Has your Tongue Drum finally arrived at home? You've just unpacked it and are finally starting to play. The big moment has arrived. Now you wonder how to play it.
There are numbers written on the metal reeds. Underneath some of these numbers, what do they mean?
This little guide will answer all your questions.
Is your tongue drum correctly tuned?
Yes, your tongue drum is in tune. Either you have a musical ear and can tell right away, or you need to use a little technique.
Go to your phone, go online or to the Apple Store or Google Play Store and download Soundcorset, a free digital tuner.
Tap one of the included sticks on the reed of your reed drum and see if the reed drum is in tune.
The advantage of this technique is that the Soundcorset tuner has nothing to do with any instrument. Therefore, what it says is absolutely correct, as it does not depend on the manufacturer of your new instrument.
If a note is out of tune, simply push the reed in or out with your hands.
Should you play with sticks or with your hands?
Music loves variety, and just as you can use a violin as a guitar, you can use a tongue drum as a djembe.
Play on the reeds with the sticks or with your fingers and the ZenaPads to create a pure, melodic sound.
What do the numbers on the metal reeds mean?
The Tongue drum has metal reeds cut directly from the instrument that have a number on them. If it does not have a 4 and a 7 on it, it means that your Tongue Drum is pentatonic.
If not, it is a heptatonic tongue drum, like the ones sold by ZenaDrum. This means that it has seven notes in an octave. Also, the tongue drum is a diatonic instrument, which means that these notes cannot be played in semitones (these are the famous sharps and flats that accompany notes in sheet music).
If you look at your tongue drum, you will notice that there are dots under some of the figures. They mean that the note is lower than usual. For example, a metal tongue with the number 7 and a dot underneath it is deeper than a metal tongue that simply has the number 7 without a dot.
Try it, you will hear the difference immediately!
What note does each digit correspond to?
Why are there numbers? You probably know that the Tongue Drum was invented by an American called Dennis Havlena, and perhaps also that Americans count the notes in letters: C, D, E, F, G, A, B.
They begin to understand that each number corresponds to a letter, and therefore to a note. In our ZenaPan tutorial, we will show you which note corresponds to which letter.
They will be able to read the notes on a classical score and relate them to what they can read on their Tongue Drum.
Are there tutorials for Tongue Drums?
There are numerous tutorials for Tongue Drums. There are even some on the ZenaDrum website. They are on video and can be accessed by calling the number you received when you placed your order.
You can find them in your account or in your mailbox. Now all you have to do is practice and you'll be playing the Tongue Drum in no time.
Check out our Tongue Drums for sale now.