A frame or hand drum is simply a wooden frame with a drum skin stretched over the top and are probably what came before the well known drums that form part of a drum kit. Frame drums can be played with the hands or with beaters, can be found in various forms all over the world, and are played with a range of different techniques.
Where Does the Hand Drum Come From?
The frame drum is considered one of the oldest instruments in the world, and since it can be found in the traditional music of almost every culture, it's very difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of this
percussion instrument
. The only thing we can be sure of is that the frame drum evolved as part of the ceremonies of many different religions and belief systems.
From Children's Drums to Shamanic Drums
The diameter of a hand drum can range from around 6 inches to around 30 inches, and some classic examples of frame drums include the traditional Irish and Scottish bodhrán, the Iranian daf, the North African and Middle Eastern tar, and the Syrian mizhar. Frame drums have been part of rituals and festivals for centuries, and even shamanic drums are still used today during sound and music therapy sessions. As well as a drum skin, some frame drums are fitted with jingles so they also have a tambourine-style sound to them, which is exactly where the European instrument, the tambourine probably come from. Smaller hand drums and tambourines are popular children's instruments, especially at play school and primary school level, since they're easy to play and help teach the basics of rhythm.
Playing the Frame Drum
Some frame drums are played with the hands while other frame drums, like the bodhrán, are played with a specific beater, which is also known as a tipper because it has a beater head at both ends, so it can literally be 'tipped' from side to side to strike the drum skin. Every hand drum will come with its own playing technique, so with some drums, only the centre of the skin is struck, while with others, only the edge of the skin is struck.
What Are Hand Drums Made of?
The base of a hand drum is formed by a really shallow ring with a drum skin stretched over the top. The common frame materials are wood or plastic and a lot of models will have a natural drum skin made out of goat or buffalo hide. These days, you'll also find plenty of models with synthetic drum skins, which are less sensitive to the stretching and shrinking caused by shifts in temperature and humidity. The only problem with these kinds of drum skins is that they tend to be harder to tune. For example, you can raise the pitch of a frame drum with a natural drum skin by simply leaving it out in the sun, or you can easily lower the pitch by wetting it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hand Drums
Are there other names for the frame drum?
As well as being called a frame or hand drum, these percussion instruments will have a different name depending on the kind of drum you're looking at and where it came from. For example, if you're in Turkey, you'll find the bendir, and if you're in Ireland, then you'll find the bodhrán.
