This drum has been a fixture in my studio for a couple of years now, but lately I’ve been incorporating it into music therapy sessions more than ever.

Here are the three things that I like best about this tubano drum by Remo:

• Sound. It can be played loudly, but does not cause problems for my kids with noise sensitivity. And of course, it also sounds great when played softly or somewhere in between. Anyone can play it and make it sound good!
• Size. This drum seems pretty big to my smaller students, and they like that it can be played while standing up. At the same time, though, it is not so cumbersome that it can’t be easily moved. It has a strap for this purpose, too.
• Appearance. This month I’m rocking a jungle theme, and this drum fits in perfectly. I follow up the singable story Rumble in the Jungle with the tubano drum, and identifying the jungle animals on the side of the drum is the perfect segue.

Added bonus: the drum makes a perfect mini side table when not in use. I keep it next to my piano, and my caddy for pens/pencils/antibacterial gel/other small items sits on top.

I’ll have to write another post about the specific songs, activities, and interventions I’ve come up with just for the tubano drum. And as always, feel free to share your own uses for it!