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Instrument Details

The Singing Steel Drum

A History of singing steel

How The SSD Came To Be

The idea for this instrument was born when an American failed to replicate a handpan and decided to create something simpler. The first hand drum was crafted using a 20-lb liquid propane gas cylinder. Mimicking the design of the ancient Aztecs and Africans, slits were cut into the bell ends of the cylinder, creating a series of notes within the resonating vessel. Since then, the drum has gone by many names, including tank drum, tongue drum, cloud drum, nest drum, hapi drum, and the Singing Steel Drum.

The Art of Tuning Metal

Creating Unique Sounds

SSDs are made by cutting tongues into the shell, and the thickness of the metal plays a significant role in the sound and resonance of the drum. The thinner the metal, the lower the pitch, and the thicker metals create a higher pitch with a more satisfying resonance. What’s exciting about these drums is that they can be tuned to virtually any scale imaginable, including a pentatonic, diatonic, or chromatic scale.

Yellow Singing Steel Drum on Rock Bench with Leaves

Line of Singing Steel Drums in Different Colors

Artisan Instruments Singing Steel Drum TS Double Sided 20 Notes

Man holding 20 Note Doubled Sided Singing Steel Drum

Music For Everybody

Learning to use a singing steel drum is easy for anyone, and it can be played with mallets or percussively with fingers, thumbs, and hands. It offers an outlet for melody, movement, and vibration, making it attractive to both musicians and
non-musicians. They are popular in mindful music and relaxing deep focus songs, and so can also be apart of one’s meditative or relaxation practices.

The time it takes to make a drum has dropped dramatically, while the quality has improved. Each day, we focus on constant and never-ending improvement to bring more beauty and quality to the world of music.

Learn The Basics

Kashakas

Boom Kashakas with black rope

Shaking Things Up

Hand Percussion Instrument

Our family of Kashakas are a popular hand percussion instrument made up of two round shakers connected with a sturdy piece of paracord. They are played by swinging one ball around the hand to produce a clacking sound when the balls collide and a shaker sound when shaken. The original version was made from gourds from the Oncoba Spinosa tree in Africa and has many names across the world It is a beautiful instrument that can be used for skill development, stress relief, and relaxation.

Durable, Natural, Beautiful

Bring The Rhythm

Artisan Instruments offers a durable version of the Kashaka instrument made from hardwood balls that are filled with two sizes of steel and copper pellets and connected with your choice of color of paracord. We also offer a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee and provide a cotton drawstring bag with each set! The instrument may be a little challenging to play at first but, with a little patience, you can begin to produce beautiful polyrhythms while playing.

Man playing boom kashakas on farm sitting on grass

What It’s All About

The Kashakas can also improve dexterity, cross brain synchronization, and upper body strength and flexibility. We offer three different sizes of balls:

Laka Kashaka – 1.75 inches / 4.45 cm
Boom Kashaka – 2 inches / 5.08 cm
Papa Kashaka – 2.25 inches / 5.72 cm

The Boom Kashakas are an ideal gift for musicians, teenagers, or anyone looking to improve their eye-hand coordination!

Start Kashaka’ing

Learn The Basics

The Fun Stuff

Singing Steel Tongue Drum & Koonlao Drum (ft. Kristian & Jacob)

Boom Kashakas In Action (ft. Papa Juan & K.P. Down)

Artisan Instruments Presents…Do You Feel It In The Mountain?

Artisan Instruments Red Singing Steel Drum on Stool More Drums on Wood Floor

Custom Creations…

A Symphony of Steel Crafted Just For You

Imagine the beat of your own rhythm echoing through the air, a symphony of steel crafted uniquely for you! At Artisan Instruments, we don’t just make custom steel drums; we orchestrate your wildest percussion dreams into reality. Whether you’re a passionate drummer looking for that perfect groove or a musical maestro seeking an instrument as unique as your sound, our skilled artisans will handcraft a steel drum tailored to your desires.