X8 Drums Blog

The sounds of Blue Man Group and Stomp have been inspirational to many who have wanted to create their own instruments out of everyday items. While banging on pots and pans with a spoon is childish, creating “real” instruments out of items such as trash cans, coffee canisters, buckets, garden hoses, and water bottles takes the patience of an adult. The results are well worth the trouble. Creating your own instruments can be a way to showcase your creativity and musical p …

Caring for your Djembe properly can make all the difference in its appearance, sound, and longevity. Well maintained Djembes can last for years or more. By meeting your Djembe's basic needs it will, in return, serve as a center-piece to your drum circle and showcase the beauty of its own construction and history.Djembes are usually made of African hardwoods with animal skin stretched over the face of the drum. These elements make it especially sensitive to temperature and …

While drum circle performances usually utilize different types of drums, there are other percussion instruments that can add depth to the sounds of a drum circle. These percussion instruments may not get as much attention as the bongos, djembes, or doumbek drums, they are time honored percussion instruments. Such instruments include the claves, wood blocks, bells, shakers, and other hand held percussive instruments. These instruments add their own special tones to the mus …

Music and spirituality are both important aspects of cultures around the world. Through music, legends, mythology and tales of the history and events of a people are told. Spiritual ties are defined through the music, connecting families, tribe and clans together, and to the lands on which they have lived. Many cultures attribute much of the development of cultural mysticism to the instruments created to make those songs. The djembe, for instance, has its own spiritual es …

From the inspiration of drumming greats to the opportunity to be a part of a unique community of individuals, drum circles are a fun way to engage with others and develop a vast range of skills and abilities that are wholly beneficial to the body and mind. Drum circles are popping up in a variety of places including hospitals, schools and in workplace events, as well as in parks, during celebrations and festivals and in homes across the country. These events not only enco …

Quite often, the call of the drum has a way of taking over the senses of the drummer. The need to drum on a Djembe or beat the troubles of the day away on a Cajon drum can lead to frantic and cathartic drumming sessions, easily spanning hours when the motivation is present. Drumming has a wide range of health and wellness benefits that can be personally beneficial to the drummer and to the audience, but it is ultimately the health and wellness of the drummer that can be at ri …

Music is one of the greatest joys of life. It is present in cultures around the world, each with a unique sound and flavor that helps define the people and lands from which it originates. Music has a place so many aspects of life, from celebrations and festivities to entertainment and inspiration, and can be a powerful tool in the search for mind-body wellness. By merely listening to music, people and communities can benefit, picking up an instrument, however, can have an …

Learning to drum can be an exciting time for any musician. Whether a brand new love of rhythm or a need to learn more complex rhythms and techniques, the advice, insight and instruction provided by a drum teacher can make a huge difference in a drummer’s skill and foster a lifelong love of drumming. Choosing an instructor can be a challenging process for any musician, and drumming teachers are no exception to this rule. As with any style of music, there are teachers better …

With the sun breaking through the clouds, the birds chirping and the winds of spring in full swing, celebrations, parties and festivals may be on the minds of many. Whether the winter season was full of snow, or just gray and rainy, spring can be a great time to not only shake off the dust from the colder months, but also the perfect time to plan the next great celebration in life. As tradition dictates in many cultures, drumming has always been a large part of celebratio …

Looking for something to bring a whole new sound to your drumming? What about adding a layer of emotion to a drum circle, or a unique vibe to your next gig? The use of accent percussion in songs can take an already brilliant composition or trustworthy drum circle to the next level, effortlessly. Gongs are the flame to a crème brûlée, the jump that happens when a song strikes that emotional chord within the audience. Based on ancient techniques, surrounded by spirituality …