How Drumstick Beaters Affect the Sound of Native American Drums

How Drumstick Beaters Affect the Sound of Native American Drums

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  • June 18,2021
  • Tachini Drums

Depending on the kind of Native American drum you have, you may either play with a beater (also known as a drumstick) or the palm of your hand. Beaters are normally used with larger drums, such as powwow drums or shaman drums. They make playing more comfortable, make it easier to reach across the full length of the drum, and can even change the sounds your drum produces. Wondering how drumstick beaters affect the sound of Native American drums? Here’s how.

What Are Beaters?

Beaters are twiggy instruments you use to strike the drumhead and produce sound. Most Native American beaters are made from wood and have a tip that’s wrapped in buckskin or another pliable type of animal skin. This skin makes them softer and thicker than drumsticks that are made from pure wood.

Hands vs. Beater

Most people who play hand drums use their hands to strike the drumhead. Depending on the part of your hand you use and how hard you hit it, the drum produces different sounds.

Your hands are a suitable tool for drumming, but beaters are even better. Why? You only have two hands, but you can have countless beaters. And depending on the size, weight, and material of the beater, it can produce unique sounds. The more beaters you have, the more you can experiment with tone and pitch.

How Beaters Affect the Sound of Your Drums

So, how do drumstick beaters affect the sound of Native American drums? There are multiple factors that influence the kind of sounds a beater will draw out from your Native American drum. These factors include size, weight, and material.

Material

The harder the material, the sharper and more vibrant the sound. Softer materials, on the other hand, create gentler and more earthy tones.

Size

The bigger the beater, the more powerful the sound. The smaller the beater, the meeker the sound. This is because larger beaters cover more surface area and smaller ones have less of an impact.

Weight

Heavier beaters slow down your strike. This makes the sound louder and more powerful but compromises your ability to play quickly. Lightweight beaters are easy to use speedily, but the sound they produce is less powerful. It’s almost like a constant pitter-pattering of raindrops.

Luckily, the heftiness of your beater is easy to change. You can add or remove weights to make them lighter or heavier.

Looking for authentic and masterfully crafted Native American drum beaters for sale? Tachini Drums has all the accessories and supplies you need for your Native American drum, from oak and buckskin beaters to powwow stands. Let us connect you with the heartbeat of Mother Earth today!

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