Selecting a good drum for shamanic practice can sometimes be an overwhelming decision. There is a myriad of styles and drum types to choose from. One of the most useful drums for shamanic work is the hand or frame drum. The frame drum originated in Siberia, together with shamanism itself. It has been associated worldwide with the practice of shamanism. The frame drum's resonance and versatility make it my drum of preference. Such drums are portable, affordable, and easy to play. They can easily be held in one hand, leaving the other hand free to stroke the drum. They are made by stretching a wet rawhide over a wooden frame, then allowing it to dry slowly. The frame or hoop is typically three inches or less in width and may vary from eight to twenty-four inches in diameter. They may be single-headed or double-headed. Like all rawhide drums, they do not have a fixed pitch. Heating and cooling the drumhead raises and lowers the tone. If you are shopping for a drum, here are five quality drum makers you should know:
1. Cedar Mountain Drums: Patrick Pinson started Cedar Mountain Drums in Portland, Oregon in 1988. Patrick makes quality shamanic and Native American style hoop drums, rattles, talking sticks, smudge fans and other tools for ceremony and healing. He also has drum making kits and supplies and can guide you in crafting a drum of your own. I have done business with Patrick for 25 years and his customer service is outstanding.
2. Gaia's Workshop Drums: Run by partners Michelle Meister and Luke Martinez out of Portland, Oregon. Together, they make instruments that have balance, harmonics and tone, that are more comfortable to hold and to play, and that are in integrity with the animals and plants who have given their lives so that these drums may live. Michelle has been a drum maker for many years, working with Patrick Pinson at Cedar Mountain Drums off and on for almost 20 years.
3. Tachini Drums: Located in Arlee, Montana, Tachini Drums offers a large selection of authentic handcrafted Native American drums for sale. All of their Native American drums are handcrafted by Tachini Pete, a master Salish/Navajo drum maker using centuries old traditional methods passed down from the ancestors. They also offer drum accessories and drum making supplies. Tachini is also program director of the Potlatch Fund, a Native-led nonprofit that provides grants and leadership development in Tribal communities throughout Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana.
4. Tribal Spirit Music: Tribal Spirit is Joywind and Robert Todd, native artists of Secwepemc, Simpcw First Nations, British Columbia and Mohawk/Scottish descent. They live in the Laurentian Mountains north of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. For more than a decade, they have applied their skills and dedication to building native spiritual tools, and sharing on the powwow trail. They create traditional Native American powwow drums, hand drums, powwow drumsticks, drum bags and leather handbags. Their powwow drums are used by award-winning native groups and by leaders at major native ceremonies throughout North America.
5. Shaman Drums: From their home in Denmark, Susanne and Erik Humaidan craft handmade shaman drums, rattles, feather fans, and power jewelry. Both have practiced shamanism for several years and shamanism is the foundation of every frame drum or rattle they create. The shamanic tools they make are used for different spiritual practices such as shamanic journeys, calling power animals and spirit helpers and for healing. Both learned and adapted the art of drum making from elder drum maker Day Feye in Norway.
1. Cedar Mountain Drums: Patrick Pinson started Cedar Mountain Drums in Portland, Oregon in 1988. Patrick makes quality shamanic and Native American style hoop drums, rattles, talking sticks, smudge fans and other tools for ceremony and healing. He also has drum making kits and supplies and can guide you in crafting a drum of your own. I have done business with Patrick for 25 years and his customer service is outstanding.
2. Gaia's Workshop Drums: Run by partners Michelle Meister and Luke Martinez out of Portland, Oregon. Together, they make instruments that have balance, harmonics and tone, that are more comfortable to hold and to play, and that are in integrity with the animals and plants who have given their lives so that these drums may live. Michelle has been a drum maker for many years, working with Patrick Pinson at Cedar Mountain Drums off and on for almost 20 years.
3. Tachini Drums: Located in Arlee, Montana, Tachini Drums offers a large selection of authentic handcrafted Native American drums for sale. All of their Native American drums are handcrafted by Tachini Pete, a master Salish/Navajo drum maker using centuries old traditional methods passed down from the ancestors. They also offer drum accessories and drum making supplies. Tachini is also program director of the Potlatch Fund, a Native-led nonprofit that provides grants and leadership development in Tribal communities throughout Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana.
4. Tribal Spirit Music: Tribal Spirit is Joywind and Robert Todd, native artists of Secwepemc, Simpcw First Nations, British Columbia and Mohawk/Scottish descent. They live in the Laurentian Mountains north of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. For more than a decade, they have applied their skills and dedication to building native spiritual tools, and sharing on the powwow trail. They create traditional Native American powwow drums, hand drums, powwow drumsticks, drum bags and leather handbags. Their powwow drums are used by award-winning native groups and by leaders at major native ceremonies throughout North America.
5. Shaman Drums: From their home in Denmark, Susanne and Erik Humaidan craft handmade shaman drums, rattles, feather fans, and power jewelry. Both have practiced shamanism for several years and shamanism is the foundation of every frame drum or rattle they create. The shamanic tools they make are used for different spiritual practices such as shamanic journeys, calling power animals and spirit helpers and for healing. Both learned and adapted the art of drum making from elder drum maker Day Feye in Norway.
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