The Woodshop Shed

My 'Plank Organ' made with two Tongue Drums

Furnished content.
(from Lumberjocks.com)


Most people know about 'Pipe Organs', but have you ever heard of a 'Plank Organ'? Me neither!A while back I made a number of 'Tongue Drums' for adult kids and grandkids. I kept two of them for myself because I find they're a great way to release stress. One has a cherry wood top, and the larger one has a padauk top. The larger one has about 25% more volume than the smaller. The long sides are hard maple, and the ends of the smaller is walnut, and the larger one is cherry. They each have thin, removable bottoms for resonance.To make them the right height for stand alone playing I eventually made a small stand for one of them. After experimenting with playing them together later, I discovered that because they are roughly one octave apart they sound really good played together, at least to my ear. It's a bit like a xylophone in a way.That impelled me to build another stand, 'shotgunned' off the first one. I also gave each a slight angle so my drum mallets wouldn't hit on the edge. I've noticed that most drummers have their drums at various inclines I suppose for the same reason. I did not have the Plank Organ completed when the video in the link below was created.Anyway, this arrangement became my 'Plank Organ' which I love playing now. For a video of the way they sound, visit the YouTube video link below. The video was made before I made the stand pictured. Please keep in mind that I am not a musician and my 'playing' is all ad lib and to no particular tune (I AM getting a little better!):YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msm8fDqZpnk

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