Specifications
- Size: oval, 54 × 31 cm
- 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 oval kit offers the chance to build a ritual drum with a distinctive shape. The 54 × 31 cm oval frame has unusual acoustic properties and visually sets the instrument apart from traditional round drums. The complete kit contains everything for the build — only the beater stick needs to come from nature.
Sound and character
The oval form produces unique vibrations: thanks to the lengthwise and crosswise tension, the drum can sound two different fundamental pitches depending on where it is struck. This gives a rich, multi-layered tone particularly well suited to ceremonial and therapeutic settings. Cowhide provides a bodied, long-sustaining fundamental, while the oval geometry adds gentle, undulating overtones.
How to use
An ideal choice for those who want to step beyond the traditional round form and crave an instrument with its own character. Recommended for shamanic journeys, individual meditation practice and couple ceremonies where the expression of duality has meaning. The two different pitches work well as a solo accompaniment and add an exciting colour in a group context too.
Why this product
The oval format is rare among ritual drums. Feeltone has carefully developed this variant so that you receive the same premium quality as with the round models, yet with a unique voice. The building process demands particular attention, making it an even more personal experience than constructing a standard circular frame.
Care tips
- Tensioning an oval shape needs more precise work — proceed patiently.
- Try the two main striking points — the lengthwise and crosswise centres — and notice the pitch difference.
- Store flat or upright; never place a heavy object on top of the drum.
- While playing, experiment with the striking position: closer to the rim gives a higher tone, the centre a deeper one.
- Check the hide regularly and keep the drum in a dry, moderately warm place.
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).