Wherever you travel in the world, one common love unites everything; music. Here at Knock On Wood we celebrate that universal love and the power music has to explain and celebrate cultures, to bring people together, to educate and to simply spread joy. Our website illustrates our love of music band also the variety of ways in which it enriches our lives.
So whether you are learning a new skill, developing a current one or just playing something for the sheer love of it, we have something for you. We have musical instruments for kids, but also percussion instruments, stringed instruments, wind instruments and a wide selection of drums from African drums to Samba drums for all ages and levels of expertise.
So whether you are learning a new skill, developing a current one or just playing something for the sheer love of it, we have something for you. We have musical instruments for kids, but also percussion instruments, stringed instruments, wind instruments and a wide selection of drums from African drums to Samba drums for all ages and levels of expertise.
Services
Knock on Wood is a company of musicians and music enthusiasts originally established in 1980. We are a business run by musicians for musicians, so whether you need a top quality djembe drum, a handmade xylophone, a sweet toned kalimba, a noseflute or a complete Brazilian samba kit we have played it, compared it, taken it to pieces and put it back together again!
There's a bewildering array of instruments out there and it's difficult online to make choices you can be confident in without having the instruments right in front of you. We've tried to strike a good balance between quality and value. Rock bottom prices can sometimes mean rock bottom quality - drums with thin skins, the wrong rope or unseasoned shells, or poorly made instruments which last a couple of weeks and then surrender.
When we first started supplying samba instruments in 1980, they were a bit of a curiosity in the U.K., but now everyone's at it! And quite right too. What better way to involve all ages and abilities in a glorious rhythmic celebration.
From Cornwall to the North of Scotland, samba schools, community groups and school bands are beating the living daylights, with varying degrees of subltety, out of surdos, repeniques, caixas, agogos, tamborims and timbals.No street party, no carnival and no parade is complete without it's bateria of enthusiasts playing (often home grown) versions of batucada, maracatu, afoxe and samba reggae rhythms.
From Cornwall to the North of Scotland, samba schools, community groups and school bands are beating the living daylights, with varying degrees of subltety, out of surdos, repeniques, caixas, agogos, tamborims and timbals.No street party, no carnival and no parade is complete without it's bateria of enthusiasts playing (often home grown) versions of batucada, maracatu, afoxe and samba reggae rhythms.
The caixa is the snare drum used in Brazilian samba percussion, providing driving rhythms which push the music forward and make it swing. Some have familiar snare wires on the bottom drum head and others use a thicker wire snare, or wound guitar string on the playing head. Names such as Caixa, Caixa de Guerra, Tarol and Malacacheta cover the range of samba snare drums.
The cuica produces its mad, monkey like rhythmic sound by means of a thin bamboo stick attached to a drum head which is, in turn, mounted on a drum shell. The player rubs the stick with a piece of damp cloth and applies varying pressure to the drum head creating the characteristic almost human wailing sound.
Reviews (14)
Lisa Rowley
Feb 01, 2022
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Vicente Gannam
Jan 02, 2021
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Would not recommend them, very expensive product, stopped working properly shortly after purchase, and when i sent an email looking for a solution, no one responded. Bought a rain sound column, supposed to go on for nine minutes. A few months later, it stopped after two or three minutes, and even when going for a few minutes more, it became faint, the sound is barely audible. Poor product and poor customer service. What a bad combination.
George Wallis
Dec 03, 2019
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Kay Louise Turner
Oct 15, 2019
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Absolutely fantastic showroom - full of high quality instruments and percussion. I went for a Remo drum. I connected immediately with the first one I was shown and am so pleased with its quality and sound. I also came home with the most beautiful looking and sounding wind gong. A surprise purchase which I am overjoyed with. I used it this… weekend when facilitating a Wellbeing Retreat Day. The guests said it had a profound impact on them energetically. Knock on Wood is a gem of a place, the staff are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. I thoroughly recommend. Good wishes, Kay Turner Another
Chris Smith
Sep 21, 2019
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J. Starling
Jul 21, 2019
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Kim Cullinane
Jun 04, 2019
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I just received my 16" Shamanic painted drum from Knock on Wood. It's amazing, lovely deep sound. Very good drum for the price. Delivery was efficient and drum was really well packaged. I had ordered a… smaller 12" one previously before I saw the 16" one and Andy from Knock on Wood promptly refunded my first order and got the drum I wanted shipped out super fast. Thank you Andy, fantastic service!
Katie Fletcher
May 14, 2019
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Karen Villa
Mar 06, 2019
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Soulstar
Oct 01, 2018
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Ideally it would have been better for to go to the Leeds shop and select a djembe, but I was unable to do this. So I rang and the guy was friendly patient, taking me through all the options ... even selected a Kambala hat for the drum which beautifully matches the ring material. This is a quality Afroton djembe 10x20" and ethically sourced. Delivery exceptionally easy.
Mark Watson
Aug 14, 2018
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My partner and I have just visited their showroom out at Summerbridge, and we were absolutely blown away. The guy that we saw was extremely friendly and helpful, and we came away with everything we had been… looking for, plus a few extra bits. Everything they stock is of the highest quality, and I'm sure we'll be purchasing from them again in the future. A wonderful experience, thank you so much :-)
Adam Piggott
May 31, 2018
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Milena Szabo
May 30, 2018
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Serge Sergiou
Sep 10, 2017
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