“A metal udu drum won’t break.”
Not your ordinary pot—this one goes “bo-wan, bo-wan.”
Meet the udu drum, a pot-shaped percussion instrument born in West Africa.
Traditionally made of clay, it produces a deep, resonant “bo-wan” sound when you gently cover the hole rather than striking it.
In contrast, tapping the outer surface creates crisp, percussive “kan-kan” tones—perfect for building intricate rhythms.
The sound is captivating, but the fragility of clay makes handling a challenge. (I’ve known more than a few people who accidentally shattered theirs.)
That’s why I created the Propa-dou—originally a gas cylinder, now reborn as an udu drum that won’t break when dropped.
Today, you can find fiberglass and aluminum udu drums, but as far as I know, Propa-dou is the only one made of steel.
Each one is handcrafted and available for custom order.
price : $180~ (shipping included)
| product code | PD |
| Diameter | 22cm |
| Height | 20cm |
| Weight | 3kg |
| Accessories |
tabla ring |
This solo udu drum performance was used in a Japanese TV commercial.
The most distinctive feature—the low tone—is actually not greatly affected by the material.
That’s because low frequencies are primarily determined by the size of the instrument.
On the other hand, the high-pitched tones you get from striking the body surface vary significantly depending on the material.
Fiberglass and aluminum, to put it simply, sound more like plastic.
Clay and steel, by contrast, produce sharper, more piercing tones.