X8 Drums Blog

In addition to mbiras, X8 Drums now offers kalimbas, so we brought Joel Laviolette back to talk about this other traditional African percussion instrument. Like the mbira you saw in our last video, this kalimba was made by Joel’s instructor in Zimbabwe. A new design, this kalimba is also built in tune with the regular high-tuned mbiras. A traditional instrument of the Shona people in Zimbabwe, kalimbas usually have only 15 keys, so they don’t have the full seven-note scale of a …

We recently introduced you to the traditional African mbira, a small instrument with a powerful tranquility. We think this unique percussion instrument is pretty cool and we'll soon be offering it at X8 Drums, so we asked percussionist Joel Laviolette to tell us more about the mbira. In the last  mbira video we shared with you, Joel demoed the mbira. (By the way, the song Joel played in that video was “Nhemamusasa,” one of the first songs people usually learn on the mbira.) In this …

We often think of percussionists as musicians who create rhythm by hitting drums with their hands or sticks. But for over a decade now, beatboxers have been proving that you don’t need a drum to rock a solid beat. No one knows more about the art of beatboxing than 2008 and 2009 Beatboxing Champions Under Kontrol, a quartet group of beatboxers, including percussionist Mr. Lips, part-drummer Fayabraz, vocal scratcher and rapper Mic Flow, and trumpeter, singer, and melody producer Tiko. When t …

Traditional African mbiras are now available at X8 drums, so we though we'd take a moment to introduce you to this percussion instrument that has been part of African culture for over 800 years. Percussionist Joel Laviolette demonstrates the mbira in the video above. A seemingly simple instrument with an ethereal sound, the mbira is a soundboard made from gourd or wood with 6 to 33 wooden or metal keys attached on the top. Performers play the mbira by depressing and releasing the free …

You may recognize the fast-paced, upbeat rhythm in the video above as the Kuku rhythm, one of the most popular djembe rhythms due to its joyous, celebratory sound. But do you recognize the instrument providing the melody? Looks like a xylophone, right? While the instrument you see in the video is a kind of wooden xylophone, it’s actually a West African percussion idiophone called a balafon and originates in Mali. Used to play melodic tunes, the balafon features 16 to 27 tuned wooden keys pl …

At X8 Drums, we believe that music education is essential to a well-rounded education because it instills culture and creativity in students, allows students to express themselves, builds relationships, and creates a sense of community. And, of course, learning and playing music is fun! The National Association of Music Merchants Foundation (NAMMF) shares our views on the value of music education and even created the Best Community for Music Education (BCME) program to recognize school distri …

Children from the St. Albert Youth Musical Association’s (SAYMA) four choirs brought the unique culture of Africa to the West by performing authentic African songs, drumming rhythms, folk dances, and stories. The concert, Journey Through Africa: We Are One, was held this past weekend and was performed by all four choirs, which include children and youth ranging from three to 18 years old.Dressed in traditional African costumes made from fabric bought at a market in Kenya, the children an …

In case you missed it, Google’s doodle on April 30 depicted tabla maestro Ustad Alla Rakha, an Indian tabla player and one of the greatest international musicians of his generation. The doodle was created in honor of the late musician’s 95th birthday. The tribute came as a pleasant surprise to Alla Rakha’s family and to music lovers across the world, including us at X8 Drums! At the age of 12, Alla Rakha became so fascinated with the sound and rhythm of the tabla that he ran away …

Drummer Jason Barnes lost his right hand in a work accident in 2012. Not one to give up on his passion for music and drumming (and bored out of his mind without drumming in his life), Barnes taped a drum stick to his arm a few weeks after leaving the hospital to see if he could play. The makeshift drumming hand was far from perfect, but it helped him realize he could still play. After tinkering with a few more makeshift drumming hands that allowed him to play well enough to get into the …

Alcohol and drug use seem to go hand-in-hand with the music industry. Whether partying, creating a certain image, or self-medicating, musicians can easily succumb to the dangers of alcohol and drug use. Even the most talented and successful musicians can let alcohol ruin and end their lives.The Who’s Keith Moon and Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham were two drummers who had the most influence on modern rock drumming, according to Modern Drummer magazine. Both drummers are equally remembere …