Thursday, June 25, 2009

Eco Friendly Musical Instruments Green Drums



For many thousands of years, percussion instruments, known as drums, have been used for various forms of communication, ritual and music and are a prominent piece to the rhythm of many songs. Modern, standard drum kits generally include approximately seven pieces including drums and cymbals of various names. In thousands of colors with varied accessories from many manufacturers, this instrument can be personalized into just about anything a drummer desires.

Most drums on the market today that are sold in kits containing snare, tom-tom (2 pieces), floor tom and a bass drum but additional accessories (ie. sticks, cowbell, cymbal, pedal, high-hat, etc.) are also sold to compliment the sound that the drum produces. Since sound is the number one most important factor in any instrument, a drum is no different and because this instrument makes up a good portion of the rhythm / beat of a song, it is imperative the quality of that sound is in line with the style of music. The shell holds everything together; the most crucial aspect is that at the point where the shell meets the head forms a perfect circle.

Although many kits are created from formed metal or plastics, a large percentage of shells are beautifully crafted wood. Just like the guitar, the most popular woods are standard tonewoods such as maple, birch or mahogany. But there are growing concerns regarding the availability of wood species and one of the top manufacturers of drums, DW Drums, has begun an innovative journey into the sustainable market by utilizing a hybrid of bamboo and birch for their shells.

They are called the ECO-X series for the company’s use of cross lamination with their hybrid material. They are further environmentally friendly because of the water based top coat used on the shells, soy based inks on the hang tags and their donation made to American Forests Association to further sustain our wood resources. There are two options of color, one is shown in the photo above.

In the market to pick up some drums and want to give the planet a break while pounding away? Amazon carries this kit from DW Drums but be warned, unlike a guitar which is less expensive when created from bamboo, creating these shells is a lengthier process and cost can be upwards of three times that of a similar sized kit created from a different wood source (such as birch & basswood) from a different manufacturer such as Pearl.

Do you know of other drum manufacturers who are Earth friendly and proving it through their use of materials? Let us know!

Up next -- Eco-Fashion Friday features awesome accessories for musicians or music lovers!

1 comment:

Sophia said...
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