Drums, Colombo, Sri Lanka (2018)

R-Gasman posted a video:

A wide variety of drums are used for various purposes in Sri Lanka. There are martial drums, festive drums and temple drums. Each drum has its special tone and technique: some are struck by the hands alone; some are played with two sticks; and some are beaten with fingers on one side and a stick on the other, creating complex interwoven rhythms. What Sri Lanka lacks in the way of traditional vocal and instrumental music it more than makes up for with its rich dance traditions and by its extraordinary style of drumming. Different types of drums are associated with different dance form.

The different Sri Lankan classical dance vary in styles of movements and motions, in the outfit worn by the performers, and in the nature of the drums used to provide rhythmic sound to the dance. Kandyan drumming is distinguished by its frequent sudden changes of tempo and highly irregular rhythmic patterns which ebb and flow in a series of percussive onslaughts – the almost telepathic coordination displayed by the members of top drum groups during performances can seem almost magical.

Four types of drums are used in this performance. GETA BERA is the most important kind of drum in Kanyan dancing. This is a double-headed drum, measuring 67cm long, slightly bigger in the middle than at the ends. The skin on one side is from a monkey while the skin on the other side is from an ox. Each produces different tones. The drum is suspended from the player’s waist by a piece of rope and played with both hands. The TAMMATTAMA drums consist of a pair of vessel-shaped kettle drums, which is tied to the drummer’s waist and played using a pair of special cane sticks with curved, circular ends. The two drums are of different sizes. The right drum produces high pitched sounds, and the left drum produces low pitched sounds. The DAWULA is a double-headed cylindrical drum which is hung from the player’s waist and played with a stick in the right hand and the palm of the left hand. It is a little smaller and shorter than Yak Bera drum. YAK ERA is a long cylindrical drum, and is played on both sides with hands. The openings on the two sides of the drum are covered with the thin stomach lining of a cow.