Make your own Ashiko Drum

An ashiko drum is a traditional African drum known for its low bass sound and its cone shape. These drums are played with the hands only to get the signature low tone sound. These traditional drums are fun to play, and you can make your own easy recreation version for relatively cheap. A simple, fun craft to do on the weekend or if you just have some free time with the kids can give your home a new sound; the sound of an Ashiko drum. If they like it, buy them a professional drum!

What you need to complete your project includes one large (extruded) polystyrene drinking cup, one small (extruded) polystyrene drinking cup, hot glue, hot glue gun, tape, shoe polish, a rag, and some markers. With these few things that you probably already have lying around your home, you can make a drum for little to no cost.

Step one, take your hot glue gun, and put a glue stick in it. Plug it in so it can start to heat up. It may take 5 minutes for the gun to completely heat up. Once heated, take your two polystyrene cups, and put a ring of glue around the top edge of the small cup. Next, place the glue edge on the bottom of the large polystyrene cup. Doing this creates a nice cone shaped drum. Allow time for the glue to dry, may take another 10-15 minutes.

Once dried, take your cups and your masking tape. Cover the top opening with strips of tape until completely sealed. Next, you need to grab your shoe polish, and wipe polish over the tape and cups. Wipe away any extra polish with the rag, and let the polish sit to dry. Once dried, repeat the process by wiping more shoe polish on the cups and tape. Wipe away excess and repeat one last time. This process needs to be repeated 3 times in total, creating a nice dark tone color on the cups. This will make it look more like an ashiko drum. Once the last layer of shoe polish has dried, you can use your markers to decorate the drum if desired. Once any ink has dried, your last step is to get up and play the drum!

A basic ashiko drum is easy to make and should not take longer than 45 minutes to create your own drum to enjoy in your home. Making an ashiko drum can bring lovely low bass tones of fun ringing through the hallways in your home.

Playing Finger Cymbals while Belly Dancing

Finger cymbals are a great way to make your own music while you belly dance. Commonly called zills by dancers, these small handheld cymbals will add energy to your dance performance. Most often, two pairs of cymbals are used with cymbals being fastened to both middle fingers and both thumbs. The zills should be adjusted so that they are tight enough to not risk flying off while you perform and should be located on your fingers in such a way that it is comfortable for you to press both halves of the pair together.

After you have acquired your zills and they are comfortably fastened to your hands, it is time to start practicing. Although the finger cymbals seem simple enough, this is deceptive. To incorporate your own music into your dance, you will need to practice regularly. Start with shorter sessions to give the muscles in your fingers and hands a change to develop strength just like when you first started learning your belly dancing moves and had to develop strength in your stomach muscles. Start by simply listening to some of your dance music with the zills on. Without dancing, see how you can use the zills to make a pleasant accompaniment to the music. Remember, the sounds should be subtle, it is not necessary to make large movements, click the cymbals together carefully. Let the tone ring. Try sliding movements.

After an exploration period, set goals for your practicing before beginning a song. Try playing along with the melody. After that is easy, try playing along with rhythm of the drums. Then try playing along with any harmonic rhythms. Your goals is to make using the finger cymbals feel like a natural part of moving your hands. When you are comfortable with the sounds the zills make and how playing them works, try adding them to a dance without any other music playing. Some practice techniques include dancing to a regular rhythm you create with just the zills, and dancing while singing a song you are very familiar with and playing the zills. When you feel ready, you can attempt dancing with your regular belly dancing music and playing the zills. Start with minimal playing and work your way up to more regular accompaniment. Even when you get to this stage, it can be useful to still regularly use beginning practice techniques. It can take a while before you become a skilled player.

Playing the zills will give your belly dancing a layer of added depth. Making your own music can be a beautiful addition to your dancing routines.

Why Learn the Cajon?

The cajon is a boxlike drum that originated in Peru and has since been very popular in Cuba. This deceptively simple instrument, which could easily be mistaken for a stool or crate, has a surprisingly complex sound. With a cajon, a beginner can start slapping out rhythms in no time, but a skilled musician can play complex beats and tones that could enthrall a concert hall full of music lovers.

The first advantage of the cajon as your instrument is that it is easy to transport. Kopf cajons come in different heights for different sized people and in either straight sided models which are played by sitting on the top slapping the side or slant sided tumba cajon models which are played while holding the drum between the knees and slapping the top conga style. Both types of cajon are lightweight and easy to carry. Carrying bags makes it even easier to tote your cajon along and provide some protection for your instrument. Some drums are heavy and cumbersome to move around, but you will find your cajon coming with you just about everywhere.

A second reason to learn the cajon is the instrument’s versatility. Many cajons have removable snares making the change from playing with a snare sound to playing a more traditional sound very easy. Kopf cajons offer several models with double playing sides, one with snares and one without. The snares are often adjustable so that the tone can be changed. The cajon sounds great by itself, with other drums, or mixed in with other instruments in an impromptu jam session. If you learn the cajon, you are unlikely to find yourself sitting on the sidelines listening to everyone else play. You’ll always be able to get in on the action, even when you are just starting to learn.

Another reason to learn the cajon is its unusual nature. Cajons are still rather uncommon at drum circles. If you are looking for a drum that is sure to be a head turner, the cajon is the way to go. Everyone will be wondering what kind of sound that crate makes, and what it is called. If you choose a cajon with a padded seat, your comfort will be assured too. While others scramble to find a spot to sit, you can plop down on your cajon top and be ready to play. It is fun to share a unique instrument with other drum enthusiasts, opening up opportunities for you to explore other drums as well. Your cajon will get people talking and ensure plenty of social interaction even if you are the new guy at the gathering.

Whether you are looking for your first drum or just a new, unique instrument to add to your repertoire, learning to play the cajon will add versatility, originality, and of course, lots of music to your life.

Professionals who Play LP Aspire Congas

To know if a brand of instrument is worth choosing we sometimes turn to the professionals who play the brand to get an idea of who endorses them. If we were to cover the careers all music pros who use LP Aspire Congas in one writing, we’d have written a book in no time. LP Aspire Congas are the leading drum for professional conga players throughout many types of music, whether it be Latin, pop, rock, alternative, big band or disco. It is the case that lots of the times you have heard congas being played in modern music it is a LP Aspire that you are hearing, whether you knew it or not.

One of the most interesting places you will find LP Aspire Congas is in the drum kit of Stephen Perkins, drummer of alternative rock legends Jane’s Addiction. Recording with the Jane’s spinoff (headed by JA’s Perry Ferrell) “Porno for Pyros”, Perkins uses the LP Aspire Conga to attain a richer, more spiritual sound than the driving, head banging tornado he whips up behind the kit for Jane’s Addiction. He’s also recorded with other alternative luminaries like No Doubt and Nine Inch Nails, but a little known fact about Perkins is he runs drum circles for people with physical and mental challenges, drum camps for differently abled kids, and drum therapy for senior citizens.

Another rock drumming backbone, Kieth Carlock, is also a user of LP Aspire Congas. Having toured with many legendary bands including Steely Dan, Sting, pop idols Diana Ross and Clay Aiken, and country superstar Rascall Flatts. If you haven’t heard of him you should have – he was voted the number #1 Pop drummer, #1 Fusion drummer, and #1 Best All-Around drummer by the readers of Modern Drummer' Magazine in 2009, Carlock proves that LP Aspire Congas go everywhere with every type of music.

And, just to prove that concept, LP Asprie Congas even go to the Circus, or should we say Cirque. Kurt Rasmussen, the current percussionist for the fantastic Cirque Du Soliel production “O”, Rasmussen states that he has been blessed by a long and successful career as a percussionist and could not have done it without the support of LP”. Now, what finer testimony to the high quality and great sound of LP Aspire Congas could you possibly need? Rock on, dance on, jazz it up, and swing from the rafters with LP!

Bongo Purchase for the Multi-instrumentalist

Some musicians can’t be strapped to just one instrument, and ultimately master multiple instruments. From the piano to the guitar, some professional musicians have the ability to play any instrument that an individual places in their hands. However, some instruments are more difficult than others and it takes a certain amount of skill for those who want to play them. Even when a person has the desire, they may need to take lessons if they want to obtain the essential musical abilities. Buying the right instruments is also a requirement for an aspiring musician.

In a band or a group, no instrument is more important than the other, since they all work together to create a unique sound. One of the first things that any aspiring musician should know about is the quality of the instrument, since this will determine how good the sound is and how it can be made to sound great with ease. Therefore, when a musician is choosing a set of bongos, here’s a few things that they should look for.

Talk to a professional musician. Professional musicians can spend thousands of dollars on their instruments because they need high and premium quality. Spending large amounts for a beginner is not always necessary unless the individual has the budget for it. The aspiring musician can talk to a professional musician because they can assist with the type and the brand that the individual will need in order to get the best quality sound. This is also true for those who want to play bongos, since they are also available in a wide range of prices and quality.

Check the bongo tuning hardware for tension. If the bongo tuner cannot handle the tension, the beginner should not purchase the set. Most professional bongo players will recommend purchasing steel instead of aluminum. However, the musician should play the set to see if the bolts will hurt their hands when they play.

The center blocks on the bongo should be strong. This means they should be made of wood. Some of the center blocks are made of plastic vs. wood, which is normally one of the easiest ways for musician to spot a cheap set of bongos from near and far off.

Look at the materials in the shells. Avoid low-quality wood. Oak and mahogany are preferred to other types of wood. Also, review the wood for shell for gaps and cracks. With these thoughts in mind, you should be on your way to a solid bongo purchase, even if it is not your first instrument.