Deer relates to the heart chakra, bringing the energy of love and circulation. It is a very feminine feeling hide, I see it as a young maiden just setting out on life. It has lots of harmonics and the most sustain (how long the sound lasts). It is susceptible to weather changes as it tends to absorb moisture from the air, so it requires a little more work to bring the tone up in wet conditions. It varies in color from pale cream to brown. Many varieties of deer cannot be shipped outside the US without an expensive veterinary certificate, so I use Red Stag Deer, which is native to Europe (where it is known as a Hart) and farmed in the US for food.

Horse resonates with the 3rd eye chakra and is especially useful in journeying and meditation. It has superior harmonics. Thinner horse drums can be susceptible to moisture, but not as much as deer. It varies in color from golden brown to dark chocolate brown. It can be exported freely.

Elk resonates with the solar plexus chakra, involving will and stamina. It is a masculine feeling hide, it feels to me like a young warrior who has your back. It has the best base tone, but does not offer as much in sustain or harmonics. It handles weather pretty well, but thinner hides can be affected by moisture. It varies in color from cream to brown, and frequently has translucent sections. It always requires a veterinary certificate for exporting outside the US.

Moose, sometimes known as Swedish Elk depending on its source, resonates with the womb chakra, bringing deep emotional healing. It is also a feminine hide, and reminds me of a grandmother who takes you into her lap and makes you feel that everything is going to be okay. Moose drums resonate well with women who are dealing with the transition from Mother to Crone. The drums have a deep sound, with slight harmonics and resonance. Very thick moose drums can be thumpy. Moose does very well in damp weather. Hides are medium brown, frequently with a honey color. It can be exported freely.

Buffalo (American Bison) resonates with the zero or grounding chakra. It is very sacred to many Native Americans, representing abundance and having the power to take prayers to the creator, All Buffalo drums I make are made with a four directions medicine wheel handle in honor of the ancestors on this land. Buffalo is a masculine hide, and reminds me of a crusty old grandfather who will tell you exactly what you need to hear instead of what you want to hear. Buffalo is a very thick hide, and tends to be quite thumpy, with no real harmonics or resonance. It handles weather extremely well, and is the hide of choice for sweat lodges. Buffalo hide is medium to dark brown. It cannot be exported without a veterinary certificate.

Reindeer is imported from Finland, where it is herded and used for food. In my judgment it resonates with the heart chakra, like other members of the deer family, but in a more primal and passionate way. It represents abundance to the people of Northern Europe, and helps with overcoming adversity when making personal journeys of discovery. I love making my European style drums from Reindeer. The sound is primal and wild and brings to mind drumming around the fire in ancient times. Both male and female reindeer have antlers, and I do not feel the hide to be either masculine or feminine. Though it is a thin hide, reindeer drums are extremely resilient to weather changes. The hide is a light cream color. They can be freely exported.

Treat your drum like a pet. If you're happy, it's happy. Check in with your drum daily, or as often as you can. Neglect is the number one cause of drum damage.

Pet and stroke your drum often, the oil from your skin is the best thing for the head. If you will be separated for your drum for any length of time or are in extreme climates (such as desert), use a natural moisturizer such as shea butter around the sides and lacings of your drum. Apply it very minimally to the playing surface, as it will change your tone.

Bond with your drum. Decorate it, paint it, make it your own. Any non-oil-based pigment may be used. Your art can be sealed with an Artist’s Matte Fixative.

PLEASE READ THE DRUM CARE INSTRUCTIONS THAT COME WITH YOUR DRUM!

VERY IMPORTANT: Heat and or dryness (as in a hard freeze) is the drum killer, please avoid leaving your drum in a hot car, hanging it in direct sunlight, over a heater register, stove or other heat source. Remember that your heater removes moisture from the atmosphere even if the room does not seem hot. Dryness leads to the head tightening, while the hoop remains the same size. Creaking, popping or a higher than usual voice are the symptoms of a drum that is getting too dry, so if you hear these sounds, please take care of your drum.

Larger drums with thicker hides can go out of round, but they tend to settle back in when the weather is cooler. In extreme cases, rawhide can be strong enough to crack the hoop.

If the weather is particularly hot or dry, you can help your drum by keeping a wet paper towel in the back or misting it with water from a spray bottle. Every drum is different, please don’t judge your drum based on the behavior of other drums you have owned.

Cold and damp may make your drum sad (thumpy sounding, no resonance, the drum head may look wavy or bumpy). This will not hurt your drum in any permanent way. Thinner hides like deer and some horse are more susceptible to the weather. You can dry it gradually with a hair dryer or other gentle heat.

Our cedar rims come from Pakistan, where they are hand wrapped from deodar cedar, which is the national tree of Pakistan and whose name translates to "God's Tree". It is considered a sacred wood and it is said that, in other times, the wise sages and prophets lived in deodar cedar groves.

Our Maple hoops are machine made and offer both a more accurate round and extra strength. Maple is great for recording because the sound reflections are very clear and bright.