Cajon
The Cajon originally comes from Latin America and simply means “box”. During the colonial period in Peru the slaves used simple wooden transport boxes as a substitute for drums. Later on the Cajon was born, with its characteristically warm and soft sound as we know it today. Quickly the instrument spread throughout Latin America, Africa and Europe.
The sophisticated interior and its special construction give it its incomparable bass and snare sound which reminds us of the sound of a drum set. Guitar strings fixed on the inside of the striking side can be regulated with screws. The variable string tension creates a stronger or softer snare sound. The player sits on the Cajon while drumming with the hands on the beating side. Simply amazing!
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Cuica
 
PECU100
large |
A Brazilian instrument used in Samba and special effects. It can produce funny sounds like animal voices or laughter.
The construction is very simple: a metal box is covered with a natural skin, in its center a little stick is fixed. The player rubs this stick with wet fingers, or even better with a wet rag.
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Ocean Drum
Bring the ocean to your own home! You even have the choice between Nordic Sea, Mediterranean and Atlantic.
You wanted more? Well, then close your eyes and move the Ocean Drum with lots of feeling, remember your last holidays at the seashore and you'll get very close to reality. Quite stormy, isn´t it?
Of course the larger drums sound the wildest but the smaller ones offer something too—they are easiest to handle and perfect for kids. Those who like colours may choose an Ocean Drum with an underwater design. As one side of the skin is transparent it is nice to watch the little balls moving like waves. Ocean breakers and waves become one. Eyes, ears and hands are equally in demand—wonderful relaxing and meditative.
It is a fascinating special-effect instrument that is popular not only for music therapy but also for musicians and in work with children. By the way, you can use the Ocean Drum as a normal frame drum, too—a striker is included.
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Spring Drum
 
PESP110 small oblique
PESP120 medium oblique
PESP130 large oblique
PESP210 small straight
PESP220 pot middle straight |
PESP001 simple |
Finally an instrument that can imitate thunder and lightning. The spring hangs down freely—if you shake it you hear the thunder roaring. The resonance box is its amplifier. While shaking the spring if you gently strike it against an object you even hear the lightning. Zeus would be jealous!
The models with straight boxes can also produce rain drops; just beat on the skin with your fingers. The other models may only be shaken.
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Water Drum
PEWT100 set |
There is probably no other plant to be used so many ways as it is the pumpkin. Its useful qualities have made it indispensable in the realm of instrument making. Very often used as a shaker or resonating body, the pumpkin as we describe it here serves as an interesting drum.
The surprisingly warm and sonorous bass sounds make the Water Drum a fascinating instrument with an amazing effect.
The larger bowl of a pair is filled with water, the smaller one is laid on the water upside down. Now you can drum on it whether it be with hands or soft strikers. If you have suitable bowls for the water (plastic basins for instance) you can use all four pumpkin bowls for drumming. The sounds of the Water Drum can even be tuned slightly if you change the water level inside the water bowl. Different sizes of bowls offer a variety of sound effects.
The disadvantage of the Water Drum: the pumpkin gets soaked when it stays in water too long. Therefore dry the bowls well after every use.
Set of 2 pairs, not including strikers or rings
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Sound Shapes
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PESS100 |
PESS200 |
Sound Shapes are groups of thin drumming disks of different shapes and colours. They make a lightweight low budget ensemble with a great variety of styles. The shackle holds the six Sound Shapes of different sizes together. The whole thing is installed on a simple cymbal stand. If played with drum sticks or felt strikers the drum set offers a sound spectrum from a Piccolo to a Bass Drum. Easy to install and to carry.
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Bell Ring
PESR100 |
Every child knows from kindergarten that the Bell Ring is a popular shaking instrument. At school, too, it is used very often. Mostly the Bell Ring serves to give the beat; one strikes it against the palm or the leg. The frame is usually made from wood or plastic, sometimes even from metal. The quality of the metal bells corresponds to the quality of the sound. When one adds a skin to the frame the Bell Ring turns into the famous Tambourine.
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Rain Stick
PERM100 |
The Rain Stick is sometimes really responsible for the rain, if you shake it long enough and also believe in it. A fascinating instrument whose origin is nature itself.
Where does it come from?
The Quisca-cactus grows near the Wtakama desert at the foot of the Andes in Chile. There you will find large forests of these cacti. In their living state they store water. When they have dried up they are used to make the body of the instrument that can invoke rain. The thorns are broken off and turned inside the cactus tube. The Rain Stick is filled with little stones that pass through the thorns inside and thus produce the sound of falling rain.
A relaxing sound, isn’t it?
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Claves
PECL100 |  PECL200
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Claves are a percussion instrument from Latin American music. Originally Claves were long ship nails used as instruments. Nowadays Claves are produced from different materials like hardwood, fibre-glass and plastic. Meanwhile they are used in many music genres.
Claves are a pair of simple sound sticks 20 or 30cm long. When struck together they produce a high penetrating tone. The holding hand should form a resonating space underneath the sound stick.
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Donkey Rattle
Donkey Rattle
PEDR100 |
Flexaton
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This classical effect instrument originates from the original Donkey Rattle, a set of donkey’s teeth, producing rattling sounds. The mechanical type consists of a shackle with a wooden knob and resonating box. It has a sophisticated interior for a rattling sound effect
Very similar is the handy Flexaton (= flex-a-tone). You can play simple rhythmic patterns with it. While flexing the sheet metal with the thumb you create glissandi. When shaken the two balls beat against the metal.
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Castanets
PEKA100 Standard
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PEKA300 Profi
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Who does not know the fiery rhythms of the South? And who has not dreamt of playing Castanets? But what looks easy to do requires a lot of practice, before the hands skilfully and powerfully give these plain instruments their rhythmical fire.
The Castanets consist of two bowl-like hollowed shells of hardwood. With a loop they are fixed at the thumb and can be flicked onto to each other with the help of the other fingers. With skill, a variety of sounds can be created.
Go on trying, do not give up!
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Mouth Harp
PEMT200 Jews Harp Jakutia
PEMT300 Classic |
PEMT100 Bamboo
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The German name “Maultrommel” translates as “mouth drum” but this is a bit exaggerated for such a gentle instrument. It is at least played with the mouth.
The Jews Harp has a long tradition and is widespread on almost all continents. Our model made from Bamboo comes from the Philippines and is related to the so-called Mouth Bow that has a string which is plucked.
How do you play this instrument? The thicker end with the slits you hold tightly between the lips. The open mouth is the resonating space. With the free hand you pluck the long end of the Bamboo stick. Try also breathing in and out while plucking; it amplifies the tone.
The models made from metal are quite similar to play, in addition you press the metal against the teeth.
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Shaman Rattle
PESR100
Simple quality, carved |
PESR200
RAS-AD Eagle Motif |
PESR300
RAS-SK Eagle Motif |
Handmade from a pumpkin filled with corn. Each piece is individually designed and decorated with feathers and various symbols like eagle, buffalo, kokopelli, turtle.
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Televi Shaker
PETR100 |
Please don´t ask where the name comes from – it has nothing to do with television. Probably it is some African word.
Now, there are two small pumpkin balls connected with a cord. One ball you hold between middle and ring finger; the other ball hangs down over the hand´s back. Then you shake the ball skillfully towards your palm so that it strikes the other ball: Clak! In that way you move it to and fro. As the balls are filled with seeds you can also shake them; the best time is between the claks. There are many interesting rhythms. If you get used to it use both hands.
If you cannot figure it out yourself ask an African musician to show you.
It is an amazing little thing!
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Ruttli-Shaker
PERS100 small
PERS200 large
PERS300 metal |
The variety of rattle and shake instruments nowadays is huge. The imagination of instrument makers seems to be flowing freely—they create ever-new forms from ever-new materials, and thus ever-new sounds.
The Ruttli-Shaker has a simple cylindrical shape; its speciality is found in the size, the weight and the filling.
There are three models with three different sound qualities. The little shaker has a coarse filling which makes a deep timbre. The medium shaker with a brass ring produces a high metallic timbre. The third and biggest one has a strong sound. All three types have three different grades: light, medium and deep. All shakers are very handy and fit in any pocket.
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Humming Tube
PESM100 DECH-L
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It is also known as a Devil Chaser, but the sound is not as big as the name. When you strike the tube onto the hand you create some gentle humming sounds. But who knows, ghosts may have sensitive ears?
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Elephant
PEEF300 large
PEEF200 medium
PEEF100 small
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A lovely trio of elefants which offer a sound when you blow on them.
Sold separately.
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Owl
PEEU100 EU-1
PEEU200 EU-2
PEEU300 EU-3
PEEU400 EU-4
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Decorative wooden figures blown in the same way as the elephants, with a natural owl sound.
Owl family in 4 sizes, sold separately.
(Not to be used for owl mails)
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Qi-Gong Balls
PEQG100
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A melodious fitness device for all hands that need relaxation!
In China where the ancient art of healing has been cultivated for many ages, Qi-Gong Balls are a widely used means of relaxing the nerves and to develop the flexibility of the fingers.
The trick is to spin two balls in one hand without letting them touch each other. In that way the litheness of hand and lower arm is improved immensely. After 10-15 minutes you change the spinning direction, then repeat the same procedure with the other hand.
At the same time the acupuncture spots of the hand are stimulated, which positively influences the whole nervous system.
Each ball creates a sound while moving; as a pair, a light and a deep tone are combined which expresses Yin and Yang. Try them! After a while you too will gain mastery over these melodious balls.
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Temple Bell
PETG100 |
The Temple Bell from Nepal is a traditional ritual instrument of Tibetan Buddhism. In fact it consists of two parts: the bell, also named Ghanta, and the Vajra or Dorjee. As a pair they embody the feminine and masculine principles and are always used together. The Tibetan Lama uses Ghanta and Dorjee as an initiation rather than a sound instrument, in very special ceremonies. Whoever comes into contact with Tibetan Buddhism will always find this instrument, especially in the art world of Mahayana and Tantrayana. The outer design of the bell and the Dorjee is closely related to ritual symbolism and expresses many inner laws and secrets.
But also without knowing the background the bell is a beautiful instrument with a pure sound. With a striker one can rub the rim as one does with singing bowls.
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Tibetan Temple Cymbals
PETZ100
Tingsha Relief |
PETZ200
Tingsha Plain |
The name already reveals that Temple Cymbals are sound objects used for rituals in the temples and monasteries of Asia. Like many other musical instruments of the Far East these handmade Cymbals from Nepal fascinate the listener with a long lasting sound, rich in overtones. They are made from a special alloy and are quite heavy, which gives them sonority. The Cymbals are connected with a leather cord. In order to play, one takes the cord with both hands a little above the Cymbals and allows the rims to strike together. Another way of playing is to move them vertically.
One model is plain, the other one is decorated with Buddhist symbols, but as each instrument has its individual sound, the ornaments rather have an aesthetic value for us Westerners. The Cymbals can be used in many ways: like singing bowls as a signal for meditations or moments of silence; but they also lend themselves beautifully to vocal or instrumental music.
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Jing Cymbal
PEJC100 |
The characteristic of Asian Cymbals is that they are handmade. This gives each instrument its individual sound with more overtones than the classical Western types. Jing Cymbals are 12cm in size, and are to be struck with both hands. The hump in the middle of the Cymbal is responsible for the overtones and a typical Wah-Wah-effect. Of course, one can use strikers too, to create other sounds.
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Shaker Ring
The family of the percussion instruments is immense, as almost every material produces a sound. Here we present a plain but interesting sound object made from brass that originates from Vietnam. The Shaker Ring is hollow and has an open inside groove. Inside the ring there are small metal balls that can be shaken. The speciality of this instrument is that it is put onto the thumb and the other fingers enclose it while shaking. By alternate opening and closing one creates interesting sound effects.
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Apitua & Grello
Apitua |
Grello |
In African music one will find some instruments that are not so attractive at first sight. In most cases they play a special role in the ensemble, for example as the rhythmical backbone for the other musicians. Therefore it is quite important for them to be loud enough to drown out other instruments but at the same time to be not too loud that they dominate all. They give the beat and offer some interesting effects as well.
Apitua and Grello belong to that special category. The Apitua resembles a little boat that is bent at the ends. It is made from black iron and played with a metal stick. The holding hand encloses the body between the beats and so creates special effects. The Grello is a set of two metal pieces put onto the fingers and struck together. Both instruments sound metallically dull but are effective in the ensemble.
The African double-bell Gonkogui, too, belongs the metrically precious percussion instruments. Most people call it Agogo, which rather describes the Brasilian type that is different from the former in form and use. However, it also originates in Africa. As the name says the Gonkogui consists of two bells welded together with a holding grip. They differ in size and height of tone. In the Djembe ensemble the double-bell is put on top of the bass drum; in that way the player can play on both instruments simultaneously. Usually it is struck with a wooden stick but in some cases also with a metal stick. The beat of the bell is called the guideline as it insures that the music gets going and the musicians find their orientation. The bells of the Brasilian Agogo can be pressed together as they are connected with a spring-like metal shackle, so it offers an additional click besides the normal beat.
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