Living in a tiny house doesn’t mean giving up music. Several instruments work well in small spaces, from hand drums to steel tongue drums to digital options. The key is choosing instruments that are compact, store easily, and won’t overwhelm your neighbors with volume.
Djembe Hand Drums
The djembe (pronounced JEM-bay) is a West African hand drum with a goatskin drumhead. It’s a popular choice for small space living because it requires no additional equipment, stores upright in a corner, and can be played at varying volumes. Derek “DEEK” Diedricksen of Relaxshacks has recommended these for tiny house dwellers.
Video: Solo Djembe Performance
PANArt Hang Drums
The hang drum was invented in Switzerland in 2000. These handmade instruments produce ethereal, melodic tones and are completely acoustic. They’re difficult to acquire and expensive (often $5,000+ on the secondary market) because PANArt produces them by hand in limited quantities.
Video: Hang Drum Performance by Dante Bucci
Steel Tongue Drums
Steel tongue drums offer a similar sound to hang drums at a fraction of the cost. These instruments have cut-out “tongues” in a steel shell that produce different notes when struck. They’re available in various sizes and price ranges, making them accessible for tiny house musicians.
Compact Instrument Options
- Djembe: Hand drum, stores upright, $50-$300
- Steel Tongue Drum: Melodic percussion, compact, $50-$250
- Hang Drum: Handmade Swiss instrument, rare, $5,000+
- Ukulele: Small stringed instrument, wall-mountable
- Harmonica: Pocket-sized, no storage issues
- Violin/Viola: Case stores under bed or in closet
- Flute/Clarinet: Compact case, quiet practice options
- Acoustic Guitar: Wall mount or corner storage
- Digital Options: GarageBand and similar software turn laptops into full studios
Tips for Musicians in Tiny Spaces
- Choose Instruments with Volume Control: Hand drums, electronic keyboards with headphone jacks, and muted string instruments work well when neighbors are close
- Use Wall Storage: Guitars, ukuleles, and violins can hang on walls as both storage and decoration
- Consider Digital Alternatives: Software like GarageBand provides access to virtually any instrument through a computer
- Multi-Purpose Instruments Work Best: Instruments that don’t require amplifiers or additional equipment save space
- Acoustic Instruments Need No Power: Drums, guitars, and wind instruments work off-grid
Learn More
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Alex
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Thanks for the support for my music!
By the way, that post about how to get a Hang is pretty old. Try the Hang Wiki on wikipedia or visit hangblog.org and handpan.org for the latest info.
Also check pantheonsteel.com or bellart.es to see some viable alternatives to the Hang. There are also a wide variety of Steel Tongue Drums such as the Hapi drum and the Zen Tambour.
-Dante
Hey Dante–When I saw the video of you playing I was instantly intrigued by the instrument. Looking forward to learning to play someday.
I just downloaded your album from CDNow and am enjoying it right now.
Thanks for coming by and leaving us with those updated links. I’ll update the post w/ them so others can click.