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!
Head Teachers Introduced to Outdoor Musical Instruments
Head teachers gave up a whole weekend of their precious leisure time to meet in Birmingham last weekend: why?
The NAHT Annual Conference is an opportunity for the UK’s leading educationalists to meet together and discuss and debate the current educational issues of real importance. It also provided the delegates with opportunities to network with each other and the conference sponsors.
One of the official sponsors of this year’s conference was Percussion Play distributor Pentagon Sport. Pentagon are experts in the design, supply and installation of outdoor learning environments and playgrounds in primary schools and nurseries across the UK. Visitors to the Pentagon stand were able to enjoy some of the instruments from Percussion Play and explore some rhythm on the Cadenza, generate some creativity, excitement and energy with the Congas and soothe away the stresses by playing the Babel Drum.
Pentagon wanted the opportunity to meet and engage with the conference delegates, to...
Strike a Chord with Diversity: Rainbow Sambas Shine in Election Season
Show Your True Colours This Election
In the spirit of the upcoming UK elections, Percussion Play has colored our most popular product, the Rainbow Sambas, in the colors of five major UK parties.
As Great Britain is now in the grip of election fever and as the public heads to the polls, we definitely don't want to use our blog as any political crusade and will remain apolitical. We will merely demonstrate that our drums are suitable whatever your political leanings!
And this multi-colored 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, and rhythm 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 characteristics....
Harmony in the Garden: How Outdoor Instruments Revitalized a Danish Senior Care Center
The Trollemose Senior Care Centre in Svendborg, Denmark is thrilled with the new outdoor musical instruments in their garden. Initially, the Care Centre wanted something new and interesting for the residents to enjoy in the garden. This led them to discover outdoor musical instruments.
Agnete Bille, the Section Manager at Trollemose Care Centre, expressed that these musical instruments have a special appeal that attracts people to them. The Care Centre, with the assistance of the Trollevenner Voluntary Association, acquired two outdoor xylophones and a drum from Percussion Play, Denmark. These instruments were strategically placed to be visible from the public path leading to the garden, allowing not only the residents but also neighbors and passers-by to engage with them. Agnete explained that the outdoor musical instruments serve as a focal point for bringing people together.
The care center's closest neighbor, Poppellunden Nursery, and other nearby nurseries' children frequently...
Percussion Play Back ‘Made In Britain’ Campaign
Percussion Play, based in the heart of Hampshire, has joined the Made in Britain Campaign, an initiative started in 2011 to support and promote British manufacturing in the UK and overseas. The Made in Great Britain marque is accredited to businesses which sell goods that have been manufactured in Great Britain and is managed by a committee made up of MDs and CEOs of UK manufacturing companies as well as other supporters of British manufacturing.
Percussion Play have been creating outdoor musical instruments in Hampshire since 2008. It is still a family run business and they sell to customers all over the world and through selected quality distributors across the UK too.
Percussion Play Managing Director, Jody Ashfield said, “It’s a source of immense pride that we can say that all of our products are manufactured in the UK. We’re delighted to show our on-going commitment to UK manufacturing by joining a campaign that truly identifies British made products. By passing the criteria...
Boscombe Pier Unveils Musical Trail: A Symphony by the Sea at Britain’s Coolest Pier
The resort of Boscombe lies just to the east of Bournemouth on the beautiful Dorset coast and will soon be home to the UK’s first multi-purpose Coastal Activity Park. Launching on the 12th and 13th of April, the Park will offer a range of new leisure opportunities both on land and at sea for residents and visitors to Boscombe Beach.
Percussion Play was asked to produce a musical trail along the Pier. Originally built in 1888, this is a pier that has seen both good and hard times. Having remained derelict for a number of years it reopened in 2008 following extensive renovation. Boscombe Pier is not the longest, shortest, or oldest, but it has become known as Britain’s coolest. Now visitors will be able to take a stroll along to the end of Boscombe pier, see the surfers, take some photos and share some music making together whilst enjoying the sea air!
The trail consists of Bell Lyre, Harmony, Babel Drum, Tubular Bells and Tembos as well as some bespoke ‘Seaside Chimes’ –...
Papilio Outdoor Metallophone takes flight!
Percussion Play are delighted to introduce a new metallophone into their range of outdoor musical instruments. The Papilio is our largest single instrument, yet as the pictures show its suitable for all, from tiny tots to elders.
Firstly, why is it called Papilio? Papilio is Latin for Butterfly. The word Papilio was used as the genus name or every known species of butterfly in the world. The shape of our Papilio outdoor musical instrument resembles a giant butterfly, hence the name.
What's a metallophone? Any musical instrument consisting of tuned metal bars that are struck to make a sound. The most recognised metallophone is the Glockenspiel and relatives of the glock include the saron, bell lyre, fangxiang and the gender. Metallophones have been played in eastern Asia for more than 1,000 years and were first mentioned in Europe in the middle of the 18th century.
How does it work? The 32 tuned metal keys are anodised aluminium tubes, suspended by...