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We use the name Heartbeat Drums to represent something very important to us. Drumming is a such a wonderful way to connect with your own heart and also a very powerful way to share that with others. We make drums because we love to connect with people. We love to share that creative part of our own hearts by drumming and by creating one of a kind drums, one of a kind works of art, that make others as happy to own as they made us to make.
Thank you for your interest in our drums. We make each drum personally, and each drum is one of a kind. Every drum looks different and, as we like to say, each drum has its own voice. The s
hells are all ceramic, and the heads are all natural skins. We use a special stretching technique when we head our drums, giving them the best, most resilient heads possible. When cared for properly, they will, quite literally, last a lifetime. David's own oldest drum is now ten years old, and still sounds exactly the same as when it was first made.
What type of drumheads do you use?
What kind of care do your drums require?
We have found over years of playing, that ceramic drums have a sound unmatched by anything else. The ceramic doesn’t absorb vibrations like a wooden drumshell, so you are able to get a bright, crisp high end and a long, deep, rich sustain on the bass. Also, the sound isn’t brittle and thin, like that of a metal shelled drum. We have found, in addition, that for studio and stage musicians, ceramic drums are ideal for running through a sound system and recording. Because of the depth of the bass and the purity of the high end, we have found that they are perfect for either application. When we record them, we like to use a vocal mike at the end of the bell to record the bass, and a general area mike placed near the drumhead for the high end.
What type of drumheads do you use?
We use
three types of skins: goatskins, calfskins and fishskins. Goatskins
tend to have a slightly mellower high end and a rich deep bass. They are very
well suited to blending or playing lower bass parts. The calfskins tend to have
a slightly higher, crisper high end, while the bass is a little more restricted
and focused. These drums tend to be well suited for playing for belly dancers,
or playing over the top of a group when you want a bright clean sound. The fishskins that we use
are Egyptian sturgeon skins. Fishskin is widely considered
to be the highest quality drumhead you can put on a drum of this style. The
properties of the fishskin allow for a rich deep bass, as well as a bright,
crisp high end, giving you a range of sounds that you can’t get in any other
type of drumhead. The colored drumheads are actually tie-dyed. We
dye the skins in a way which will allow the most vibrant colors possible and
will never fade.
What kind of care do your drums require?
Our drums are like any other piece of pottery. If you drop it, it will break or chip. However, the ceramic is remarkably durable. We guarantee that you won’t break it by playing it. There are a few things to remember, however. These are hand drums. Please keep that in mind and remember to never play them with drum sticks. Always remove rings before you play. They can put holes in the drumhead or they can chip the rim. We also have seen more than one ring quite crunched up. Also, be careful of bracelets.
The drumheads are, as previously mentioned, all natural skins. They are glued on, so the pitch is basically fixed. Keep them dry. Humidity may cause the pitch to drop slightly, although that’s easy to fix. The easiest way we have found is to set the drum head down on a dry carpet and spin in for a minute or so. You can also use a hair dryer or even hold it near a campfire. Careful if you use one of these techniques. Hold you hand between the drum and the heat source. If its to hot for your hand, its too hot for the drum. For the same reason, you don’t want to leave them anywhere they will be exposed to extreme temperature.
We are happy to do special orders. David does many drums that are hand sculpted. He does anything from faces and figures to dragons. We can do a wide range of colors and we will be happy to find a drumhead that will suit your taste, whether it be a sound you want or a look you like. We truly love finding or making drums to suit your needs, desires or requirements. If there is something that you want, please, fill out and submit our Special Order Inquiry Form, and if possible, we will be more than happy to accommodate you.
Where is your drum shop located?
Heartbeat Drums has a shop at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, which is open seasonally, the second weekend in July through Labor Day. Bristol Renaissance Faire is located on the Wisconsin-Illinois border, just north of Chicago. View our Events page to see other upcoming shows, workshops, and events we are scheduled to attend.
Don't forget to check out our drum galleries! Just click on any of the links below. Check back often for updates!
For orders completed online, we now accept major credit cards through PayPal. For transactions completed in person at any of our events, we accept cash and personal checks.
If you prefer to purchase a drum with a credit card, you
can pre-pay online through PayPal and arrange to pick up your drum at our shop at the Bristol
Renaissance Faire or at another one of our events. View our
Events
page for a list of our upcoming activities. We can also ship your drum
for an additional cost.
Drum Galleries
Current Inventory
Special Orders
Our Drum Shop
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by
Heartbeat Drums.
