X8 Drums Blog

Being a drummer does not come without risk to the body. For those familiar with drumming, whether onstage or in a drum circle, physical injury can occur if the drummer is not properly warmed up, or even ignores advice about posture, drum placement or even how to hold drum sticks or mallets. What most drummers are never warned about is the risk of contracting anthrax while beating on a djembe, bongos or other hand drums. The reason is simple: there is only a slight risk of contracting anthrax fro …

Drum circles have many purposes, but, perhaps no purpose is as great as healing those who are facing an illness. Azcentral.com reports that a local program is helping residents who are facing cancer establish a variety of methods to help heal from cancer, including drumming. These alternative methods are giving people, those affected with cancer as well as others without illness, a chance to explore a mind-body connection that helps promote healing. The response to these events is positive, and …

Drumming is often an act of love. It calls for a lot of sweat, maybe some tears, and certainly a bit of enthusiasm. A dedicated drummer may spend hours lost in the creative space others may refer to as ‘oblivion’. The passion and intensity drummers put into their craft often results in explosive, hypnotic acts that call out to everyone within range of hearing.Percussion accents have likely been used by drummers since ancient times. These accents not only give more dimension to the music, they al …

For students in Chatham, Ontario, drumming is leading to more than a beat. The city recently held its fifth annual Youth Cultural Symposium, dedicated to introducing students and teachers in the Lambton Kent District School Board to the cultures and traditions of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples. This year the healing drum ZhowskeMiingnan was shared with the community, allowing Luke George, the drum’s keeper, an opportunity to teach the importance of living with respect. According to the …

Is there anything more romantic than someone composing or playing a piece of music for the love of their life? While pianos and guitars may get most of the attention with regard to love compositions, drumming for love is not totally unheard of. After all, what would Latin music be without either conga drums or love songs? Here are a few good reasons to consider serenading the love of your life.Love celebrations: Drumming can be a great way to say “I love you” during a wedding or anniversary cele …

You may be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't like drumming. Sure, there are people out there who don't like certain genres of music and those genres may be what pop into their heads if you ask them what they think about drumming, but all you have to do is put a drum out where people can touch it to see that drums are difficult to resist. Maybe even impossible. Due to this seemingly preternatural human response to the drum, it makes perfect sense that kids love drumming. The issue is that, …

X8 DRUMS, SWAN PERCUSSION, RATTLETREE SCHOOL OF MARIMBA and VORTEX Repertory Company invite you to the "Austin Community Drum Circle." There is nothing quite like a drum circle to make you feel as though you are part of the world around you. If you've never experienced the power of drumming with others, now is your chance to join the X8 Drums community. X8 Interactive Drumming, VORTEX Repertory Company, Swan Percussion and Rattletree School of Marimba proudly invite you to the "Austin C …

For many world music fans, the djembe drum represents Africa and all its musical delights. Djembe fans and drummers can be found around the world and the instrument itself is no longer confined to being manufactured in the Motherland. These days, many of the djembes found in stores, festivals, and internet sites were made in places like Bali, Thailand, or Mexico. What this means is that a prospective drummer has to be very careful during djembe selection. When choosing a djembe, it’s important t …

The world of cajons is constantly expanding. More and more musicians are embracing the utilitarian instrument with the beautiful sound, which means we are seeing a greater variety of features and styles in cajons these days. As the drum gains in popularity, various celebrated artists are finding ways to customize their own versions, adding more interest to an already compelling instrument.Cajons have come a long way from their Afro-Peruvian slave roots, making them a source of enjoyment worldwid …

Fathers have a bit of a reputation. These men are generally known as the wild parents and many are happy to live up to those silly legends. When it comes to music, creativity and the developing personalities of children, it is important for children to have some exposure to the maniacal, rock star qualities that many men embrace as part of being born male in such a musically rewarding period of time. From fans of Neal Peart to djembe-banging drum circle facilitators or R&B drumming masters, …