Friday, March 13, 2015

BUMMADIYA ( Sri Lankan Drum )



                                                          BUMMADIYA













In shape, the Bummadiya is like a water vessel or a clay pot. It is prepared after burning in a kiln. This instrument has only one face and its diameter is between 6 to 8 inches. Animal hides (goat, monkey or monitor lizard) are used to cover the face. In Kandyan villages this drum is played while harvesting paddy. The body of the drum is decorated in colourful motifs. The drum is hung on the player’s shoulder with swppert of a Savaram or connecting wire. Kala Ham or Kalabera are synonyms for the Bummadiya.

MUSIC OF BUMMADIYA


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Weight: 450 g



BANKU RABANA ( SRI LANKAN DRUM )

Banku Rabana


The Maha (big) Rabana or Banku (bench) Rabana which is played by two or more people at a time is used at wedding festivals and Sinhala New Year Celebrations in Sri Lanka. It also symbolizes the spring festivals of the country. Generally women are the best players of the Banku Rabana and a special system of Raban Pada is in practice among them. One reads out the beat loudly and plays it in collaboration with others. Some of the onlookers would enjoy the music with dance in order to tune it for better sounds. The Rabana is kept on three wooden trunks about 18 inches high and the leader kindles fire under the instrument so that it can be tuned for finer sounds. The face of the instrument varies in diameter from 24 to 48 inches. Apart from playing the Rabana by hand, some elders use eakles as well.


                      MUSIC OF BENCH RABANA










                    CLICK HERE TO LISTEN






UDAKKIYA ( DRUM )



     Udekkiya

The Udekkiya is a very handy drum predominantly used during Kandyan rituals and folk dances. It is played with one hand while handling and controlling the sound by pressure applied on the string and Sawarama with the other. Various types of wood such as Handun, Jak, Ehela, Gansuriya and Kohomba trees along with metals like silver and brass are used to carve and construct the drums. Wooden structures are gaily decorated with lacquer work. The drum faces are covered with goat, monkey or monitor lizard hide. The length of an Udekki is about 11 inches. The middle is thin and named `giriya’ or `gela’ which means neck in Sinhalese. The face called “Valayama” is not used to produce sound in this drum.


                           MUSIC OF UDEKKIYA













      CLICK HERE TO LISTEN




Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Sri Lanka drums

          Sri Lanka drums

Sri Lanka has been having many types of drums in use from ancient times, and reference to these are found in some of the classical literature e.g. "Pujawaliya", "Thupawansaya", "Dalada Siritha" etc. Although there had been about 33 types of drums, today we find only about ten and the rest are confined only to names. The Sri Lankan Drum Tradition is believed to go as far back as 2500 years.
Contents
Origin
An examination of the village society in olden times would reveal that drums were used on special occasions during the life span of people, from their birth to the death. Drums, which were originally used, for pleasure and later for rituals, came to be used in the Buddhist Temples for the many ceremonies. At a later stage, Drums were also used as a means of communication. The Davula, Thammattama and the Bench Rabana have an important place in matters of communication.
Usage
1. Ana Bera - to inform the people about orders from the King.
2. Vada Bera - drums played when a criminal is taken for beheading,
3. Mala Bera - drums used in a funeral procession,
4. Rana Bera - drums used by the army when going out to meet the enemy.
5. Variety
Drums in use today include: Geta Bera (Bera Drum), Yak Bera, Davula, Thammattama, Udakkiya, Dakkiya, Bummadiya, Hand Rabana, Bench Rabana, and Dandu Beraya.
Geta Bera
This is the main drum used to accompany dances in the Kandyan or the Hill Country tradition. This drum is turned out of wood from Ehela, Kohomba or Kos tree. The drum tapers towards the ends and on the right side, the opening is covered with the skin of a monkey while the opening on the other side is covered with a cattle skin. The strings that are used tighten the sides are from a deer skin. A student who begins his training in the use of the Geta Bera has to practice twelve elementary exercises.
   Yak Bera
This drum is referred to by many names among which are the Ruhunu Bera, Devol Bera and Ghoskaya. This drum normally accompanies the dances from the low country, especially the mask dancing connected with rituals and the folk play Kolam. The drum is turned out of wood taken from the Kohomba, Ehela, Kitul or Milla trees. This is a cylindrical drum, fairly long and is played on both sides with hands. The openings on the two sides of the drum are covered with the stomach lining of a cow. The strings used to tighten the sides are from cattle skin. A student has twelve elementary exercises to learn to play this drum.
 Davula             
This drum is used in most of the Buddhist ceremonies all over the island. This drum is cylindrical, but much shorter than the Yak Bera. An important feature of this drum is that one side is played with the hand while the other side is played with a stick. The sides are covered with cattle skin and the tightening is done with a string made specially for the purpose. These are also twelve elementary exercises to be followed by a person learning to use the drum.
      

Thammattama           
This is also referred to as the Twin Drum. This drum is played with two sticks. The two drums are of different sizes and while the right one produces a louder sound, the left one produces a looser (and deeper) sound. The drums which have only the top side covered either with the skin of the cow or a buffalo. The wood used is from Kos, Kohomba and Milla trees. They used special sticks to play drums and the wood is from a creeper known as Kirindi.

 Udakkiya          This instrument is about 1 feet in length and is shaped like a sand clock. Udakkiya is made by carving either the suriya orahala timber into two apertures. These apertures are then bound tightly with the leather of the monkey or the iguana and both the sides are connected with tightly stretched twine. Udakkiya is played with two sticks called walayan. The pitch of the sound can be changed by applying pressure on the twine with a bound cloth.
 Dakkiya       
This is similar to the Udekkiya, but bigger. This is used mainly for rituals. The drum is hung on the shoulder of the player and the sound is controlled by applying pressure on the strings.
 Bummadiya       
This is the only drum turn out of clay. The single opening is covered with the skin of goatmonkey or iguana. The drum is hung on the shoulder of the player and it is played with both hands. During harvesting, people could be seen playing this drum accompanied by singing. The drum is in the shape of a pot.
Hand Rabana
Rabana is about one foot in diameter and is turn out of wood from Kos and Milla. The skin used is that of a goat. Some performers keep revolving the rabana on the tip of their fingers while others play it accompanied with singing. This is played with one hand only.
Bench Rabana  
This is the biggest of the drums used in Sri Lanka. The special feature of this drum is that it is played at a time by two or more people. They use both hands. This drum is commonly used for New Year festivals and there are many special rhythms played on them. It is mostly played by women.


Tuesday, March 10, 2015

SOUTH ASIA


http://handicraftasia.blogspot.com/





DJEMBE DRUM ( SRI LANKAN DRUM )



Djembe Drum
African drums



Weight: 10000g








YAK BERAYA (Traditional Sri Lankan Drum)







Yak Beraya (Traditional Sri Lankan Drum)


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DHOLAK ( SRI LANKAN DRUM )







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DAVULA ( SRI LANKAN TRADITIONAL DRUM )


                                    Davula

Used for Sri Lanka Sabaragamuwa dances, an exceptional  instrument. Also used in Sri Lanka Up (Kandyan) & Low country
 dances.

Weight: 500g





                        MUSIC OF DAWULA

                     CLICK HERE TO LISTEN


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THAMMATTAMA ( SRI LANKAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT )

Thammettama
Thammettama is a twin drum. This drum supports other drums. 
The two drums give distinguish sound. One drum gives low pich 
& other drum gives high pich.






CLICK  HERE ( Listen to Music of Tammattama  )




Thammattama
This instrument is made with either the root of the Kithul tree or any other suitable timber. The root or the timber is crafted in the shape of a 'walanda' (Pot).

Secondly both the left & the right tops are bound tightly by cow leather. This drum is played with 2 'kadappus'
(2 sticks)
Thammattama Tone 01
Thammattama Tone 02







































Contact Person & Address
Director
“DRAGON MATRIX”
No:329, “ Damsewana”, Kotawila
Kamburugamuwa,
Matara, Sri Lanka      
Phone/ Fax: +94 114265126   
HOTLINE: +94714300398 / +94778469098

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

GETA BERAYA ( SRI LANKAN DRUM )





                                                             Geta Beraya 











                    SRI LANKAN DRUM
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Use for Sri Lanka up country dances in Sri Lanka.
Also this drum can be used as  western music and eastern music . 



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Music of Geta Beraya






Geta Bera Tone 01
Geta Bera Tone 02
Geta Bera Tone 03
Geta Bera Tone 04
Geta Bera Tone 05
Geta Bera Tone 06

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN (Use the headphone ) 



Geta Beraya - (Wedding Drum)

Wedding Drums played on ceremonial occations


The Wedding Drum belongs to the category of "Awanadda". About 2 Feet & 2 inches in length, it's made with 'Asala', 'Kohomba' or 'Kos' timber.

In order to generate two different sounds, the left of the drum is made with Cow skin and the right, with monkey skin and bound tightly with tough leather. Its played with free hands.