Has your Tongue Drum finally arrived at your home? You've just unpacked it and are finally starting to play. The big moment has arrived. Now you're wondering how to play it.
There are numbers written on the metal reeds. Under some of these numbers What do they mean?
This little guide will answer all your questions.
Is your tongue drum tuned correctly?
Yes, your tongue drum is tuned correctly. 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.
Play one of the included sticks on the tongue of your tongue drum and see if the tongue drum is in tune.
The advantage of this technique is that the Soundcorset tuner has nothing to do with any instrument. So what it says is absolutely correct, since it does not depend on the manufacturer of your new instrument.
If a note is out of tune, you can simply push the tongue in or out with your hands.
Should you play with the sticks or with your hands?
Music loves variety, and as much as you can use a violin as a guitar, you can also use a tongue drum as a djembe.
Play on the reeds with the sticks or your fingers and the ZenaPads to create a pure and melodic sound.
What do the numbers on the metal tongues mean?
The Tongue Drum has metal tongues cut right out of the instrument that have a number on them. If you don't have a 4 and a 7, that means your Tongue Drum is pentatonic.
Otherwise, you are dealing with a heptatonic tongue drum, like those sold by ZenaDrum. This means that you have seven notes in an octave. Also, the Tongue Drum is a diatonic instrument, which means that these notes cannot be played in semitones (those are the famous sharps and flats that accompany the notes in the sheet music).
If you look at your tongue drum, you'll notice that there are dots under some numbers. They mean that the note is lower than usual. For example, a metal tongue with the number 7 and a dot underneath is lower than a metal tongue that simply has the number 7 on it without a dot.
Try it, you will hear the difference immediately!
What note does each digit correspond to?
Why are there numbers at all? You probably know that the Tongue Drum was invented by an American named Dennis Havlena, and maybe also that Americans count 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 tutorial on the ZenaDrum, we'll show you which note corresponds to which letter.
You will be able to read notes in a classical score and relate them to what you can read on your 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 either on 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 our tongue drums for sale now.
