As
a sound therapist, and a lover of wood, I pick each and every
board that I purchase to make the drum frames. When a board calls
out to me, I thank the wood for its sacrifice that we can only
give back by drumming.
Allow
me to give you some basic facts about my drums. Spanish Cedar
wood is an expensive wood and also has very positive energy.
It resonates with the planet.
I
truly enjoy experimenting with different woods and sizes of frames.
Almost all of our frames are eight sided. We prefer the eight-sided
frame because it is more durable, sturdy, and it will not warp
like some round drums do.
I
have made drums alternating panels of poplar and cherry wood.
Cherry wood is a hardwood and heavy, poplar is considered a hard
wood but is lighter than cherry. They are beautiful drums, and
the combination is dynamic.
Other
facts influencing resonance of a drum are its size, type of wood
used, what part of the animal hide it is covered in. We at Reikidrumbeat
are careful to sand all of the glue marks off the drum, inside
and outside, as that can also affect the sound. Size is another
factor, as small drums tend to have a higher resonance than larger
drums. I have frames from 9 ¼ inches in diameter to 20 ½ inches
in diameter. Elk hide gives a deep, lower resonance that deer
hide. It is said that deer hide resonates with the heart chakra,
and elk resonates with the lower chakras and helps you stay grounded.
Our
drums are reikied throughout the birthing process of the drum.
I also use some other techniques I picked up on my journey through
life. I hope this information is helpful for you if you are selecting
a drum. Remember that we custom make drums and quality takes
time. We also have a member of our Reikidrumbeat team who paints
the drums.
Below
are a few
facts about the Wood and Hide of a Drum you might consider buying:
Spanish
Cedar is an exotic wood, hard to get in the sizes I prefer,
and expensive.
It is used in many musical instruments. It is well known
for it’s healing properties and positive energy. Under
the right conditions, it resonates with the pulse of the universe
like no other
wood.
Sudden
weather changes can cause any drum made from natural materials
to lose resonance. I have had Spanish cedar drums lose resonance
due to extreme cold as well as sudden rainy conditions.
My
own Pine/Cherry or Poplar/Cherry octagonal frame, which alternates
frames of Cherry wood with a lighter wood such as Pine or Poplar,
is
a great choice for a smaller person who wants a fourteen inch
drum
that sounds BIG!
Cherry
is a Heavy Wood. Pine is Light. The Combination is Dynamic.
We
prefer the octagonal frame, because it lasts better, longer,
and is unlikely
to warp. Round drums cannot make this claim.
The
Western Cedar frames you will see here were not assembled by
Reiki Drumbeat, although I did quite a bit of work on them before
they
were ready for the hide.
Other
factors influencing resonance are Diameter, Depth of Frame,
and Width of the Wood used for the Frame. For instance, a 3 1/4"
or 3 1/2" Depth will give Deeper Resonance than
a 2 5/8" Frame Depth.
For
a Higher Resonance, a Smaller Frame is the way to go.
Elk
Hide gives a Deeper Resonance than Deer Hide. Elk is associated
with powerful healing medicine for survivors of abuse and addiction.
It is associated with stamina and endurance.
Deer
Hide is thinner, and produces a Higher Vibration, associated
by some cultures with the quality of love, wisdom, and living
in the
heart, not the head