Have you ever listened to a Tongue Drum and been amazed by the range of sounds it can create? How does it go from sounding major to minor or pentatonic scales so quickly? The answer is the drum's innovative tuning system. In this blog post from beatrootdrum.com, we will discuss how the Tongue Drum's unique tuning system works and why it creates such beautiful music!
The Tongue Drum is a percussion instrument that originated in Africa. It is made up of a wooden frame with a number of metal tongues or tines sticking out. When the drum is struck, the tongues vibrate and create a range of different pitches. The pitch of each tongue can be adjusted by loosening or tightening the screws that hold it in place.
The tuning system of the Tongue Drum is what allows it to create such beautiful music. The system consists of two parts: the scale and the temperament. The scale is the set of pitches that the drum can create. The temperament is the way in which those pitches are tuned relative to each other.
There are many different scales that can be used on a Tongue Drum, but the most common are major, minor, and pentatonic. The major scale is the one that most people are familiar with. It consists of seven notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The minor scale is similar to the major scale, but with a slightly different order of pitches. The pentatonic scale is a five-note scale that is commonly used in folk music.
The temperament of a Tongue Drum can either be just intonation or equal temperament. Just intonation is when the notes are tuned so that they sound pleasant when played together. Equal temperament is when the notes are all tuned to the same pitch. This makes it easier to play in tune with other instruments, but it can make the sound of the Tongue Drum less pleasant.
