Listen to the Sound of a Native American Drum

Press the buttons to hear short drumming samples of a Native American Style Drum.

	18" drum. Plays for 45 seconds. Click button again to stop.
	Drum beat.

Each of our drums is individual and unique, and will sound slightly different. There are numerous factors that explain why the sound of each drum is different. Here is some information on the most important differences.

All Natural Rawhide

Each rawhide is all natural, and unique. In addition, there may be slight differences due to the type of Rawhide, Deer, Elk, Texas Steer or Buffalo.

The Size, Shape and Tension

The size and shape of a drum effects the sound of the drum dramatically. Large drums normally have a lower, deeper sound, and can be more loud. Smaller drums on the other hand normally resonate at a higher tone. This sound range is not soled dependent on size, but is greatly affected however by the drum tension. Drum Tension is the degree to which the drum skin has been stretched. Tighter skins, of course, result in a higher tone. There are numerous other factors that affect the selection of a drum.

Where struck

The sound changes most dramatically as you strike the drum head in different areas. This is because different zones are more sensitive to different We discuss the physics of a vibration and resonance complete with animated illustrations of the various vibration modes.

Temperature and Humidity

The sound of a native american drum varies considerably with temperature and humidity, often making the drum sound wonderfully resonant one day, and less the next. This is caused by a differences in the temperature and humidity which affect the natural rawhide drum skin, since the skin contracts more in hot dry climates.

We therefore will string the drum a little looser for a hot dry climate, and more tightly for a wet climate like Seattle. Therefore, please consider making a note about your climate when you order a native american drum.

You can learn ways to adjust the sound by Tuning the Drum.