The Feeltone bass slit drum in padauk is a deeply resonant, 8-tone instrument tuned in A minor pentatonic. The tone sequence A – C – D – F – G – A – C – D makes it almost impossible to play a wrong note – you can simply let the music flow. The 120 cm long body, built from padauk and pine, delivers full, deep bass frequencies that you feel in your whole body, not just hear with your ears.
Specifications
- Size: 120 × 40 × 45 cm
- Material: padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii), pine
- Tuning: A minor pentatonic, 8 tones (A – C – D – F – G – A – C – D)
- Weight: 29 kg
- Accessories: 2 mallets, hygrometer
- Finish: natural hard-wax oil
- Origin: Germany, handmade
Sound and character
Padauk has a wonderfully warm, full and slowly fading character. The pentatonic tuning means that every combination of notes sounds harmonious, so you can improvise freely without theory. Because the drum reaches into the bass register, the vibration is not only heard but also clearly felt by the body – this is the heart of the feeltone idea: feel the tone.
How to use
You can play the drum in two ways. Top playing surface: two players sit at each end and answer each other through the tongues – a beautiful exercise in non-verbal communication. Side playing surface: tip the drum on its side, place a soft blanket on top and let a child or adult lie down. A second player then strikes the tongues gently while the body underneath absorbs the vibration.
Why this product
Kindergartens and centres for people with disabilities use this drum for mindfulness work and body awareness. It works equally well for personal practice, group sessions and professional sound work.
Care tips
- Keep the drum in a room with stable, moderate humidity – the included hygrometer helps you check.
- Hold the mallets loosely and let the tone unfold by itself.
- Never sit on the sound tongues – they can deform.
- Dust occasionally with a soft cloth and refresh the surface once a year with hard-wax oil.
About Feeltone
Feeltone is a small craft workshop in Lassan, northern Germany, founded by Ingo Böhme. For over two decades the team has been building monochords, sound beds, sound chairs and ceremonial drums for sound bath practitioners, sound artists and meditation practitioners. Every instrument is hand-built from sustainably sourced woods and finished with natural hard-wax oil.