Welcome to the Percussion Play Blog
We hope you'll be a regular visitor as we share stories about the instruments we make and the people who play them.
This is where we share our passion for music in the great outdoors! We'll share with you details of exciting new outdoor music projects and designs from around the globe. We'll share with you information about the instruments we sell and a little about the inspiration behind them
Most importantly, this blog is about what we love to do the most - help you create new and exciting ways to bring music to the great outdoors.
Thank you for reading, visiting, commenting and contributing - we’re excited to have you here!
Rain, rain, go away but first let's play a little music
We had several visitors come to Percussion Play towers yesterday. They’d come along to see and play our outdoor musical instruments and so in preparation we bought a selection of instruments out onto our sunny courtyard, ready to be admired and enjoyed. Then it started to rain, really rain and it did not stop - a right British downpour. Not a problem for the outdoor musical instruments, they’re built to withstand the elements and will produce a great sound whatever the weather, especially the rain. Let’s be honest, here in the UK we’re not exactly blessed with the sunniest of climates, in fact we are known for attracting a fair amount of rainfall pretty much all year round. So you either stay inside to avoid the showers or you face the weather full on, which is exactly what we did. We decided to defy the weather, donned some raincoats, grabbed umbrellas and went and had some creative musical fun in the rain.
In fact, with rain showers comes inspiration. The weather can undoubtedly...
5 Reasons Music Education Is Important
- Music education should be a part of general education in everybody’s life. Scientists say that children who are exposed to music, or those who play an instrument, do better in school than those who don't.
- Music can be connected to many other subject areas. Through exploring music students can find natural connections to mathematics, science, reading, writing, and performing arts.
- Children learn in many different ways. Music allows them to express themselves in a unique way, which motivates their learning and helps build their self-confidence.
- Music is a universal language. It helps children connect to other cultures and understand the world around them.
- It's fun! Playing a musical instrument relieves stress. Have you ever noticed that when you hear soft, soothing music you feel more relaxed? Playing an instrument can do that and more, especially if you're the one playing. Music is one of life's simple joys; it helps calm the mind.
Outdoor Music Therapy and Interactive Music Making
Music Therapy Week is a week of campaigning to help raise awareness of how music therapy can improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our communities across the UK.
Donald Wetherick, Chair of the British Association for Music Therapy and Nordoff Robbins Music Therapist says,
“All over the UK professional music therapists are helping vulnerable people to overcome difficulties in communication, interaction, participation and development, through the skilled use of music. Music Therapy Week is an opportunity to celebrate this work, find out more about music therapy in your area, and raise awareness of the potential of music therapy to make a difference to people's lives. Please support MTW in whatever way you can”.
Outdoor musical instruments should not be overlooked when considering music therapy. Firstly, simply being outdoors immerses us in a very specific ‘musical' environment, whether or not we are aware of the music. Birdsong, bees buzzing along with...
Music Making For Dementia Awareness Week and #DoSomethingNew
In support of Dementia Awareness Week 2015 and the #DoSomethingNew campaign, Percussion Play teamed up with a local Care Home, East Hill in Hampshire for a little participant-led music making session outside in the garden. Percussion Play took along a small selection of their outdoor musical instruments for a morning of musical fun in the sun with the residents.
Percussion Play Director Robin Ashfield said “We belief music making outdoors has a unique magic not only for older residents but for the whole community of a care home, including visitors, family and staff. We wanted to be part of this special week and show there is nothing like music to bring people together.”
The aim of Dementia Awareness Week is to improve understanding of Dementia and overcoming stigma through local events and activities. Dementia is rapidly becoming the health and social care challenge of the 21st century. Numbers affected are set to soar because of an expanding older population. There is...
Rainbow Sambas Outdoor Drums With Election Fever
Show Your True Colours This Election
In the spirit of the upcoming UK elections Percussion Play have coloured our most popular product - the Rainbow Sambas - in the colours of five major UK parties.
As Great Britain is now in the grip of election fever and as the public head to the polls we definitely don’t want to use our blog as any sort of political crusade and will remain apolitical, merely demonstrating that our drums are suitable whatever your political leanings!
And this multi-coloured set is sure to strike a chord with the floating voter.
About Rainbow Sambas Outdoor Drums Rainbow Sambas are tuned, fully functional musical instruments and not just playground equipment. Movement, timing, rhythm, these are the very basis of drumming and studies have shown that a child's sense of timing—that is, the ability to feel and express a steady beat—has a dramatic effect on speech flow, motor skills, sporting ability, and other important developmental...
Danish Care Home Residents Musical Garden
Article from PLEJE (CARE) Magazine: New Notes at the Care Centre
Trollemose Care Centre in Svendborg, Denmark are delighted with the new outdoor musical instruments they now have in their garden.
Originally, the Care Centre was looking for something new and interesting for the residents to look at in the garden. But then they heard about outdoor musical instruments.
“There’s something very special about these musical instruments that attracts people to them. You simply can’t resist walking up to them and striking them just to hear the sound that comes out of them” says Section Manager at Trollemose Care centre, Agnete Bille.
And with help from the Trollevenner Voluntary Association, who applied for money from the Municipality’s funding pool for ‘the prevention of loneliness among the elderly’, they bought two outdoor xylophones and a drum from Percussion Play, Denmark.
The instruments are strategically placed so that they can be clearly seen from the public...