Making a Tongue Drum

For quite some time, I've wanted to make a tongue drum and on this week's show, I finally stop talking about it and start doing it. I hope you enjoy the project and the show.
If you are interested in the pickups that I use in this project, you can find them here.
www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B081...
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As always, I want to thank you so much for stopping by the channel and taking the time to tune in to the show. It is very much appreciated.

[@normjacques6853]

Great project, Kenny! As a 54-years-and-counting woodworking musician (Still performing!) I can tell you that: 1. There is all sorts of info online regarding how long 'tongues' should be to get certain notes, and 2. Thinner stock (like 1/8" - 1/4") will resonate much better, especially for lower notes. Depends on wood species, too. I love your design! Simple but elegant. Thanks for the inspiration. :-)

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Thanks for the added information Norm. I play many different instruments but I wouldn't consider myself a musician for any of them. I just enjoy playing. I hope that if others are going to try this project, they will do some research as you said and check the lengths to make tones. Thanks for tuning in to the show and taking the time to chime in with your experience. It's very much appreciated.

[@randywright7933]

This has definitely been on the bucket list. Thanks for sharing this gorgeous instrument. Love your execution of this too

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad that you liked the show and the project Randy. It's been on my bucket list for quite some time as well. I just needed to get off my butt and get it done. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@wigennazarov6009]

Brilliant project, great Christmas present idea. Thanks Kenny.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

You're very welcome Wigen. I'm glad that you liked it. Thanks for tuning in and good luck with your project.

[@rodpotts2666]

Pretty darn cool.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad you liked it Rod. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@SteveCarmichael]

That turned out great! I made a lot of those and gave many away and everyone loves them, especially the youngsters. Nice work!

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad that you liked it Steve. Thanks for tuning in to the show and taking the time to leave the kind words. It is very much appreciated.

[@meawayfromhome]

Hi Kenny, great project. The lengths you go to for us to TUNE into your show, well done and thanks for the video.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

LOL. Everyone wants to be a comedian. LOL. Thanks for tuning in to the show this week Philip. I truly appreciate it.

[@markduggan3451]

I've never heard of one of these but it looks (and sounds) really nice.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad that you liked it Mark. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@alfredsanturri922]

Great video Kenny I'm going to try to make one of those that's pretty cool

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad that you liked it Alfred. Good luck on your project and thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@bryandavies6074]

Nice project. The tongues can be tuned the way you have - but by measuring the resonances of the struck wood during the removal process- tuned to specific notes. Lovely looking piece.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad that you liked it Bryan. Thanks for tuning in and for chiming in with your experience on tongue tuning for this drum. I truly appreciate it.

[@jimfromri]

Kenny that’s a beautiful project. Definitely on my to do list to make for my grandson. Although to be kind to my daughter and son-in-law I may skip the amplification. I’ll take you up on your generous offer and email you for the pdf. Thanks for another great show. Take care. -Jim

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I want you to think back to all the times your daughter made noise and had just a little more energy than you could handle that day Jim. Then you might want to rethink the amplification of the tongue drum. LOL. Payback is a terrible thing. LOL. Thanks for tuning in and good luck on your project.

[@hansdegroot8549]

Very impressive build. Thanks for sharing. I don't think that'll ever go build this. I've never heard of a tongue drum, I must confess.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

A lot of people haven't heard of it but it is a great musical instrument that is easy to make. Sorry to hear that you wont be making one Hans but I hope you enjoyed the show none the less. Thanks for tuning in to the show this week.

[@hansdegroot8549]

@@acutabove_woodworkings As they say "never say never", but at the moment, it's very unlikely. But I'm going to make the glue box set-up. Hopefully next month.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

@@hansdegroot8549 Good luck on your project.

[@hansdegroot8549]

@@acutabove_woodworkings Your tutorial is 100% clear. But I often want to make some changes and then I can get lost. I would like to have a lid on the bigger (in my case) plastic container so that I can leave the glue in it. Do you happen to know if (sun)light affects glue in a container when the lid is transparent?

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

@@hansdegroot8549 I've never really thought of that. To be honest, I'n not sure what the affect would be. Sorry about that.

[@richardf7885]

Awesome work of art and functional as well! They may be a bit large but perhaps a squash ball may make a good mallet , if my memory serves me correctly they vary in hardness indicated by a color coding.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I never thought of a squash ball Richard. I'm sure that there are a whole host of materials and methods that could be used to make the mallets. I appreciate your input sir. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@johnoerter2883]

Love it!

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad to hear it John. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@johnoerter2883]

@@acutabove_woodworkings I can imagine my grandchildren exploring this!

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

@@johnoerter2883 I'm pretty sure once my granddaughter discovers it, we are in for some serious percussion performances by her. LOL. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

[@johnoerter2883]

@@acutabove_woodworkings Yup, a lovely stage of life!

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

@@johnoerter2883 I totally agree. It's the best.

[@paulsmessyworkshop]

Kenny, I have though of making one of these for many years but never got around to it. One of my biggest problems is that I am very tone deaf. Oh well I will just find another project. Nice work my friend.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Tone deaf or not Paul, it is still a fun project and I hope that you will make yourself one some day. I really enjoyed the process. Thanks for tuning in to the show sir and taking the time to leave your comment. I truly appreciate it.

[@sendguns]

Hi Kenny: Great job as usual!!! I've been wanting to make one of these forever. Q. Did you use a digital guitar tuner to achieve each note, or did you just wing-it and do it be ear? Also, how about turned ebony balls on the end of redheart dowels for your percussion sticks? Best - Michael

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I just tuned this one by ear Michael and went for tones that were pleasing to me as apposed to actual notes. If you wanted to though, you could spend a ton of extra time to tune and achieve perfect pitch to each tongue. As for the mallet....I've had another viewer contact me and say that their experiments with mallets have shown that wood on wood gives the brightest tones. So maybe that is an idea. I like your wood combination suggestion. Thanks for tuning in to the show. Good luck on your project.

[@johnfithian-franks8276]

Hi Kenny, why do you always use the scroll saw in favour to the band saw I never have any trouble u sing the band saw and although I have a 1/4“ blade on it I think it would make any turns that a scroll saw can make.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I don't always use the scroll saw John, but it is definitely my preferred method. It's what I am most comfortable with. For this project, the slots are interior cuts and I didn't want to get in to having to glue things back together once I cut them but a bandsaw would work just fine. I find that there is no comparison to the detail that a scroll saw can cut and a bandsaw just can't compete but for a project like this, either method is perfectly fine. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in this week sir.

[@lilleeon]

Are you selling this tongue drum ?🎉

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I'm sorry but I don't sell any of my projects. Thanks for tuning in.

[@franciscoherrerogonzalez6669]

suena horrible

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Sorry you didn't like it Francisco. Thanks for tuning in.