MINDSPEAK & Jeremy dePrisco



		Jeremy's Percussion Collection Over the years I've had a strange relationship with percussion. From home-made shakers to drum machines, to a variety of live performers and friends - the language of rhythm has played a large part in my work. I don't really consider myself a percussionist, yet my collection has grown quite nicely. I enjoy experimenting with them, and they always add something special to my music. Here's a brief look at some of my favorite percussion instruments...

		Darbuka Handmade darbuka from Turkey. This one is aluminum with a plastic head (Istanbul Mehmet). Purchased at Guitar Center as a floor model. The darbuka is used heavily in dance music throughout the Middle East, providing a sharp, bright "pop" when played with the fingers. Currently my favorite drum because it is light, portable and doesn't react to the elements.

		22" Frame Drum with beater

		18" Tar (aka Def) Middle Eastern Drum

		Fish Bendir Audra brought this back from the Moroccan section of Epcot at Walt Disney World. There is a snare inside, so this drum produces a raspy sound along with the frame drum sound. While it was labeled as a Fish Bendir, it is not made of fish skin - it's probably goat or cow hide. Unlike my other frame drums, this one is tanned a brown color.

		Small Frame Drum This is a two-membrane drum, so it can be struck on both sides. Much smaller than my other frame drums, this doesn't get a lot of use because the skin is very dried out and overstretched, so there isn't much tension to create a tone.

		Udu Drum The Udu is one of the most unusual percussion instruments. Usually made out of clay and featuring at least one hole for creating tones, the Udu drum comes in a variety of shapes and sizes all across Africa. It is played with bare hands and can be very painful until you get used to it. Sometimes membranes of skin (or in modern times, rubber/plastic) are added for additional tonal possibilities.

		4.5" Ritual Bowl Gong Creates resonant tones heard in ancient Buddhist shrines and Chinese rituals. Typically made of bronze and/or copper.

		Bodhran (Irish Frame Drum) This is Audra's, but she won't mind if I borrow it.

		Tingsha Bells/Cymbals These are from a shop in New Orleans that specialized in items from Tibet and Nepal. This particular set of bells is from Nepal. These create a loud, clear tone.

		Asheiko? Congalita? One of two different styles of West African drum that I have, this drum came to me from my friend Jim Nowak in Harrisburg. One of his clients at his hobby shop just left it there, and he didn't have a use for it. This drum has a very low, deep resonance. I've seen drums with other names that look like this as well, so if anyone knows the correct name, let me know.

		Zills (finger cymbals) I got these hand made, cast brass zills (finger cymbals) from a dealer on Ebay who is based in Canada but specializes in items from Syria. I was inspired to get these after watching a belly dancer at a Lebanese restaurant in Harrisburg - not because I wanted to belly dance, but rather becaue the sound is just so unique. I'm told these are better quality than ones made of brass sheet imported from Egypt or made in USA.

		Doumbek An Egyptian drum, this one has a goat skin head and the body is made out of clay.

		My first Asheiko

		?Mystery Drum? I'm not sure about this one. Someone gave it to me a long time ago, and I'm not sure what it is called. Clay body with goat (?) skin head.

		* T A B L A S * Clearly my favorite drum (to listen to, since I can't play it) is the Tablas. This ancient East Indian drum set is usually played in pairs. Topan Modak, NY tabla musician. Bulu Rahman, tabla maestro for Bloomsburg to Bangladesh.

		Clicky Things Bones, Castanets, Cow Bell, Claves Shaky Things Eggz, shakers, home-made gourd maraca, rainstick. Goya... oh boya!! Different kinds of beans in different quantities inside cans. Uyot Seed Palm Fiber Hand Rattle