Russel Mahon, mild mannered elementary school music teacher by day, leads a secret life as a percussion marvel by night. He stopped by my studio the other day to check out my drums, and we were both glad he did. Thanks Russel for inspiring us all and making sure music is always a part of kids lives.
Read moreHe could Play That drum just like ringin' a bell.
Simon Chrisman crosses my path from time to time bringing with him an infectious love of mt. biking that he shares with my two sons and and incredible musical and rhythmic chops on the hammered dulcimer, upright bass and more. I finally got him to sit down behind one of my drums and 15 minutes later he was still at it. Here is a little taste.
Read moreThis Cajon Snare System is a Game Changer.
The knob adjusts the tension of the snare wires to produce a wide variety of timbres, from totally clean sounds with the snare fully off, all the way up to a tight, cracking snare like a traditional kit drummer is used to. The snare dials into a specific spot on the head so it’s almost like the snare sound gets added to the mix of possible sounds by striking the head in the “hot spot”, while maintaining, the usual range of clean bass, mid-tone, and rim shots sounds.
Read moreErgonomics for Percussionists:
I want to talk about ergonomics a little bit because I think that a lot of people, and that includes most drum makers, are not giving it it’s due. Plus I want to share some of the thought that went into the design of the C7D Hybrid-Cajon, so that you will know about all the love that went into making it.
What is ergonomics?
Here’s the definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:
ERGONOMICS
1: an applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely —called also biotechnology, human engineering, human factors
2: the design characteristics of an object resulting especially from the application of the science of ergonomics
The way the human body interacts with a musical instrument is really as essential as the sound to the experience of collaborating with the instrument to make music.
Read moreWhy Wood Headed Cajon Drums Are Taking Over the Percussion World:
There are reasons why the cajon drum is a dominant force in modern percussion. For some it is that is simply something new and unique in a scene dominated by traditional percussion instruments and their wrote styles of playing. For some it is the fact that it can be used to mimic a full drum kit which is a lot of fun and works well with the trend toward unplugged sets. For major manufacturers the cajon is a plywood box, easy and cheap to bring to market. Slap some veneer on some inferior materials and suddenly it is a high value item (that is still a plywood box.)
Even though I come at it from a different angle there are compelling practical reasons why I choose to make wood headed drums, following is a list of some of my favorites.
Read moreSonus Lignorum - The Sound of Wood
The C7D hybrid-cajon is like nothing you have ever heard before, yet all the familiar elements are there such that it is easy to jump right in and make music.
The sound really is a hybrid with the low bass of a djembe, the round open tones of a conga, the energetic finger work of the box cajon and in between there are muted tones, multiple bass tones, melodic rim shots, various open tones, clicks and taps and pink and ponk and we haven't even dialed up the snare yet! For latin players it plays like a cajon, african players take it in that direction, cajon players love it because it adds the middle and bottom to the cajon. Some compare the woody purity to the tongue drum, the slit drum, or hang drum
Read moreWhat Sustainability Means at Circle 7 Drums.
It is our vision not only to produce incredible musical instrument, but also to be an example for other small business owners in order to help them commit to a sustainable future for their business and the world.
Read moreTired of Imported, Mass Produced and Lame? Me too.
Circle 7 Drums is a small, family owned and operated business. Each drum is proudly made, by hand, with local materials in Mount Shasta, California, USA, it is given a unique serial number and is then personally signed by the craftsperson who actually made it, and that means something.
Most, of the major drum manufacturers have their drums made overseas. That benefits their bottom line, but at the expense of the environment and a healthy economy back home.
Where you spend your money is one of the most relevant choices you can make in today’s world. Support people and businesses that share your values and the world will start to reflect those values.
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