SWD Sound Watching Drum Tongue Drum 18" 9 Notes - D Akebono

Historical Context and Positioning in the Range

Part of the tongue drum family (also called hank drum or tank drum ), the SWD fits within the tradition of modern melodic percussion instruments designed to offer immediate playability and a rewarding musical output, even without technical background. Here, the positioning is clearly artisanal: each instrument is individually shaped and tuned, with attention paid to projection, note sustain, and balance among the tongues.

Being made in Italy, near Naples, by a single artisan gives the SWD a strong identity within the tongue drum range: it is an instrument with character, oriented towards expressiveness and pitch accuracy, rather than standardized production.

Who This Drum/Tongue Drum Is For

The SWD D Akebono is aimed at a broad audience, from the curious beginner to the experienced musician seeking an inspiring melodic percussion. Beginners will appreciate the very quick learning curve: coherent musical phrases can be achieved within minutes, and the instrument naturally encourages work on touch and dynamics.

In terms of styles, this tuning is particularly suited to relaxation, meditation, ambient, cinematic environments, as well as sound therapy and music therapy contexts. It is also well suited for improvisation, soft percussive textures, and accompanying voices, singing bowls, kalimba, or handpan, aiming for a more "settled" presence rather than aggressive.

Features and Innovations

The SWDrum is made from a carefully selected stainless steel sheet, progressively shaped to create a shell capable of developing maximum resonance. The tongues are laser-cut to ensure precise geometry, a fundamental basis for stable tuning and consistent response from note to note.

Each surface is then hand-hammered : this process influences both the playing feel and the timbre complexity by adding harmonic depth and a livelier response. The final tuning, done by hand, aims for meticulous pitch accuracy and musical balance across all 9 notes, so that playing with hands or mallets remains fluid and expressive.

In practice, you can play it resting on your thighs (ideal position for intimate and controlled playing) or on a padded stand to enhance resonance freedom. With hands, you get a soft and organic attack; with soft rubber mallets, you gain volume, precision, and sustain while maintaining a rounded tone.

Sound Characteristics

Stainless steel gives the tongue drum a clear and broad signature: a well-defined attack, generous sustain, and projection that easily fills a room even at low intensity. Compared to drier alloys, stainless steel often favors a sense of continuity in the note, appreciated for slow playing, pads, and meditative ostinatos.

Hand hammering adds personality to the timbre: harmonics gain nuance, with a less smooth and more "alive" texture. The result is a sound that is both stable (thanks to precise cutting and tuning) and expressive (thanks to material work), responding finely to variations in touch.

The D Akebono tuning is particularly evocative: it allows the creation of contemplative atmospheres and natural melodic progressions. The notes blend gently, encouraging relaxed listening while leaving enough space to develop rhythmic patterns, crescendos, and accents without harshness.

Technical specifications

Number of blades	9	Depth	18 "
Instrument size	Large	Frequencies	440 Hz
Category	handheld	Color	Brown
Type	tongue drums	Finishing	Aged
Material	steel	Diameter	47 cm

Family	melodic percussion type tongue drum (hank drum, tank drum)	Finish	each surface hand-hammered
Tuning	D Akebono	Playing modes	with hands or soft rubber mallets
Number of notes	9	Position	on thighs or on a padded stand
Notes	D, G, A, Bb, D, Eb, G, A, Bb	Applications	relaxation music, music therapy
Manufacturing	designed, hammered, and tuned by hand near Naples (Italy)	Height	18 cm
Artisan	Massimo Tirino	Weight	4.5 kg
Tongue cutting	laser cutting	Important	la garantie ne couvre pas le désaccordage de l'instrument