Specifications
- Size: 40 cm diameter (round frame)
- Material: oakwood frame (saw-rough, untreated), cowhide drumhead, cowhide lacing, leather strip for the handle
- Included: beater with leather head and wool filling, detailed building instructions
- Origin: Germany, Feeltone workshop
The kit contains everything you need to build your own ritual frame drum. The frame arrives raw and untreated, so you can sand, finish and personalise it freely. Following tradition, the stick for the beater handle should be found by you in the forest — this search is itself part of the ceremony.
Sound and character
The 40 cm diameter belongs to the medium-sized ritual drum category. The voice is deep, full and long-sustaining, yet remains easy to control. Cowhide produces a stable, definite fundamental that carries well and stays clearly audible even in larger spaces. As the skin matures with use, the tone becomes ever more bodied. Even a simple tap on the frame creates a meditative, characterful pulse.
How to use
An ideal choice for full-moon drum circles, shamanic journeys, community ceremonies and personal meditation practice. The 40 cm size can be held comfortably standing, walking or seated, making it suitable for outdoor use and rituals carried into nature. Its volume is enough for you to lead the rhythm of an 8–15 person group.
Why this product
A self-built drum creates a completely different bond with the instrument than a finished piece would. The building process itself is meditative and ceremonial. The Feeltone kit contains carefully selected, premium-quality materials, so the result is not an amateur attempt but a true ritual instrument that will serve you for a lifetime.
Care tips
- Read the instructions through before starting and prepare your workspace.
- Soak the hide in lukewarm water before lacing, as the manual describes.
- Store the finished drum in a dry, moderately warm place, away from direct sunlight and radiators.
- Before playing, gently warm the head with your hand or by rubbing your palm across it for cleaner tone.
- Choose a stick for the beater handle that has fallen naturally — a small gesture of respect for nature.
About Feeltone
Feeltone is a craft instrument workshop in Lassan, northern Germany, founded by Ingo Böhme. For over two decades they have built monochords, sound beds, sound chairs and ceremonial drums for therapists, sound artists and meditation practitioners. Every instrument is hand-built from certified sustainably sourced woods and finished with natural treatments (hard wax oil).