~Meeshi~
06-27-2002, 04:47 PM
Instead of typing everything a bunch of times...
Where can I find a drum? Call around to your local music stores and also import stores if you have any around... You know, like the kind of stores that sell African wares... Ask if they have any hand drums. Sometimes, even "hippie" stores carry them.
How much do drums cost? I've seen them anwhere between $40 and $800... The drum in the sig line was $300, mainly because it was hand carved out of a solid piece of wood. It all depends on size, quality, place of origin, type of wood, type of skin, etc.
What kids of drums are there? There are so many different kinds of drums out there, it would takje forever to list them all.. The most common ones you'll find are Djembes (pronounced Jim-bays), Aishikos (Ah-shee-kos) and doumbeks (doom-beks)... Of course, there's congas and bongos as well, but most people know what they are!
What should I look for in a drum? Well, I feel like you can learn to play in a large coffee can and still do ok, anything you can hit with a beat is a start, right?? But, if you want to buy a drum, you'll want to look for a few things. First of all, pick up the drum, *feel* it... Hit it a few times and see if you get a good feel from it. I suggest getting a drum whos head is at least a little bigger than your outstretched hand. In order to get a good bass tone from a drum, you'll need to hit it with a flat hand right in the center of the head. Make sure the body has no cracks in it and make sure the skin is thin with no holes. Goat is the best skin for drums, IMO. Take a look at the lacing holding the skin on the drum, make sure it is not worn.
How do I play? Start slow... Start with a 1-2 beat, with alternating hands.... Once you feel comfortable with the 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2, start adding another beat in there ~ the "and" being another beat 1-and-2-and-1-and-2-and.... Don't get ahead of yourself and don't expect to sound like Ricky Ricardo overnight.
Well, that's all of the questions I remember right now... I'm more than happy to do what I can, if anyone else has any questions. Drumming is one of the most rewarding things I do (besides being a Mama, of course) and I'd love to share it with others!
Where can I find a drum? Call around to your local music stores and also import stores if you have any around... You know, like the kind of stores that sell African wares... Ask if they have any hand drums. Sometimes, even "hippie" stores carry them.
How much do drums cost? I've seen them anwhere between $40 and $800... The drum in the sig line was $300, mainly because it was hand carved out of a solid piece of wood. It all depends on size, quality, place of origin, type of wood, type of skin, etc.
What kids of drums are there? There are so many different kinds of drums out there, it would takje forever to list them all.. The most common ones you'll find are Djembes (pronounced Jim-bays), Aishikos (Ah-shee-kos) and doumbeks (doom-beks)... Of course, there's congas and bongos as well, but most people know what they are!
What should I look for in a drum? Well, I feel like you can learn to play in a large coffee can and still do ok, anything you can hit with a beat is a start, right?? But, if you want to buy a drum, you'll want to look for a few things. First of all, pick up the drum, *feel* it... Hit it a few times and see if you get a good feel from it. I suggest getting a drum whos head is at least a little bigger than your outstretched hand. In order to get a good bass tone from a drum, you'll need to hit it with a flat hand right in the center of the head. Make sure the body has no cracks in it and make sure the skin is thin with no holes. Goat is the best skin for drums, IMO. Take a look at the lacing holding the skin on the drum, make sure it is not worn.
How do I play? Start slow... Start with a 1-2 beat, with alternating hands.... Once you feel comfortable with the 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2, start adding another beat in there ~ the "and" being another beat 1-and-2-and-1-and-2-and.... Don't get ahead of yourself and don't expect to sound like Ricky Ricardo overnight.
Well, that's all of the questions I remember right now... I'm more than happy to do what I can, if anyone else has any questions. Drumming is one of the most rewarding things I do (besides being a Mama, of course) and I'd love to share it with others!