While gathering information about these drums, I noticed a lot of comments in woodworking forum threads like "I would build one but I don't know how to tune it." or "Where is a plan for the tongues?" So, I set out to produce a video that explains everything you need to know about building tongue drums.
My goals were to make these drums less mysterious and to answer all the questions that were preventing people from getting into the shop and making that first cut. I hope this video encourages you to get into the shop and make one of these drums. They are quick and easy to build, fun to play, and they are only as complicated as you want to make them. No matter what type of wood you use, or whether you tune it or not, you will end up with a nice fun-to-play drum. If you build one, please contact me and let me know...I'd love to hear about it!
Helpful Tongue Drum Links:
(Search for Bar Length Calculators and Scales using a search engine.)
I play a number of instruments and Ive recently got into building guitars. I stumbled across the youtube link of building tongue drums. Its a good video and easy to follow. I will be building a tongue drum, following these plans for sure.
ReplyDeleteWe are doing a research project On tongue drums and noneone can find anything. Where did you research.
ReplyDeleteHi Benjamin - I just googled it and found some info. Above in my blog post, I put links to all of my templates, documents, sites that I gathered and created.
DeleteOn the template with wavy look, I think it's the 5th one, how long should the tongues be? Also can you give the notes they each should play??
ReplyDeleteThanks?
Hi - The tongues on the wavy pattern range from 3 inches to 7.5 inches in half inch increments. I don't know the notes until after I make one, then I just tune to the closest notes wherever they fall. I haven't actually made the wavy one, so one tip I received from someone is to alternate the tongues between large and small so no two similar length tongues are next to each other...apparently the notes would be close to each other and interfere with each other.
DeleteThanks for the info. The patterns didn't print full size so I've cut them nicely but about 3/4" too short. I'll extend them. Next time I'll alternate sizes as well.
ReplyDeleteOk, yeah, you have to make sure your printer setting is set to Actual Size, instead of Fit to Page or some other option. Also, I think there is a mix of page sizes 11x14 and 11x17 in the PDF since I had access to a large printer.
DeleteHi! Thanks for the Youtube video - how to make and tune! I've been grabbing used boxes that seemed to have some resonance as is.. in hopes of one day, maybe, stepping over the precipice to make a tongue drum. Your video with comparison of various materials eliminated any nervousness I had. I'm drawing out a pattern now to see what kind of noise comes out. Why not? Thanks again; wonderful, informative video. :)
ReplyDeleteWonder if cutting a sound hole in the bottom to allow resonance would make it louder? these are actually very cool thanks for making the video. know I want to make one or a couple.
ReplyDeleteNot sure, make one like that and let us know! Sounds like a cool experiment. I know that they sound best if you can make the box a solid sound chamber, like a hollowed out log. Thanks!
DeleteFor your drum build with tongues on both sides, did you have glue blocks to thicken the ends? I am referring to the the two pieces labeled (e) in the Wood Magazine plans. I have seen some builds with and most without. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteI have some scraps of 3/8" Paperstone countertop material, nearly 18 sq ft. Been thinking for quite some time it would be nice to use some of it for some fun, unusual project. Wondering if anyone has any idea it it's resonant enough that it could be used to make a tongue drum, just the top, the sound board?
ReplyDeleteInteresting! I don't know what Paperstone is. If you can hold up a piece by the corner, you could knock on it to see if it has any ring to it. 3/8" is pretty thin. 1/2" cherry has sounded best for me so far.
DeletePaperstone is a countertop material made from many thin layers of paper bonded together with, I believe, some kind of plastic resin. Very dense stuff and heavy. I'm in Seattle and it's made not so far from me so I kind of expect everyone to know what it is when it's probably not so common in New Hampshire or Florida. It's a lot harder to mill than most woods I've used. I've taken skinny pieces, less than 1/8" thick, left over from ripping it, and tried to snap them in half before throwing them in the trash and it takes amazing force to break them. And because it's so heavy I think I'd want to try using thinner stuff to start so I don't wind up with too heavy a finished product.
Delete