.

Tips on buying drum kits 6
Go for a second hand. It is sometimes more safer to buy a drum kit from an older player who takes better care of his equipment. If you are still not confident about the idea, ask an experienced drummer to accompany you.

Tips on buying drum kits 7
Trust your gut instinct. It is very important to trust your gut feeling and also, your sense of hearing. If it does not sound nice to you then you probably should not buy it. There is no point in investing in a kit that does not sound right.

Tips on buying drum kits 8
Budget. It is very important to set your budget before you get started. Do not set it too low, as it may take you longer to find something that you are looking for.

However, whatever drums kit you are buying, check the pedal response, cymbal quality and hardware quality and it is always advisable to stick to brands while buying instruments.

About the Author: Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: guitars, drums, drum kits, and synthesizers, keyboards.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

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