Kagemusha Taiko Practice Drums
Kagemusha Taiko Practice Drums (also known as “pipe drums”) are the result of nearly 20 years of continuous development, working in partnership with schools, to provide taiko drums that are lightweight and robust – drums that also sound good and are affordable. In fact, they work so well that many people use them for performance as well as practice. We have sold over 2,000 of these pipe drums across the UK, many other European countries, and USA. We have made many refinements to them over the years, with the result that our 2024 versions are the best-ever.
“Devon Music Service now owns 6 sets of Kagemusha Taiko Practice Drums, which are in near-constant use. We’ve found them to be one of our most popular instrument sets for schools. The soft cases make them easy to transport and the drums themselves have so far proven indestructible!”
Kagemusha Taiko Practice Drums
The drums stand approx 60cms tall, with a playing surface of approx 54cms in diameter. They weigh about 10 kilos, so can be carried easily.
Drums are supplied with folding flat stands, and a pair of bachi (drumsticks).
The drums are delivered in a robust cardboard box that can be used for storage and transport for a while. But protective soft cases are also available, and we recommend these as they take up less space, are easier to carry, and will last much longer.
In the UK, sales of these drums are now handled exclusively by Drums for Schools. Please contact them via their website for further information.
Brexit (yes, we are still angry about Brexit…) made it uneconomic to export drums to Europe. So, for the benefit of European taiko players, we have licensed a wonderful taiko group in Belgium to make and sell them – Yorokai. Yorokai have a beautiful website that should be of interest to any taiko drummer, whether or not a drum is wanted!
If you live in the EU and are interested in one or more of these drums, please contact Yorokai directly – here’s their contact page.
If all else fails, please contact us: drums-at-kagemusha.com (replacing -at- with @)
What do Kagemusha Taiko Practice Drums Sound Like?
This video shows Jonathan Kirby playing some “dongo drills” with members of Kagemusha Junior Taiko.
Of course, the sound depends on the quality of the original recording and the quality of the speakers you are listening through, but the video nonetheless gives a good idea of the sound.
KAISER DRUMS
For people in Europe who want the increased tonal range offered by drums made with wood and skin, we recommend KAISER DRUMS ® , a company that has been distributing high-quality, hand crafted Taiko drums and accessories since 2006. They purchase their supplies from professional and traditional drum manufacturers in the heart of China and from Japan.
Alternatively, and for people in North America, we recommend Miyamoto / kaDON for drums and percussion imported directly from Japan, though orderable in English from their USA-based website.
