There have been a few small discussions on the topic of percussion and the Native American flute in a few of the threads here, so I wanted to perhaps see what the general thoughts were on this board. This thread is borderline on where it should fit, so depending on responses we might move it more toward the recording threads.


I have recently found the joy of using percussion instruments as a metronome for my flute playing and to enhance my flute practice and those of my flute circle. This ranges from my wooden percussion frog to my handheld buffalo drum, to my thunderous cedar and elk powwow drum that I made with my own hands. I also have developed a taste for clay percussion (e.g., udu, etc.). I have also begun to use natural percussion as found in nature: The babbling brook is a great one to play flute by... the wind through the trees... the cawing crows in the high forest. I have taken it upon myself to record these things (be it the drums in my living room or just by setting a mic and digital recorder in the forest for a half hour) for the times I do not have another around to accompany me. Even city sounds could be recorded, run through some reverb and textured into a form of percussion for which to play NA flute to.

As such, I have been slowly collecting these instruments and natural recordings to serve as both natural metranome and as a source of inspiration. I find my playing ability steadily increases if I allow myself to be taken away by a beat of my own creation, or by the sounds of nature, even if a mere recording. I have also found that my practice has become even more pleasurable now that I have these things at my disposal as it has opened the door for me to start thinking about composition and rhythm. The same holds true for those attending my flute circle as it also tends to take away from the self conciousness that many new players might feel.

Going back to clay drums, Scott August really got me interested in the Udu, which can be found sprinkled here and there on his albums. In fact, FedEx just delivered my new LP Claytone #4 to the office today . It has a mic hole for inserting a small flute mic to enhance the sounds and vibrational tonalities that might be hard to hear. When I mic'd my udu up and gave it some delay it was one of the most beautiful sounds I have made from an instrument in a long time. I am now starting to collect different sizes and styles since the udu tends to blend nicely with my flute practice and at flute circles when looped.

On a side note, one thing I would like to get is a hand held wind making instrument. I dont know what they are called, but have seen several NA Flute players use them to mimic wind during live performances. Can anyone point in the the right direction on what they are called and/or where I might find them for purchase?

What percussion instruments, if any, are you using in your practices and/or flute circles? If nothing, please let me know what you perhaps have seen/ heard. I am collecting ideas for future implimentation into my practices. No idea is a bad one, as some of my best finds and ideas have come from small seeds brought up in casual conversations like this.

I appreciate in advance your help and ideas.

I've always been a huge fan of the udu as well, and I must confess that last week I too purchased an udu! Mine is also an LP, but it is the Udu Utar. Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQxwGSTgMNU...feature=related

I haven't used any percussion - yet. I LOVE the idea of using nature sounds. I would have never thought to classify them as percussion!

What about getting one (or several) of those CDs at Target or Wal-Mart of ocean sounds or other nature sounds?

Or what about getting one of those radio like things that plays nature sounds that you can play to go to sleep by?

Our music teacher at school has a rain stick. It is the coolest thing! A shop near me sells them and I am going to get one - it is made from a cactus skeleton. That would be a really cool sound to play along with!

I've never tried to order from either of these but here are a couple of links with some info:
http://www.didgeridoostore.com/rainsticks.htm

This one has sound bytes:
http://www.lizardkingarts.com/rainsticks.htm

That udu is pretty neat. You could make all kinds of cool sounds with it!

Hmm... do I want to spend flute money on an udu ?

Of course, with that $600 coming - I see the possibility of TWO purchases!

Rainsticks are cool! Good find!

I forgot about these... I think I need to add this to my "Iwannaget" list now. Thank you for the suggestion! I also think the nature sounds CD's you find as such places as Wally World are a GREAT tool as well! I never thought about that... good find!

Yes, most people do not think of natural sounds as percussion. I know I used to not until later in life. I like to think of the old adage "he/she danced to the beat of their own drum". When you think of this, consider what that really means. It means they find their own rhythms in the world, in life, in its processes, etc. It really didn't sink in until I started playing the NA flute what this truly implied.

Again, getting on my flute pulpit for another sermon: Being that the Native American Flute, for me and many others, is a living metaphor for life, I would allege that how we relate to the flute and her song is parallel to how her song relates to us and the rhythms we offer - both in Spirit and in reality, both in metaphor and in action. So again, for me at least, it is a very short bridge to call even the birds on the tree behind our home chirpin' away at 5 am a concerto percussion and, more succinctly, rhythm of a much Higher sort. It's a short bridge for me to build to call the wind whispering in the trees percussion, as the swaying of the branches that creak back and forth provide a lovely percussive rhythm to play to. I think it behooves us to take notice of this for it can only cause us to ascend in our playing and in our awareness.

When you go back and read/ listen to some of the old tales of how the flute was gifted to mankind, we can see allegorical symmetry with this way of thinking and in using it for a living metaphor for breaching the doorway between thought and action, and into the realm of our creative spirit manifesting in musical representations of the soul synchronicity we call "playing from the heart".

When I started doing this, I found it interesting how much of it bled into other aspects of my life.

This is why when you hand someone a flute, you are handing them a weapon for change, with most of it being an internal battle to rid ourselves of stagnant thought and process if successful.

Ok, off my soapbox for now.

Now, as Nakai instructed, go play your damn flute!

Hehe... Udu's are pretty reasonable too. I found the cheapest through artdrum.com. Greg is a nice chap. Tell him Cryss BlackWolf sent ya . I paid about 20 dollars less than the others for my udu (and their price included shipping and tax!). They FedEx it too, so you dont have to worry about UPS giving the package the Jim Carry treatment you saw in Pet Detective. Trust me, that parody was based on truth. We have had UPS destroy more computers and wide screen TV's going to and from our tradeshows that I want to admit.

I almost got that one. I LOVE the sound it makes. I opted for the lower sound of the Clayton #4 as it has that low "Bwoooh" sound like an indian tabla. I am thinking though that I might need another one in the fall . Lets talk udu some more at the flute festival in a few weeks

I have been a drummer for 30 years now, and have been fortunate to play all kinds of world percussion. However most people don't think of things like rain, or city traffic as percussion...but it is...and they are all great things to play a melody to.
As a live performer and studio musician, I purchased a ROLAND electronic drum kit about 3 years ago and it has 2,500 sounds in the modual...great for any occasion...birds, rain, cars, damn near every "world percussion" sound in the world with complete control over every file. (key, tempo, reverbs, gates...ect.)

These things are a tad expensive (start out about $1500) BUT, price out 2,500 world instruments and see what price ya come up with...

Also, there are TONs of low cost keyboards (ROLAND) on the market, that have wonderful sounds that can be "looped" to play along with...wind, rain, native drum, tons of ambient sounds...

I don't want to sound like a ROLAND drum and keyboard commercial, but they are worth every cent !....
Just remember...the more ya spend, the better quality sounds ya get

This is how I spend hours per day... playing music...

Michael

While I have items from rainsticks (SA and Bali), to turtle rattles, seed rattles, bird whistles, hand drums, a Remo Klong Yao (tall drum), and some other stuff, I have invested more in world flutes, than in other instruments. Of course, I already had a classical Spanish guitar (made in Madrid), and I am interested in a good keyboard, but........my primary goal is to complete my key selection of flutes, before I retire, so I must keep the other acquisitions under control.

Naturally, I have minimal musical talent with any instrument, so I play nothing well.

I just have 3 yrs. to acquire contrabass G and E, and at least one more low C, in addition to 6 hole high F# and high G, and at least 1 diatonic in low D (I found that the maker I thought made a blackwood Irish pennywhistle, only makes them in high D and not low D), in addition to whatever other diatonics, drones, and / or unusual tunings I might want. While that may not sound like too many, those tend to be more expensive flutes, so that is still a significant goal.

While that also means only 1 flute in some keys, that will be ok if I stay with really good makers, on my remaining flute acquisitions. Of course, in those key ranges, the number of good makers, dwindles significantly. (Many makers only make mid-range flutes, and I am pretty much done with those, unless I sell one to buy one.)

At our recent flute event in Dallas, we had a program on using keyboards as accompaniment, and as a song writing tool. At our last event about a year and a half ago, we had programs on drums and percussion, and playing with guitar. These broadening educational programs have proven quite popular with our fluties.

So, our circle is becoming more ensemble oriented, and in fact, we started playing in ensembles last fall, at flute circle, and that has been quite popular, in spite of the fact only a few of us are very good at it, as yet.

I like the sound of the Udu, and may eventually acquire one. I also would like to get another Remo drum......a djembe, and perhaps also a doumbek, although wooden ones are difficult to get in the US, so I might have to settle for a metal bodied doumbek, which I consider a compromise. I also like the chime bars, as a percussion item, that sorta sound like crystals.

The neatest drum I have seen (other than native ones), is the companion to the tabla, which I forget the name of. It is a kind of keg drum, that sits on its side, and you play the ends, with both hands. Interestingly, it has a different sound at each end, and playing it, creates some really neat sound. East Indian, of course.

For most of that, I have to seek out what I can get a good buy on, so it is not on any time table to accomplish. I will do as the opportunities present themselves, and the storage space accommodates.

I love the UDU and have 4 of them.... all LP...

LP Udu® Drum Claytone #4
LP Udu® Drum Claytone #2
LP Udu® Drum Udongo II
LP Udu® Drum Hadgini

The Utar is on my wish list (along with a Remo Klong Yao, and any real Hang drum....)
(picking up a D ake bono propane tank drum in a few weeks, have a Cm one already...)

The sounds are amazing. They are a pain to travel with, and I have destroyed and replace the #2 already.
I have played some plastic (fiberglass?) ones which are good, I just haven't acquired one yet.
Also, the ones with drum head (doumbek like) are also interesting.

Attached track 20 from "A Walk Through The Woods" Click to view attachment" (I used the #4 on this...)
(Jeff would have to say what the mic was, but it was suspended on normal mic stand about 2 feet above the udu.)

- Richard

I recently have started looking for percussion type instruments to add backgrounds, for both my personal enjoyment, and for our flute circle.
One instrument that really catches me, (always has) is the tongue drum. There are some great makers out there, but hey I have a shop, the tools required and the final ingredient, DESIRE. So in pieces is the beginnings of one taking shape. I think they could lend themselves well to the underlaying percussion track to a NAF.

Here's one in Fm pentatonic.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOxpw4jfrok...feature=related

Anthony

The mic.. EV N-dyn 408 which has since been replace by EV by the 468. http://www.electrovoice.com/products/83.html

A terrific microphone with a very smooth frequency response. Great bass response without becoming "boomy".

For now, my percussion efforts aren't much better than my flute playing, or perhaps even worse than my flute playing, but our circle is doing ensemble style playing, with members joining in on various other instruments, so for me, it is about trying my best.

I use a really nice hand drum, a small djembe, rainstick, rattles and shakers, and I am trying to find time to re-string and play my guitar enough to toughen up the fingertips again. (Not sure what that will do to my flute playing.) I am also interested in, but can't afford, a good keyboard. I also have a Remo Klong Yao drum, but that is kind of overkill with flutes.....at least inside.

I still have not gotten my rhythm to the point where I am very good with this effort, but like anything musical, you have to work at it, over time.

While I like the Udu, I wonder if it isn't better in the hands of a true percussionist, than in mine.

I think the ideal situation, in a flute circle, is to have several people who prefer percussion and other instruments, as part of the group, and who do that well, and to have the flute folk do their thing, with the others. Rarely, though, does it work that way.

You're making tongue drums now Anthony??

I'm gonna end up spending a fortune with you.......

One of the items on my long list of things I would like to have, is a tongue drum, also. The ones I have liked, that I have seen, have been rather pricey, though, keeping a barrier from acquisition.

Actually, I think the Mridangam is from the south of India, whereas tablas are from the north. No relation to each other.

Personally I prefer tablas, though they are hell to play. It took me a month or two before I got a good tone, and I still can't play at a quarter of Zakir Hussain's speed.

Btw, the (east) Indians also have an Udu like drum. They call it a Ghatam.

Victor.

I have looked at getting a tongue drum, too.

I was in a teacher store a year or two ago and saw one of those gourds (kind of hour glass shaped) with the beads on the outside. It was really nice. I should have bought that thing but didn't. I have regretted that.

Poncho,
Not to worry!
I have a few flutes that require my focus right now, so the tongue drum sits and waits. I plan on finishing it as time allows. it just seems like an instrument that would fi. I will let you know how/when it turns out.



Anthony

I really enjoy percussion with the flute. Recently I've become a little "Arts and Crafty" and I've made some shakers and a rain stick out of household items, filled them with beans, and covered it with fabric, leather straps, beads, and feathers. It was fun to do and it was really healthy for my budget. They sound a little like the medium rain sticks on lizardkingarts.com.

I ordered an LP udu utar today. It's time to start developing my rhythm and maybe recording some backing tracks.

Received my new udu utar drum today ... having a blast with it, though I need to work on maintaining a rhythm. Also having trouble recording it so the "whoomp" sound comes through on the file. It sounds great on headphones, but not so great through laptop speakers. Guess I need some lessons on how to record and also layer in flutes, rattles, etc. I envy you guys who seem to do this so effortlessly.

I feel I am totally clueless when it comes to audio anything.

*I don't think laptop speakers can handle the BASS frequency of the WHOOMP very well. They can handle the ticky/tacky higher sounds hitting the body and the neck. (I have this really, really, really, soporific video on how to play the UDU that calls those body sounds TEK, it's so bad I have never made it though it entirely)

Have you noticed how much you can get different pitches from it by covering just part of the hole, or strking the hole while covering the other hole partially or entirely?
On the water jug like ones I can get a 3 - 4 pitched bass line.

Yeah, my son said it sounded like I was walking the bass. Really cool . I never imagined how many different sounds I could get from it.

I think the sounds you can get out of them are finitely infinite. Each part of the drum and how hard/soft how many fingers, palm, side of the hand, bottom of the hand all make a slightly different sound. UDUs are a lot of fun to play. I have 4 of them (all from LP.) There are some other interesting UDUs out there as well which have a doembek like drum head on them (I have to get one of those some day.)