A steel tongue drum (sometimes called a tank drum or hank drum) is a melodic percussion instrument made from a round steel shell with laser-cut or hand-cut tongues that produce different pitches when struck. You can play it with:
Fingertips
Rubber mallets
Felt-tipped sticks
Each tongue is tuned to a specific note, and most drums are tuned to specific scales (like pentatonic, D major/minor, or exotic scales like Akebono or Hijaz).
Steel tongue drums are huge in sound healing, meditation, and mindfulness practices:
The vibrations promote deep relaxation and help the body drop into a theta brainwave state, ideal for healing and meditation.
Certain scales (like D minor or pentatonic) align beautifully with specific chakra tones, helping to balance energy centers.
The simplicity of playing promotes present-moment awareness, similar to the effects of deep breathing or mantra chanting.
Can soothe anxiety, stress, and even help with emotional release during sound baths or solo meditation.
There’s no “wrong note” on most tongue drums, so it’s very accessible, even for beginners.
Encourages playfulness, intuitive flow, and improvisation—a beautiful outlet for creativity.
Warm, resonant, bell-like tones.
Sustain is soft and melodic.
Some describe it as “water-like” or “celestial.”
You’ll often hear it used in:
Yoga studios
Sound baths
Reiki sessions
Ambient music or lo-fi beats
