The ocean drum is a
percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
that can produce soothing
ocean
The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the wo ...
sounds, invented by
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist who was one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex; harmonically ...
.
History
The ocean drum was originally called the
geophone
A geophone is a device that converts ground movement (velocity) into voltage, which may be recorded at a recording station. The deviation of this measured voltage from the base line is called the seismic response and is analyzed for structure of ...
. It was invented by composer and ornithologist
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist who was one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex; harmonically ...
for his orchestral piece
''Des canyons aux étoiles...'' in 1972, inspired by the Native American
water drum.
The first prototype of the 'geophone' was constructed by a Parisian instrument maker. Soon after, the instrument began gaining more renown and is now commonly known by the term ''ocean drum''.
It must be noted that the geophone was originally designed to replicate the sounds of dry and shifting earth; only later being applied to the sounds of the ocean.
Playing
The ocean drum is held by the frame, with the heads horizontal, and played by rolling the wrists so the drum gently tilts in all directions. The metal beads inside roll over the bottom head like
water
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...
rolling over the shore.
Different speeds produce different sounds. Stopping and starting suddenly creates crashing wave sounds.The ocean drum can be used in buddhist meditation
See also
*
Water drum
*
Hydraulophone
A hydraulophone is a tonal acoustic musical instrument played by direct physical contact with water (sometimes other fluids) where sound is generated or affected hydraulically."Fluid Melodies: The hydraulophones of Professor Steve Mann" In Wat ...
*
Geophone
A geophone is a device that converts ground movement (velocity) into voltage, which may be recorded at a recording station. The deviation of this measured voltage from the base line is called the seismic response and is analyzed for structure of ...
*
Rainstick
A rainstick is a long, hollow tube partially filled with small pebbles, rice or beans that has small pins or thorns arranged helically on its inside surface. When the stick is upended, the pebbles fall to the other end of the tube, bouncing o ...
References
External links
*
How to create the Ocean Drum
{{Authority control
European percussion instruments
French musical instruments
Drums
20th-century percussion instruments