A drum made according to shamanic traditions
We continue the Altai tradition of drum making. The study of historical instruments, the craft of our makers and the experience of how our drums live in the modern world shape ALTAU’s approach today.
Materials, proportions, hide preparation and frame construction form a single design. We create an instrument to live with: to play music, work with sound, meditate or find your own way of using it.
Discover the drum →One drum.One story.One life.
We make a drum with a long life alongside its owner in mind. Natural, deliberately simple, with its own story of creation.
It brings together centuries of drum-making tradition, our experience of how drums sound, change and live in different hands and climates today, and the adaptations we make for modern life.
More about the drum →
Cedar and maral hide
The cedar frame is assembled by hand from individual pieces of wood. Work on the sound begins with the wooden frame: its depth, construction and shape. A precise circle helps distribute the tension of the stretched hide.
Maral hide is prepared as rawhide. The living, untanned membrane responds to moisture and warmth; as its tension changes, so does the drum’s voice. Each instrument retains the material’s natural shades and texture.
Explore the drum’s construction →An unpainted membrane
The maker creates the instrument; its owner determines its personal appearance. We hand over the drum with an unpainted membrane, continuing this Altai principle. You can keep its natural surface or, over time, add what holds meaning for you.
The work of the workshop
Frame making, hide preparation, assembly and the leather case are the work of makers specialising in those crafts. Specialisation allows each part of the instrument to receive its own attention.
Checks accompany the making: parts are inspected as they pass to the next stage; after the membrane is stretched, the drum dries and rests. During this time, it is observed and its membrane is cared for. A final inspection takes place before packing and dispatch. ALTAU is responsible for the finished instrument and the complete set.
About the workshop →- 01Gathering materials in autumn and winter
- 02Making and inspecting the frames
- 03Preparing and stretching the membraneIn parallel: beaters
- 04Drying
- 05Inspection, resting, observation and care
- 06Transport and time in new surroundings
- 07Final inspection before packing and dispatch
Experience and geography
We have worked with Altai drums since 2009. The project’s history includes more than 300 instruments: drums by different makers and those of our own making. Selection, work to our requirements, making and the drums’ subsequent lives with their owners shape ALTAU’s experience.
The gallery brings together work from different years. The map shows the cities to which drums have been sent. We keep records of the instruments; photographs and their owners’ accounts continue their stories.
The complete set
The drum, a handmade leather case, three beaters and an instrument passport.
The case accompanies the drum in storage and on its travels. The beaters allow you to discover different shades of its sound. The passport preserves the instrument’s connection with the workshop.
Explore the complete set →
Large vibration drums
Rare sizesIndividual works of the workshop, whose size is determined by a suitable large membrane. The maker selects a frame to fit it, and a case is made for the finished instrument. You can choose a drum that has already been made.
Explore the large drums →Buy an ALTAU drum
Our principal drum can be purchased ready-made or made after payment. Availability, the time until receipt and delivery are agreed with you personally.
New drums from the workshop
Leave your email — we will let you know when drums become available, including rare large sizes.