Elemental Soundscapes: FIRE COLLECTION

Presenting:

Elemental Soundscapes

FIRE COLLECTION

Centering the feeltone Monochords and featuring intuitively played instruments in by all our artisan instrument builders, ELEMENTAL SOUNDSCAPES are collections of our instruments that are made to match each other with elemental-themed tuning in different musical keys.

Build your own set of instruments made to match:

These precisely tuned sonic tools allow you to create mesmerizing soundscapes by layering tones while freeing up your creativity to play intuitively as there are "no wrong notes" in each elemental collection. This concept also allows you to build on the instrument collections you already have by easily matching our instruments to yours.

Listen to the Fire Collection in G-Major:

In the above video, we introduce you to the extended FIRE Collection (instruments tuned to G-Major) and invite you to listen in and hear how all the other instruments sound playing over the dreamy drones of the feeltone Monochords in G. (Note: this recording shows the monochords tuned to 440 hz. with matching kalimbas. Chimes are only available in 432 hz but other instruments come in 432 and 440 hz. Monochords can be tuned by you any way you'd prefer.)

MONOLINA, MONOLINI by feeltone: the center of our collections

At the center are our Monochords: the Monolina and Monolini models gorgeously handcrafted by the feeltone Company in Germany. Monochords are stringed dronal instruments that play a monochrome meditative chord whose shimmering harmonics cascade like light reflected on the water.

The feeltone Monochords tuned to G are are in the middle range in the feeltone product line: offering a soothing tone that also has some physical vibration when the instruments are played on the body. Like a flying carpet, the Monochord is the underlying sound layer as all of the other Elemental Soundscape instruments are carried upon it to harmonize intricately with an array of different timbres from the different instruments' elemental components of wood and metal - handcrafted into exquisitely by artisan European instrument builders.

TINKA TONG ARIA Wood Tongue Drums from feeltone

The feeltone Company also produces wood tongue-drums and this season we introduce the brand new Tinka Tong Ignis that matches the Elemental Soundscapes FIRE Collection.

The Tinka Tong creates short, light percussive tones that are earthy, warm, and grounding.

Depending on how it's played it can sometimes sound whimsical and cheerful or activating and energizing. Tinka Tongs are wonderful for playing towards the beginning or ending of sound journeys to connect, support, and activate the physical body.

KALIMBAS & SANSULAS from Hokema Kalimbas

 Hokema Kalimbas are made in Germany with American cherry wood blocks upon which are mounted little metal tines that are tuned to G-Major scales to match our G-Major Elemental Soundscape Fire Collection.

The tiny B5 Kalimba is a "pocket kalimba" that is small enough to go anywhere with you and that offers high pitch frequencies that twinkle over the deeper sounds of the other instruments.

The B9 Kalimba is a slightly larger and deeper-sounding 9-note kalimba which is quiet, round, and soft.

The B11 "Melody" kalimba plays and entire G-Major scale, and the B15 "Keyboard" kalimba plays a 15-note scale that includes thicker tones which produce satisfying and soothing lower notes.

The Sansula has the tines of the B9 Kalimba mounted on a drum head which amplifies the instrument to a louder volume and allows one to play a "Wah-Wah" effect by moving the instrument up and down. It comes in several varieties so that you can choose if you'd prefer to have the Fire tuning with a more robust synthetic head (Sansula Renaissance), or a unique goat skin (Sansula Deluxe).

For the FIre collection, in addition to the standard size Sansula (B9) we also offer the larger "Melody" Sansula which is a musical instrument upon which you can play the entire G-Major scale. (For easier intuitive playing we recommend the simpler and smaller B9 whereas for musicians who wish to play songs the B11 offers more notes.)

Next we highlight our wind chimes starting with the Koshi Ignis. The Koshi Chimes are made in France and are the original Inspiration for these beautiful elemental sets.
Koshis have become a beloved sound bath essential instrument - whether you hold them in your hand, dangle them from a stand, or hang them outdoors for the wind to play. Koshi's close cousin are the Zaphir Chimes also made in France. Zaphirs come in a variety of colors so we've chosen this bright red to be our G-Major chime.

What's the difference between a Koshi and Zaphir Chime?

Koshi and Zaphir Chimes are similar in construction - with a dangling bead that taps tones into metal dowels guided by a wooden "sail" on the string from which the bead hangs. The Koshi is a little bit thicker and shorter with its minimalist bamboo design, and the Zaphir is a little thinner and taller with a colorful marble-like design on its tube. It's fun to play with both the Koshi and its matching Zaphir in our elemental sets as you can hold one in each hand and create stereo effects where you hear slightly different tones in each ear.

ZENKO DRUMS from Metal Sounds

From the Metal Sounds Company in France we have another kind of tongue drum made of metal, the Zenko Drum. Sadly, the Metal Sounds Company recently stopped producing and we only have limited stock of Zenkos left - so if you've been wanting one the time to buy is now before they're gone forever!

However, we're excited to announce we just added a new metal instrument to (all!) our Elemental Soundscapes Collections: introducing the Kigongki....

MONAURAL TONGUE-GONG from Kigongki

What Makes Kigongki Special:

Unlike standard tongue drums, the Monaural Tongue-Gong from Kigonki features
eight tuned tongues on the face of the instrument that form a melodic scale, then eight matching resonating tongues on the back, which vibrate in response to the front, creating a rich, undulating sustain. This interaction produces a harmonious, hypnotic tremolo effect — waves of vibration that fill the space.  Often called “binaural beats,” this is technically a monaural beat: two slightly different frequencies physically combine in the air before reaching your ears, creating a deep, immersive pulse.

Now watch this second video in which it's demonstrated how one solo player can work with the instruments of the Elemental Soundscapes Aria Collection together: