This is a fine, fine drum produced right here in America. You will find your deer rawhide drum to be quite resonant and lively, with sturdy laminated frames and strong inner lacing to assure durability. These drums will take a beating! And they have wonderful voices for the price.
The drumstick decorations (if you chose that option) are first rate, and not skimped because this drum happens to be less expensive than others offered here on the site. Same decorations no matter the price, rich suede lacing and sturdy bunched yarn. Otherwise, if you chose a mallet, please know that it will work just fine! The hard wood is strong and adds a sharp note to the drum's voice that the softer custom drumstick will not. (If you purchase the option with the custom drumstick, however, you can use that both ways! Hard on one end, softer on the other.)
Additional Thoughts (Please read, this is equally important):
1. It is key to note that a 12" drum is considered small. It is a mere one inch wider than a standard sheet of paper is long (11"). So, to get an idea of its size, simply look at a sheet of paper and imagine it one inch longer. This is a great drum due to its size, makes it so easy and portable. It is lightweight, which allows you to hold it in playing position for a long time without tiring. But its size dictates its voice, so don't expect a big booming sound from this drum. Trust me, it will project its voice perfectly for its size.
2. All of the natural drums on this site are made from the hides of animals. In the sacred traditions of shamans, it is said the animals present themselves to provide sustenance to aid humans with food, clothing and spiritual growth. In return, humans provide their own bodies back to the Earth Mother to continue the Great Wheel of Life across multiple generations of lifeforms.
It is so very important that we always acknowledge the symbiotic relationship we have with nature. Man, with ego, generally assumes primacy and domination of this Good Earth. And while he may do damage, sometimes great damage to our planet, he will in the end return his physical essence to it.
With natural drums, the same principle applies. The wheel turns and beings of wood, flesh and soil give themselves back to the Earth to be used again. In the interim, though, they turn over their exited physical bodies for sacred use in a drum intended to honor All That Is and to lend aid and support for others that still live. Thus, like all of us who carry scars of life, the drums may reflect the hardships endured when precious beings inhabited their bodies. Winds, ice, floods, barbed wire, thorns, predators. You will see their scars on the drums, just as we see each other's scars.
It is good to honor the life that once animated a drum head, or the frame of a Lightning Drum. Play the drum with deserving reverence for them.
