Learn to play the tongue drum - Easier than you (maybe) think...
Not everyone dares to do that. A tongue drum is an instrument from the group of idiophones that allows you to play sounds and melodies using the different scales and notes formed by the tongues. It has the special feature of being very intuitive.
Anyone can learn to play the Steel Tongue Drum . This instrument has a very soft and deep sound, is easy to handle and is the ideal companion for your relaxation and yoga sessions.
You can take them anywhere in the bag included in the set.
The instrument is used in music therapy, music education and other wellness areas and is known in the music world for its unique sounds.
In this article we would like to show you how you can learn to play the tongue drum yourself with little effort .
SECURE YOUR TONGUE DRUM COURSE NOW!
Learning to play the tongue drum: what’s important?
So how can you describe an instrument as so simple that “anyone can play it,” as we have described the tongue drums?
The common pentatonic scale used on the steel tongue drum makes this possible! The pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five notes per octave.
A scale is a series of notes that vary in pitch according to a specific pattern. In the pentatonic scale, each note within the octave fits together well, and you can play them in any order to create a pleasing melody.
In other words, there are no bad notes or chords that can be produced. Each note fits seamlessly into the harmony, making it a very easy instrument to pick up and play even without any knowledge or experience of playing an instrument.
You should know that the tongue drum can also be made in different scales.
The most popular scales for tongue drums, besides the pentatonic scale, are: the diatonic scale, the chromatic scale, minor or major scales of all notes.
At Sonodrum we sell the C and D major handpan in premium versions and as a standard model.
There are different types of tongue drums that differ in the material they are made of.
You can find tongue drums made from alloy steel or wood. Metal tongue drums often have a corrosion-resistant coating that protects the drum from scratches.
You will find 16 different colors in the shop and all steel tongue drums come with their matching carrying bag and 2 mallets.
Don't forget the music book that comes with it. Learning to play the tongue drum for children is even easier with videos on YouTube. It is actually more difficult to learn to play the parade drum or the Landsknecht drum .
The ease of playing...
Anyone who believes that they have no musical talent or a feeling for rhythm or pitch has probably never tried a tongue drum.
This instrument is easy to learn, even for children . Of course, experienced musicians will find it easier to produce complex sequences of notes, but this does not require any special skills or years of practice.
If you want to learn to play the tongue drum, you can start at any age. For a quick overview of the reactions of different age groups, you can take a look at our customer reviews .
Preparation
If you are playing the tongue drum for the first time, you should first choose a good sitting position. One option is to sit cross-legged on the floor, with the tongue drum best placed between your legs.
This position has the advantage that it can be used anywhere outdoors, be it on a meadow, in the forest or in the evening by the campfire.
Alternatively, you can of course sit on a chair at home and place the tongue drum on your thighs or a table. It is important that the position you choose is comfortable so that you can sit comfortably for a longer period of time and learn to play the tongue drum in peace .
You also need to make sure that part of the bottom remains free in the air so that the resonance can develop correctly.
If the drum is completely covered from below, the sounds will sound muffled, which can sometimes be desirable.
In addition, it is recommended to always keep the orientation of the drum the same. It is best to turn it so that the largest tongue and therefore the lowest note is closest to you.
For our small tongue drums, this corresponds to the fundamental note, which is labeled with a 1. This makes learning to play the tongue drum even easier for beginners !
With the larger tongue drums, you have the choice: either you place the fundamental note closest to you or the largest tongue or the second largest if the largest is in the middle of the drum.
You can find more information about the arrangement of the tongues on the different versions of the drum on our product page . If you have any doubts, watch videos: Learn to drum online for free .
Learn tongue drum for children and adults
Learn to play the steel tongue drum - you can do it here in no time. Follow these tips to learn to play the tongue drum and you will be amazed at yourself.
A simple exercise when learning to play the tongue drum is to play one note after the other and move in a circle around the circumference of the drum. This way, all tongues are used and you gradually get a feel for the instrument.
When learning to play the drums, the tongues should only be struck briefly at a time and then allowed to vibrate freely. If you place your hand on the tongues, this produces a more muted sound.
Since the tongues are labeled with numbers in the order of their pitches, it is easy for even beginners to play a beautiful scale.
Over time, you can begin to vary the hardness and position of your attack.
Adults learn to play the tongue drum - here too, practice makes perfect.
You also have the option to switch between playing with your hands and the mallets. This way you can simply try out what you like best.
Further exercises
As a rule, a beginner can learn to play simple, well-known songs on the tongue drum after a short time .
Even a small music book provides motivation and initial success.
There are also some videos on YouTube with exercises and songs to play along to, which are particularly helpful for beginners.
With a little practice, you will quickly be able to combine playing with your hand and with the mallet : you can hold a mallet in one hand and play a melody while the other hand plays the accompanying notes.
This works particularly well because playing with your hand produces softer tones that fade into the background compared to playing with a mallet.
And of course you can also be creative and discover your own rhythms and tone sequences. The advantage is that you can hardly go wrong when learning to play the tongue drum !
FAQ about learning to play the tongue drum
The first thing you should learn is that each steel tongue produces a different note when struck. They are usually identified by numbers rather than traditional notation, and these numbers can vary. We want players to be able to play melodies or improvise freely more easily, so we offer the C and D major scales instead, and choose notes that fit well together to form chords or sequences.
Learning to play the reed tumbler is not difficult at all and you don't need any previous knowledge of music theory.
As already mentioned, learning to play the tongue drum is actually child's play, even for children and beginners!
Yes, there are also tongue drum songs in German . You can contact our support team or download them for free from the Internet.
When buying, pay attention to the size and complexity. If you are just starting to learn the steel drum, a smaller model that fits easily in your hand may be better than a large steel drum. Watch videos and decide on the scale that you like best.
