Aklot 10" Steel Tongue Drum: Review #2

After spending a little bit of time with this drum, I decided to post a follow up review. When I posted the first video, I had just unboxed it. Please check out the unboxing and initial review video here: • Aklot 10" Steel Tongue...
NOTE: this drum was sent to me for free by the manufacturer. While it was sent for review purposes, the opinions expressed are my own.
These drums can be purchased from Amazon: amzn.to/31pB5gL
You can get more information at: www.aklot.com/

[@krispeters7733]

Got this drum a few weeks ago and this vid helped lots. Ty. PS love the drum and what I can do with it, would recommend it to all that want to try.

[@musicalmiscellany]

Glad it's working out for you. Thanks for watching the video.

[@friendofbeaver6636]

Thanks for the video. I'm considering buying one. I'm pretty happy with my Aklot U-Bass. The brand seems to deliver quality instruments for the price. I would try a cafeteria tray for lap-playing, rather than a pillow. I think you'd get more resonance.

[@musicalmiscellany]

Thanks for watching the video and I would agree they give you a lot of instrument for the money. Good luck with the tongue drum.

[@lauralbriar]

I've ordered mine today from Amazon - thank you again. Now my goal is to play as well as you! (wish me luck!)

[@musicalmiscellany]

I hope it works for you. Thanks again for stopping by.

[@melichyoshioamraw9333]

Did you order the same one? I'm curious to know if each manufacturer pays attention to tuning.. apparently they are not all a standard.....

[@lauralbriar]

@@melichyoshioamraw9333 yes, I did order the same one and the tuning is very good - I'm happy with the purchase and really enjoy playing

[@melichyoshioamraw9333]

I ordered one that should be here Sunday I got an 11 note drum

[@musicalmiscellany]

@@melichyoshioamraw9333 Congrats. I hope you like it.

[@milfslayer2195]

it seems like every musical instrument has twinkle twinkle little star as one of the first songs to learn how to play

[@musicalmiscellany]

Ha ha, its a pretty simple song and can be played on pretty much any diatonic instrument. And everybody knows it too.

[@whatevershebrings]

Yes, but only after the novice player has mastered the (parallel universe) beloved classics "Rice Shop" and " Little Donkey".

[@johnrapha1286]

Dude you shredded Twinkle, twinkle little star.

[@musicalmiscellany]

Thanks for checking it out.

[@MariaCalfaDePaul]

Great vid. I am enjoying all your vids and music. I was a little confused as i saw some of them on the vibe drum channel. But then I realized it was you! Thanks for the sticker hint. I have to take the plastic off mine. That was bugging me. Lol so glad it can be removed without removing the numbers :)

[@musicalmiscellany]

Ha ha. Thanks Maria. Vernon from VibeDrums like to 'steal' my videos and use them for promotion. I get why he does that but yeah... it confuses a lot of people. The stickers are pesky but they come off with a little patience. Thanks for checking out my vids.

[@MariaCalfaDePaul]

poorness studios I can’t believe how much better it looks and feels without the clear plastic over each tongue. I am so glad you figured that out!! Thanks so much. I will definitely give you props when i make another video with that tongue drum!! 😊

[@musicalmiscellany]

@@MariaCalfaDePaul I appreciate that and again... glad to help.

[@SlashinAces]

Dude that is such a interesting instrument cool one!

[@musicalmiscellany]

Thanks Brandon. I've got a few tongue drums now. They're a lot of fun.

[@JayEdom]

Just ordered the 15 note one

[@musicalmiscellany]

Good to hear. I hope you like it.

[@aklotmusicalinstrument9139]

Also, thank you for your follow up!

[@musicalmiscellany]

No problem! I really appreciate the new instruments you sent to review. I should have one of the reviews posted later today.

[@stevesstrings5243]

Thanks for the update. I posted the link to your original video on the Kmise Facebook page.

[@musicalmiscellany]

Thanks Steve. I really appreciate it.

[@aklotmusicalinstrument9139]

Come one Steve, AKLOT has facebook page too!

[@stevesstrings5243]

LOL!!! Did I say Kmise! I clearly misspoke! I meant to say the "Aklot" Facebook page. Thanks for keeping me in check! LOL!

[@aklotmusicalinstrument9139]

@@stevesstrings5243 ok, forgive you, haha

[@aussielass5621]

could you please do a video on tuning the tongue drum

[@musicalmiscellany]

That's a good suggestion. Thanks.

[@lisahubbard1366]

Hey! Thank you so much for this video. I have a steel tongue drum. I was wondering where I can learn to play it.

[@musicalmiscellany]

Hi Lisa. Thanks for watching the video. Check out this link for some playing tips. coolpercussion.com/learn-to-play-tongue-drum/

[@edgeofthought]

Hey there are a bunch of apps on iphone/ipad (probably android etc) that are hand and tongue-drum simulators, and one thing I noticed is the lowest note in the ring (not counting the center), which is presumably the root always, is positioned... uh, at least in this one particular app I'm thinking, it's offset to the right. There is some pattern, of holding the drum perhaps, people who are experienced might be able to inform me, but it also appears exactly same as this Aklot drum as seen at 2:51. But if the lowest note is offset to the right of the bottom, then you'd need to rotate the drum, as seen oriented at 2:51, rotate it 180 degrees so the lowest 1 tongue is where the upper octave 1 tongue is there when holding in the video. I do not understand what the reasoning for this offset is. It is probably a left-right hand thing, and a standard, but would like more info on this. Anyway thanks for the video :)

[@musicalmiscellany]

I can't speak to the manufacturer's design, but I can tell you some people prefer to lead with their dominant hand and often the root note leads. This is why you may see it on the right. Others like to play drone style with their non-dominant hand and typically the root note is the drone note. In that case, you'll probably want the root tongue on the left. To tell ya the truth... I find myself rotating the drum depending on the rhythm I'm playing and I rarely have it oriented in the "normal" position. Sometimes I'll play something and then turn the drum 1/4 turn and play it again to see if it feels more natural. I don't there's really a right or wrong way to do it but I've noticed most players to position the drum so it feels natural when striking the most common tongues in a particular melody. I hope that helps.

[@aussielass5621]

Love your videos. I received my tongue drum today, lovely set isn't it. Wasn't expecting a bag with it. The numbers weren't on mine but book had easy instructions where to put them. One thing I noticed with your drum, is that the numbers are at opposite ends to mine. The scales work well on mine, but yours sounds different. Shame we can't add photos of what I am describing. Does your book have pictures where the numbers go? The video on electrifying the drum was interesting.

[@musicalmiscellany]

Thank you for watching the videos and subscribing. I really appreciate it. I know Aklot makes design changes from time to time based on customer feedback (or other reasons). The included book that came with mine does have a diagram for the stickers... but it shows an 8-toned drum and this one is 11-toned. So that doesn't help. I'm pretty sure mine is correct because I used a chromatic tuner to test it and it appears to be tuned to a C major scale (albeit a bit sharp). That said, if they changed the manufacturing template, yours could be different. I've heard similar things on other instruments where they'll make a couple thousand units, then change the template.

[@aussielass5621]

Mine is a 12" 11 tongue in (d major what ever that means) I have tried tuning with an app but can't tune no 1 to C. Can only get D. In book no 1 is supposed to be C. I adjusted the tongues last night. Still have to test them.

[@aussielass5621]

I am using the Soundcorset tuner & metronome app

[@musicalmiscellany]

@@aussielass5621 If the drum is tuned in D major, the scale degrees should be like this... 1=D, 2=E, 3=F#, 4=G, 5=A, 6=B, 7=C#. If tongue #1 is a D, that's normal. It sounds like the book doesn't match the drum.

[@aussielass5621]

@@musicalmiscellany thankyou for the scale info. Will have to try & tweak 3 & 6

[@ronaldalagia9211]

what happens if you remove the plug on the bottom and play the drum

[@musicalmiscellany]

Thanks for watching. There is very little sound difference if the rubber stopper is in our out. It may make a different if you were miking the drum from underneath however.

[@melichyoshioamraw9333]

I have a question if you don't mind I have the same tongue drum and it took a hit I'm not sure exactly what to do to get it back to ring like a bell only a couple of the tongues seem to have taken a hit I can tune a guitar but I'm not exactly sure what to do with the metal tongues it came out of the box fine.( 11 note)

[@musicalmiscellany]

When you say "it took a hit" I'm assuming you mean the drum is dented. If that's the case, you may be able to reach inside and push out the dent, but as you state, it is possible that it will never ring the same way again. That is a disadvantage of these lighter weight drums... they dent easier. If I was you, I'd contact Aklot Customer Support.

[@melichyoshioamraw9333]

@@musicalmiscellany getting off the bus I wear a backpack and I had the drum carry pouch and it swung wide and hit the handrail it's only two notes that went flat this particular model didn't come with the magnets inside of it they must have not put them in the box however it clearly warned me it's not a travel instrument

[@musicalmiscellany]

@@melichyoshioamraw9333 Aklot doesn't use magnets to tune, its simply the way the tongue is cut that tunes it. Therefore you can probably see how a bend could cause tongues to go out of tune. If I were you I'd contact Aklot Customer Support and ask them what to do. www.aklot.com/bottom.php?act=contactus

[@BestieAva]

Hey um is that tongue drum 10 inches?

[@musicalmiscellany]

It is a 10" diameter. Thanks for asking.

[@sallycunningham9608]

like one but if I have to tune it I wouldn't be able too so sad

[@musicalmiscellany]

To be clear, it is in tune with itself, but there may be slight variations from drum to drum.

[@Iceland874]

Its kind of tinny. Are some more boomy?

[@musicalmiscellany]

As you get into the larger sizes (12" or 14"), these drums produce more bass frequencies. The smaller sizes (10" and less) are more portable though. If you're looking for a deep resonant tone, you're probably better off to spend a bit more and get something like the Idiopan or VIbedrum. Good luck.

[@Iceland874]

@@musicalmiscellany Thank you.

[@jsamc]

is the Drume worth it ?

[@musicalmiscellany]

I don't have any experience with the Drume so I can't really comment on it. Thanks for checking out the video though.

[@jsamc]

@@musicalmiscellany THX

[@AtrusDesign]

Terrible sounds, no one seems to notice that…

[@musicalmiscellany]

Everyone has their own opinions. I guess this one didn't speak to you. Thanks for checking out the video all the same.