Drum Circle

Check out great deals on musical gear from X8 Drums, Latin Percussion and Toca. All sale prices are good until 9/30/10 or while supplies last.

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Red Black Djembe w/ Bag
Sale Price: $109.99 + FREE SHIPPING

A solid staff favorite! Get a great deal on the X8 Drums Red Black Djembe with a fitted water resistant djembe backpack bag.

Watch a video demo of this drum here.

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LP Music Collection Museum Series Udu® Drum
Sale Price: $39.99
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CP Traditional Bongos
Sale Price: $44.99

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LP Cajon w/ Bag
Starting at: $198.99 + FREE SHIPPING

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Toca Freestyle Canon Djembe 14" with Bag, Lava
Sale Price: $117.99

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Toca Synergy Conga Set w/ Free Bongos
Sale Price: $298.99 + FREE SHIPPING

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All 12" Toca Freestyle Toca Mechanically Tuned Djembes on Sale
Sale Price: $139.99

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LP Pro Maracas
Sale Price: $15.99

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For more details and sale items, check out the X8 Drums Percussion Sale page.

Labels: Deals, Djembe Sale, Sale

The Conga, a dance involving a single-file chain of people roving around a room to the beat of a Conga drum and accompanying instruments, is an Afro-Cuban dance brought over by slaves and may be most famous for its appearance in movies, wedding receptions or its performance by Desi Arnaz in the 1950's. The Conga may have been a way for slaves to celebrate victories in their daily lives or surrepticiously express their anger, and has become a staple of parties, festivals and other celebrations like Carnivale. The dance first made its appearance in the United States in 1929 at The Conga night club and became wildly popular through its use in broadcasting, including this scene from Strike Up the Band starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.

According to eHow.com, "Many Cuban slaves were from Africa's Congo region, and after slavery was abolished in Cuba, they shared their culture, including their drums, with Cuba. The Conga drum has experienced many changes over time in Cuba." Originally fashioned after the makuta, a drum hailing from the Congo region of Africa, modern Conga or Tumbadora drums have evolved from a cone-shape to the cylindrical shape we see today.

The Conga dance and its accompanying Conga drum can take any event or party and make it ridiculously fun and festive. For the timid and dance-shy, remember to “take small steps, one for each beat, and make sure your kick is to the side, not in front of you or in back. You don't want to kick the other people in the line." Whether you are a Conga drum player or a Conga dancer, the Conga is a time-honored tradition of celebration and fun. The Conga brings people together, giving them a reason to bust a move on the floor or pick up a drum to accompany the celebration of the dance, the drum, and its unique culture and traditions.

Read more about Congas, their history, the best brands and how to play congas.

Labels: African Rhythm, Conga, Cuban Rhythm

The power of a drum circle can be life-changing. The resonating rhythms and accompaniments come together to produce a breathtaking sound that inspires happiness, wellness and healing to the people involved. Drumming can be a powerful manifestation of healing energy, as anyone who has attended a drum circle may attest to. When the intention is there, the healing may be extended to the area in which the drum circle beats away, and even further.

10 Billion Beats, an event created in the spirit of healing and fellowship, is encouraging the world, whether they have a drum or not, to participate in a one-night, global drumming session. It is a night “to circle the earth with a resounding rhythm of unity for all peoples, all faiths, all nations, all hopes and dreams. By joining in celebration with others, we will send a wave of focused intent through every time zone around the globe.” The 10 Billion Beats movement started in September, 2009, with a recorded 200,000 global participants. In order to reach the goal of 10 billion beats, 30,000 people in each of the 24 time zones must commit to drummng at a pace of four beats per second. Each beat sends an intention to the planet and its inhabitants to heal and be well. That is a lot of healing intention, good mojo, prayer and positive energy for the world.

On September 17, 2010 at 7pm, in your own time zone, grab your Djembe, Bongos or Congas and start up a rhythm for peace and healing. Be part of the 10 Billion Beats movement and see what a little drumming, and a whole lot of hope, can do to heal our planet.

Labels: Bongos, Circles, Conga, Djembe, Drumming, healing

The didgeridoo is an instrument that dates back over 40,000 years and was developed by indigenous Australians of northern Australia. It was typically played only by aboriginal men during ceremonial gatherings and celebrations and is an important part of the indigenous Australian culture. The instrument is known for its beautiful and richly harmonic sound and the mastery of “circular breathing” that is needed to play the instrument properly.

While the didgeridoo’s sound may seem unusual to many, the didgeridoo has documented health benefits. According to a study published in The British Medical Journal in 2005, playing didgeridoo helped reduce snoring as well as daytime sleepiness and could improve sleep apnea. People who have experienced didgeridoo therapy have reported that they sleep more soundly and have a stronger feeling of wellness in their daily lives.

Gregg Chapman, an Australian-born didgeridoo musician, has taken the instrument to a different level. He has combined his knowledge of alternative healing practices, such as Reiki, and his own experience playing the didgeridoo to help to heal others through the tones and vibrations of his instrument. Chapman says, "It can help muscle, joint and skeletal aches and pains, help people who suffer from stress, anxiety or sleep disorders and help to focus your mind.” The benefits of didgeridoo therapy are many; helping with relaxation, general malaise, muscle and joint pain and sleep issues.

Didgeridoo therapy is relatively unknown except in the alternative healing circles, and even those who specialize in alternative therapies such as acupuncture or cranio-sacral therapy are just now hearing about its benefits. If you are feeling adventurous and want to try something new to help you sleep and feel better, find a local didgeridoo player in your area and see what happens next.

Labels: didgeridoo, healing, music therapy

Looking to learn a new rhythm for your Djembe? Have you tried the Fanga beat? Fanga is a Liberian welcome rhythm in which the lower beat is said to mime “the action of a cook pulling hot pieces of food from a steaming pot,” welcoming guests to join in a meal with their hosts. It is a peaceful and fun rhythm that invites dancers and other musicians to join in the song and celebrate together.

The lyrics are in Yoruba, a language from West Africa and they call to welcome visitors in peace and hospitality.

Fanga Alafayia, ashé ashé (x4)
Ashe-Ashe-Ashe-Ashe
Fanga Alafayia, ashé, ashé
CHORUS: Asé, Asé. Asé, Asé. (x4)

Ikabo A Lafiya - Ashe - Ashe (x4)
Ashe-Ashe-Ashe-Ashe
Ikabo A Lafiya - Ashe-Ashe
CHORUS: Asé, Asé. Asé, Asé. (x4)

Ellugua A Lafiya- Ashe-Ashe (x4)
Ashe-Ashe-Ashe-Ashe
Ellegua A Lafiya- Ashe- Ashe
CHORUS: Ashé, Ashé. Ashé, Ashé. (x4)

Fanga is a “call and response” song thought to help tribes announce their peaceful presence and determine if they were welcomed by other, unknown tribes in Africa.
In the following video, you will learn the two parts of the drum rhythm plus hear how the bell adds to the texture of the beat.



The Fanga should ultimately be played with two or more accompanying drums and a bell. It’s a fun and easy rhythm to learn for the experienced drummer and a great way to show others the tribal history of African drum music.

Labels: African Rhythm, Djembe, Djembe Rhythms

Today in West Africa, a study tour is taking place that immerses its students in the culture, tradition and lifestyle of the native people, by way of music and drumming.

The Kusun Study Tour kicked off on August 13, 2010 and continues through September 13, 2010, challenging its students to learn the traditions and cultural diversity of Ghana, Africa, and benefiting the community as a whole. Ghana Drum School explains, “The aim of these tours is to establish and operate a cultural centre which would employ dancers, drummers, drum makers and artisans on a permanent basis as well as educating and training local kids in cultural pursuits.” With over 300 students since 1998, this internationally-known tour is doing just that, in a fun and educational way.



The instruments used in the tour include the Djembe, Kpanlogo, Gome, and Djun Djun drums as well as other percussion instruments such as the Aslatua (originally a snuff holder!), Atatente-Ben (bamboo flute), Shekere (think “maraca”), Balafon (African xylophone) and Gongon (bells). Each of these instruments has an important history in Ghana and by using these traditional instruments to teach, the tour is bridging the gap between African heritage and the modern world. You can see a performance of a previous tour on the tour website to get a feel for how the tour comes together and integrates itself within the community.

Nii Tettey Tetteh founded The Kusun (meaning, “tradition”) Ensemble “to bring the traditions of African life to the world through music and dance.” As this tour grows, there is little doubt that the impact of the music will create change in the music world, and help the very same people who help to keep their traditional music alive.

Labels: African Rhythm, Music Education

You did it as a kid; you did it with your friends. Maybe you had the one that rattled while it whirled around, one with battery-operated, flashy lights, glitter-filled or the kind that glowed in the dark. No matter what yours looked or sounded like, you had one and you weren’t cool unless you knew how to use it.

Hula hooping is an art that dates back to ancient Greek and Egyptian civilizations, but we know it best from 1950’s America where girls in poodle skirts hula hooped outside their homes or in the parking lot of their favorite diners. As anyone who has ever hula hooped at length knows, it’s an aerobic exercise that helps trim the waist and hips, making it a popular new way for adults to fight against excess pounds and stay healthy. Today, hula hooping is seeing a comeback as a way to get fit, have fun and step back into the days of our youth. The hoops haven’t changed much since we first picked one up, but the fun, as an adult, has.

Fitness centers are picking up hula hooping classes for adults, and many are combining hooping with belly dance, pilates, yoga and drumming. Drummers using portable Djembe or Djun Djun drums can establish the rhythm for the hula hooping and change up the speed to help the hula hoopers get the most out of their workout, or take a well-deserved breath. Hula hooping to a beat can be difficult task for a beginner, but what better way to make it fun than to invite a circle of live drummers to the class and see where the rhythms they beat take the hoops.



Drop everything and pick up a hula hoop (and a friend to drum for you!), its not for kids anymore. Hula hooping has become more than a childhood activity; there are adult hula hoopers all over the world, reinventing their childhoods and bringing the hula hoop straight into the adult world.

Labels: Djembe, Fitness, X8 Djembes