Steel Tongue Drum

It is always difficult to choose a dealer once you have finally decided on a model of Steel Tongue Drum after watching countless Steel Tongue Drum Music videos.

This is an important choice because the pitch will accompany us throughout our musical adventure with our instrument, and will greatly influence the way we play it, as well as the mood we are in with the steel tongue drum notes .

So before you start, you need to know what kind of feeling you want to create with your steel tongue drum .

Steel Tongue Drum

Regardless of whether you have any musical experience or not, the steel tongue drum is certainly one of the most interesting instruments to try. It is a beautiful sounding and easy-to-play instrument that is accessible to everyone. It does not require years of practice or thousands of €, like the drum kit , for example.

Unlike many other melodic instruments, you don't have to learn music theory to put notes and chords together, but you can limit yourself to the rhythmic sequences and the subtleties of sound dynamics (tone, quiet, loud, texture) .

Learning to play the steel tongue drum comes naturally without you noticing it - learning to play the steel tongue drum is easier than you can imagine! Children , adults, beginners or die-hard steel tongue drum fans, everyone can start playing right away. Even jamming with other musicians is possible. You will quickly discover that your new hobby has a unique meaning that corresponds to your personal expression.

Take the instrument with you everywhere - to yoga , music therapy or to meet up with friends. The ambience takes on a completely different twist... Find out everything about this drum , what you should consider when buying a steel tongue drum and what types of steel tongue drums there are. Get yourself a tongue drum and start playing today!

What is a Steel Tongue Drum

The steel tongue drum ( steel tongue drum , tongue drum , handpan , pan , hank drum or tank drum) is a percussion instrument from the category of idiophones - the sound is produced by the actual material of the musical instrument , without the need for a string, a drum membrane or an external resonance body.

The Steel Tongue Drum is not an electronic instrument , but it is quite impressive, so we wanted to write an article about it.

Steel Tongue Drum

The steel hand drum is a melodic percussion instrument that has become very popular because of its relaxing sounds and its intuitive playing style, which requires no special technical knowledge.

It is very easy to play a music , where the number of milled tongues determines the number of notes on the instrument. There are many branded items that you can find at a retailer, such as the Thomann Steel Tongue Drum , Alloy Steel Tongue Drum or the Fame Steel Tongue Drum .

But it is not necessary to visit a Steel Tongue Drum music store because you can also order the Sonodrum online.

Its shape is reminiscent of a flying saucer and it has a very special sound that is created by striking the tongues , either with mallets or with the fingers.

The number of tongues varies depending on the model/ product , and each tongue can produce a different sound. It all started in 2007.

Dennis Havlena was inspired by the hang drum and other instruments such as the whale drum and the tambiro, and over ten years ago he invented this amazing instrument.

In general, steel tongue drums are smaller but heavier than hand drums. They are made of thicker steel and have a much longer reverberation than a handpan. They have a meditative sound but are less suitable for fast, percussive playing.

Buying a Steel Tongue Drum – What should you pay attention to?

The Steel Tongue Drum is available in many scales, and recently multi-scale models have been introduced , allowing the user to tune the tongue drum to different scales.

This is a great way to play multiple scales without having to buy multiple steel tongue drums . In addition, there are now even electro-acoustic models that can be connected to an amplifier or sound card to create endless effects (looper, delay, etc.).

Steel Tongue Drum

So pay special attention to which Steel‌ ‌Tongue‌ ‌Drum‌ notes you prefer when you are looking for your steel drum.

For example, if you prefer a meditative or introspective atmosphere, you should use a minor scale .

If you want to create playful and warm atmospheres with your steel tongue drum , you should choose major scales. And if you are one of those people who likes to change their mind, then choose the models with multiple scales so you can change chords whenever you want!

And don't forget that your steel tongue drum will accompany you for many years and that you shouldn't get tired of it after just a few months of use.

That is why Sonodrum has found an answer to the many headaches that all Steel Tongue Drum users have when choosing their range.

Product Tips Steel Tongue Drum

Consider the following aspects when choosing the Steel Tongue Drum :

  1.       Accessible to all - The steel tongue drum is an instrument that allows you to discover your hidden talents with intuitive areas. The sounds of the Sonodrum are playful. They can be used in a variety of contexts:
  •       Well-being,
  •       musical awakening,
  •       Soundtrack,
  •       Theatre creation,
  •       composition, etc.

Getting started with steel tongue drums , like the ones you can find at Sonodrum, is quick. With the mallets you always get a good sound and a wide range of shades. But you can also create wonderful and unique sounds with this type of steel tongue drum using your fingers or the back of your hand .

Product Tips Steel Tongue Drum

  1.       Durable - The steel tongue drum is durable by nature! The one at sonodrum.net in particular is made of alloyed steel and also has a scratch-resistant coating. Your musical instrument should stay in good condition for as long as possible. It will never rust and the thickness of the material also guarantees the long-term stability of the surface.
  2.       Good value for money - Sonodrum offers steel tongue drums that represent a combination of industrial technology and hand-crafted workmanship. All this for a professional and innovative result that remains affordable for a hand-tuned and hand-crafted instrument. When choosing a model from other retailers, you should definitely make sure that the instruments are sold hand-tuned.
  1.       Suitable for sound therapy, meditation and well-being - The strong vibration potential makes it an ideal instrument for education and for the areas of relaxation and well-being. The sound of our major scales allows an interaction between the sound and your own body. The notes produced are not too gloomy and can always create happy or sensual moods.
  2.       Mobility – A big advantage of this melodic drum is that the smaller steel tongue drums are easy to transport. Its size and weight make traveling safe. The standard sonodrum is very practical because it takes up little space. It will definitely be a friend of all travelers.

Steel Tongue Drum Test – how good is our Steel Tongue Drum

Ahhh, we've been waiting for this question and I'm sure you have too! We are extremely proud because the Steel Tongue Drum test at fitforhohhy.de showed that the best Steel Tongue Drum in Germany in terms of user-friendliness and popularity is our Sonodrum Steel Tongue Drum!

Sonodrum Steel Tongue Drum soothing sounds – easy to play

If you are looking for an original, intuitive and addictive musical instrument, the Steel Tongue Drum from Sonodrum is just right for you! This easy-to-use percussion instrument offers a variety of melodies. From meditative and calming sounds to rhythmic and catchy percussion - the Sonodrum Lotus Drum deserves to have become so well-known and popular.

Differences between Steel Tongue Drums and Handpans

Would you rather buy a handpan or a steel tongue drum ? Which manufacturer should you choose, what scale, what material and how long should you wait for delivery?

We want to simplify the tedious process of choosing the right instrument. In our shop you will find a variety of instruments (handpans and steel tongue drums) from different manufacturers, with different tunings, colors and materials. All devices can be tested and are usually available for immediate delivery.

If you would like to find out more in advance, we have summarized some basic information as well as the advantages and disadvantages of handpans and steel tongue drums in a comparison for you below .

Advantages of Steel Tongue Drums

  •       Very robust, cannot go out of tune
  •       Smaller
  •       Not so expensive (purchase price about 1/3 of a handpan)
  •       Can be played with sticks and fingers
  •       Neither cold nor heat sensitive (-10 to +45ºC)

Advantages of handpans

  •       Suitable for faster gaming
  •       Larger tongues, the notes are easier to hit
  •       Sound is “magical”
  •       Is much louder than a steel tongue drum and can still be heard well even with louder background noise

How to play a steel tongue drum?

At the beginning, after receiving the Steel Tongue Drum , you need to get used to holding the instrument (in your hands, on your legs or lying on a table) and playing it. You can do this by following this small guide:

  1. Start with the lowest note and work your way up to the highest note. You can also go backwards down the scale once you've finished your first try.
  2. Now try playing all the notes in a circular order, starting with any note.
  3. Now you will only play certain notes, for example on the left or right side of the drum. You can also only play notes on the top or bottom of the drum.
  4. It's time to work with chords or playing patterns. For example, tap two notes at the same time. Experiment as much as you can with different melodies and sounds.
  5. You should also try to find two notes that complement each other. When you play them together, it is called a chord. Repeat the chord and follow it with a new chord. Try to regulate the strength. First try playing the drum softly and then a little louder. Change the degree of the beat as you play.

It's important to experiment in the beginning! Have fun, make noise and explore this new instrument that is now yours.

How to play a steel tongue drum

Conclusion – Steel Tongue Drum

Feel free to watch our different videos of us playing our tongue drums to get an idea of ​​their sounds and the benefits they can bring to all those who are looking for a little well-being in their lives.

Getting started with an instrument like the Steel Tongue Drum is the beginning of a path to personal growth. Expressing yourself through music is an experience of well-being that we can only recommend to everyone, so don't hesitate to take the first step!

FAQ about Steel Tongue Drum

The steel tongue drum is an instrument from the family of percussion instruments (also called tank drum or hank drum) that is very intuitive and easy to play thanks to its harmonized scales. It is the "little brother" of the handpan, which established the reputation of metal sounds worldwide.

We believe that the best steel tongue drum is the one that produces the most beautiful sound effects. At Sonodrum, we give preference to this one because of its versatility: Sonodrum tongue drum - "Premium" - Handmade - 33 cm - 15 tongues - D major

When playing the steel tongue drum, all the tones are harmoniously coordinated, so that the instrument can be easily learned even without extensive knowledge of music theory and without experience playing a conventional instrument. It is also important to know that the steel tongue drums can be played in different scales.

A good steel tongue drum can be very expensive. You can find them for as little as 60 EUR, but you can buy them for up to 2,500 EUR. There are always good deals on the Sonodrum website - the best drums, which are of excellent quality, can cost up to 300 EUR (if you happen to catch a deal). This always includes the mallets, a bag and the instructions with music book. Shipping is free.

You can see the tongues on the steel tongue drum. Each of these tongues is tuned to a specific note of the scale. The sound of each tongue depends on its weight, width and length. They determine the tone and pitch of the sound. To produce a sound, you hit the tongue with your fingers, hands or a mallet. The drum itself amplifies the sound and emits it through the slots in the "tongues".

There are steel tongue drums in many different sizes, even mini, standard and large premium versions. You can find the following sizes/diameters in our shop: 14 cm, 20 cm, 33 cm and 35.6 cm. They are also often shown in inches on the internet.

Most steel tongue drums have a scale of eight or eleven notes, and while the traditional bell sound can't be beat, this slight scale extension of the drum offers a unique range of notes for the player to explore.

As a beginner, you should first work on a simple instrument, i.e. a standard model – you can then move on to more complex variants if necessary.

There is no need to tune our Steel Tongue Drums. They come ready to use and due to the high quality of the material they are very unlikely to go out of tune. If they do go out of tune, please contact our customer service team

The steel tongue drum is actually based on the wooden drum with slits. The slit drum appears to have evolved independently from the Aztecs, Africans, Indonesians and other cultures. It predates modern music by thousands of years. The tongue drum was converted from wood to steel in 1990 when Jim Doble invented the whale drum. Around 2005, Dominican Republic percussionist Felle Vega cut tongues into the side of a smaller propane tank and called it the Tambio. He never produced this model commercially.

Dennis Havlena was fascinated by the handpan, but finding it impossible to get one, he took Felle Vega's concept of tongues on the side of a propane tank and brought them upstairs, much like Jim Doble had done nearly two decades earlier. In reference to the "hanging drum," Dennis named it the "Hank Drum" and posted his DIY plans freely online. This helped make the 12-inch, eight-note tongue drum made from a propane tank the standard that builders around the world worked with.

Steel tongue drums are used by yoga instructors, music therapists and teachers. Sonodrum drums can be used in combination with other instruments such as tablas, singing bowls, gongs, chimes and didgeridoos.