NEW! Steel Tongue Drums

Read more...

HIGH SPIRIT POCKET FLUTES

This smaller version of the high spirit flutes are great for travelers and beginners. Made out of cedar, spanish cedar and walnut.

SEAPOD SHAKER WRIST BAND

Artesanal sea pod seed shakers attached to a wrist band, great for dancers and world music performers.

WRIST BAND BELLS

Small and colorful wrist bands with bells for any child to make beautiful ringing sounds by just moving their arms!

DOUBLE SHAKERS

Wooden double chamber shakers perfect for professional and casual musicians.

SINGING MAGNETS

This very unique looking magnetized stone can achieve the most amazing sounds as it flies through the air or made into a bracelet. It’s capabilities go beyond imaginable!

ANIMAL GUIRO’S

This wooden instrument croaks as the back is rubbed back and forth or have a clave type feature if strum to resonate.                  

FREE RIDE BONGOS

Small sized bongos with a big sound! Great for traveling musicians.

MAJORA’S MASK OCARINA

Based on the game Majora’s Mask from the Legend of Zelda series, this pocket sized mask shaped ocarina works as properly tested by our staff!              

HOBBIT OCARINA

Hobbit ocarina from Lord of the Rings series. Fully functional ceramic made.

ANIMAL OCARINAS

Assorted ceramic properly functioning ocarinas!

POCKET SHAKERS

This shakers are designed to fit in your pockets to start a beat anytime!

LEGEND OF ZELDA OCARINA

Based on the famous video game ‘Legend of Zelda’, this ceramic replica completely resembles the original sounds and includes a book with all the songs!               Plastic version also available with the same accuracy on notes!

ELVEN OCARINA LOTR

This beautiful looking ocarina is based on the elven culture of the renown Lord of the Rings series.

ANGRY BIRDS OCARINAS

Based on the well know video game “Angry Birds”, this peculiar looking characters are fully functional ocarinas!

BRAZILIAN CUICA

This unique instrument is used mostly to accompany samba rhythms. It’s cylindrical, alum based body allows sound to escape at the bottom; and the tight skin connected to a wooden stick which is rubbed with wet hands to produce the sound.

Feng Gong

The Feng Gong, also known as the Wind Gong, is a narrow brass gong. It’s wind-like sound is wispy and haunting when played quietly. When played loudly the sound if bright and powerful. Made from B-20 bronze, they range from 6 inches to 40 inches in diameter.

Chao Gongs

We have large and small Chao Gongs from 10 inches in diameter to 52 inches in diameter. These gongs come directly from highest quality fair trade manufacturers in China. Each of our gongs are carefully played and listened to before being selected for our store. These gongs are are the most familiar Chinese gong to […]

Norman Reedus, Actor

The talented and wonderful Norman Reedus from the hit TV series the Walking Dead visits Gandharva Loka World Music in Vancouver and takes a selfie with staff member Chidroopa.

Max Greening – Recording Artist and Film Maker

Max Greening, local ambient music recording artist and film maker, sees Gandharva Loka and our Sound Journey workshops as a source of inspiration.  Max says:   "If you ever get a chance to attend one of Gandharva Loka's Sound Journeys, you should absolutely go! I was blown away by the beautiful sounds that filled the […]

David Sheftel and his new Caisa

David Sheftel, Certified Canadian Parent Educator from Cowichan, BC says:  "I had been looking for a caisa drum since I saw one being played at a recent conference. Online and in local stores I was told that these drums were nearly impossible to get, so I was so surprised and happy to find one at […]

Premik Russell Tubbs, internationally renowned flutist and saxaphonist

Premik Russell Tubbs, one of the world's greatest jazz flutist and saxaphonist performs at Gandharva Loka for our September 9th "Music, Meditation and Mantra" workshop.  He says:  "I am still dancing from the blissful experience I had in Gandharva Loka.  It was like arriving on heaven's doorstep.  What an amazing shop and what an incredible team!  I am […]

Pranika and Nishhta Baum

Pranika and Nishta Baum, sister restaurateurs from Annam Brahma in New York City visit Gandharva Loka and display their new t-shirts.  Pranika, who is recovering from a brain injury and craniotomy tried out the sound cradle and says: "I have been undergoing a wide variety of medical treatments to help me recover from my brain […]

Daniel Mejia and his wonderful daughter Tessa

Daniel Mejia, Lead Digital Compositor at the Rhythm & Hues Studio here in Vancouver, and one of the Academy Award winners for the special effects in Life of Pi with his daughter Tessa.  Daniel is a regular at Gandharva Loka and says:  " When I find myself in need of inspiration, I come to Gandharva […]

Carlos Mett from Mexico

"Thank for being my happy place and heaven this year. I'll miss you all!!"

Stuart and Wendy Harper

Stuart and Wendy Harper, the proud new owners of a Sound Cradle – Washington DC, USA

Actor, Manu Bennet

Manu Bennett, actor and star of the TV series Arrow, and his Luna bazouki – Vancouver, BC

Jacob and his ocarina

"Hi, I bought a $9 ocarina from your store in early May, and I've got to say it's one of the best buys ever! For a plastic ocarina it doesn't sound bad and I've been playing it almost every day since my purchase. Thank you very much!" ~ Jakob Kubke  

Mr. and Mrs. Li: happy new Sound Cradle owners

"This instrument is absolutely unique!" Mr and Mrs Li, the happy new owners of a Sound Cradle – Surrey, BC, Canada

Adam and his new spacedrum!

"This is the most incredible, resonant instrument I have ever played. When I close my eyes and listen to its tones, it takes me to another planet completely while firmly grounding me here. Simply awesome! Thank you so much." ~Adam Bagatavicius

Jack Johnson, Singer and Song writer

Jack Johnson, Musician and Song Writer visits Gandharva Loka New Zealand.

HAPI Drums

Somewhat of a combination between the hand pan and the African log drum, these instruments, like log drums, are most often played with a pair of mallets. These come in a range of tunings, colours, and sizes.  We also stock magnets for re-tuning these drums, as well as bags.  All models come with a pair […]

Harmonium

Harmoniums have keys like the piano and a bellows that is pumped with one hand. The sound is created by the air streaming through tuned metal reeds. Depending on the type of harmonium, there are registers for lower and higher pitch, for doubling the octaves, regulation of the volume, vibrato and various bordunes. Indian harmoniums […]

Kalimba

The kalimba family of instruments is uniquely African and appears to have been invented twice! A wood or bamboo-tined kalimba appeared on the west coast of Africa some 3,000 years ago, and metal-tined lamellophones appeared in the Zambezi River valley around 1,000 years ago. Also known as the thumb piano, the kalimba is held with […]

Lithophone

A beautiful granite and wood xylophone – Gandharva Loka stocks fair trade lithophones made in Pondicherry, India available in 6, 7, 8 and 9 note scales.  The light and deeply resonating notes of this instrument make it a perfect accompaniment from sound healing or and additional unique chime like tone to any musical composition.

Mouth Harp

The mouth Harp has been used for centuries in almost every culture on earth. This explains the astonishing number of about 400 types, as each country and each region created its own typical style. The variety of names speaks up for itself – there are several hundred names for this simple instrument, but there is […]

Sansula

Sansulas have a richer, more mellow and resonant sound than that of the traditional kalimba which they are based upon. The metal bars are produced precisely and are tuned to A minor with additional tunings in B and F. If you hold the sansula on your lap or over an even surface you can create […]

Sen-Plates

This is a new instrument from Germany consisting of six metal plates. The inherent sound of the metal can be expressed perfectly with the special tuning technique of sen-plates. Each tone can sound soft or powerful according to the intensity and the way the plate is struck. A special timbre is created by the corresponding […]

Shruti Boxes

Drone instruments are an important staple of Indian traditional music, and so when the harmonium began to be used in India, a small version without a keyboard was developed in order to provide accompaniment. For those looking for a drone accompaniment to singing, this is a perfect choice. They are available in both their classic […]

Tuning Forks

Tuning forks available in various notes for tuning instruments.

Waterphone

Waterphones (also known as Ocean Harps) were originally invented and developed by Richard Waters, an American artist, sculptor, inventor and musician, who drew inspiration for the instrument from such instruments as the Tibetan water drum and the African kalimba. The waterphone is a type of atonal acoustic musical instrument consisting of a metal resonator bowl […]

Wah Wah Tubes

Wah Wah Tubes are simple aluminium tubular bells that produce a long-lasting sound that is rich in overtones. A fascinating 'wah-wah' effect can be created by opening and closing the small opening. Wah Wah Tubes are simple aluminium tubular bells that produce a long-lasting sound that is rich in overtones. A fascinating 'wah-wah' effect can […]

Energy Chimes

A gentle stroke with the wooden striker is enough to produce from these energy chimes a pure, crystal clear tone which resonates for up to thirty seconds. The sound vibrations emitted by these energy chimes are rich in natural harmonics which are considered to be the healing elements of music. Gandharva Loka has energy chimes […]

Glockenspiel

A modern German xylophone utilizing metal keys. They have a beautiful chiming sound and can be played with rubber or wooden mallets.  Originally, it was a set of tuned bells, but the modern xylophone utilizes keys inspired by the Asian metallophone, and is now a popular orchestral instrument.  We offer high quality glockenspiels in a […]

Tube Glockenspiel

A beautiful Indian xylophone from Pondicherry, which utilizes tubes rather than flat keys, and therefore has a wonderfully resonant tone. Available in wood or metal in various sizes.

Xylophone

It is theorized that this instrument originated around 500 AD with a group of Malay-Polynesian peoples who migrated to Africa. From there, it spread throughout Eastern Africa and to Southern Asia, where versions with metal keys are particularly popular in Indonesia in Gamelan orchestras. It is played with wooden or rubber mallets and either chromatically […]

Log Drums

Similar to xylophones, these instruments are used throughout Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. In Africa, they are often used for long term communication. Traditionally, they are often constructed of a hollowed out log, with its ends covered, but they are also often constructed of wooden panels fitted together. To play, one strikes the tongues cut […]

Apitua, Grello, & Agogo

Apitua and Agogo are metal African bells. Grello are more like castanets as they are played on two of the fingers. All are usually made of iron and are percussion instruments used to establish and drive rhythm and to add texture and variety to music. They are distinctive and provide a strong cutting metallic sound […]

Bird and Fish Trident

Our bird and fish tridents are fun percussion instruments that are great value for money because they double as a guiro and a wood block with three different tones. They are well made and very cute! Appealing and quite suitable for children.

Cabasa

The cabasa is a percussion instrument of African origin that is constructed with loops of steel ball chain wrapped around a wide cylinder. The cylinder is fixed to a long, narrow wooden or plastic handle. It provides a metallic, rattling sound when shaken or twisted, similar to the sound of a rattlesnake. The cabasa is […]

Castanets

Caxixi

Caxixi (pronounced ka-shee-shee) are a percussive musical instrument of African origin that became popular in Brazil as a accompaniment to the berimbau in Capoeira. In West Africa it is used by singers and often alongside drummers. They are similar, in many ways, to maracas. Caxixi consist of a woven cane basket with a hard gourd […]

Claves

Claves are a percussion instrument made up of two short pieces of wood which are played against each other producing a sharp cutting sound. They are traditionally made from good hardwoods but some modern producers will even use fiberglass or plastic. When played they are held with the non dominant hand cupped underneath one of […]

Cuica

A Brazilian friction drum, is synonymous with the sound of fun and laughter that one would experience at a Brazilian carnival. The cuica is often used in samba music and is a wonderfully simple instrument. It is made from a small drum with a stick mounted in the middle of the skin. One plays by […]

Damroo

The damroo (also known as the 'monkey talking drum') is a two sided Indian percussion instrument that is shaped like an hour glass. Gandharva Loka generally stocks three sizes the smallest if which is 8cm high by 9cm in diameter (a good size for children) and the largest being 15cm high by 10cm in diameter. […]

Devil Chaser

Also known as a Frog Caller, this novel and fun instrument consists of a small wooden drum with a hide skin. Through the skin passes a nylon line which is loosely attached to a resin coated groove in a wooden stick. The attached handle is pulled taught and tweaked to create a loud rasping sound […]

Guiros

The guiro is a percussion instrument commonly used throughout Latin-America. Originally created using a gourd, modern models are made from both wood and plastic. The guiro has ridges cut into the surface of it. One typically holds the guiro in one hand and plays it by rubbing a stick up and down over the ridges. […]

Kokoriko

Gandharva Loka stocks hand-made wooden clackers with handles that are carved as dolphins or geckos. These eighteen blade wooden clackers offer a warm and natural tone. Clackers play a crucial role in both traditional and contemporary music that requires a strong percussive rhythm section.

Shakers

We have wooden eggs, wooden balls, plastic eggs, maracas, talking shakers, caxixi, shakers on a stick, and a variety of plastic, metal and wooden shakers. The colourful plastic egg shakers, as in the red one pictured on the right side of the image, are excellent for young children.

Shekere

The shekere is a percussive instrument of West Africa origin. It is made of dried gourds of various sizes that are covered with nets that have colourful beads or shells woven into them. Throughout the African continent there are similar gourd and bead or gourd and seed percussion instruments that have various names and decoration. […]

Singing Saw

At the beginning of the 20th century, blacksmiths did not have any way to test the degree of steel's hardness when it had been in the fire. What he did was to strike the steel with a hammer. When it produced a particular long lasting tone, the hardness was deemed correct. Carl Feldmann was a […]

Televi Shaker

Considered a children’s toy in Ghana, the televi, aslatua, or patica is a rhythmic/percussive instrument that is traditionally made from two small gourds filled with beans that are connected by a short piece of braided sting. With a pair in each hand – one gourd being cupped in the palm while the other being free […]

Vibraslap

The vibraslap is a percussion instrument consisting of a piece of stiff wire that is bent into a U shape and connects a wood ball to a hollow wooden box that contains small pieces of metal. The percussionist holds the metal wire in one hand and strikes the ball with the free hand. The box […]

Animal Guiros

Guiros originating in Thailand in the shape of various animals. They are made of wood, and come with a wooden mallet.

Anklung

An ancient Indonesian instrument made of bamboo, which was an important ceremonial instrument in Java's Hindu period. They are able to play only one note, and thus are played in large orchestras.

Egg Shakers

Egg shaped shakers in either wood, plastic, or rawhide available in various sizes. $4.25

Elephant

A sweet little elephant shaped wooden flute, which when played produces a high squeak, much like the call of an elephant calf.

Forest Devil

Also known as a Frog Caller, this novel and fun instrument consists of a small wooden drum with a hide skin. Through the skin passes a nylon line which is loosely attached to a resin coated groove in a wooden stick. The attached handle is pulled taught and tweaked to create a loud rasping sound […]

Jingle Sticks

This is a cute percussion instrument with a colourful wooden handle and a funny face that comes in in two designs. Five bells are fixed with studs to a strap and the novelty toy jingles cheerily when shaken. This kind of toy is a great way to introduce music and rhythm in a playful, fun […]

Maracas

Maracas (also known as rumba shakers and, in Trinidad, shac-shacs) have their origins in Puerto Rico, Cuba, Colombia, Guatemala and are also associated with several nations in the Caribbean Islands. Clay maracas have been found that were used by the natives of Colombia some 1500 years ago. Maracas are a simple percussion instrument that are […]

Owl

An owl shaped whistle, which comes in three different sizes and produces a sweet owl hoot when blown.

Sound Shapes

Sound Shapes are high-quality, affordable percussion instruments that are perfect for the home, classroom or daycare center – children love them! They come in a variety of geometric shapes and cool sounds that are as vibrant as their colors. They range in size, colour, and shape but all have a great sound. Sound shapes can […]

Spoons

The spoons are a percussion instrument that originated in Ireland as 'bones' – literally the convex sides of a pair of sheep rib bones that were rattled together. In more recent times 'playing the bones' has developed into 'playing the spoons'. A pair of desert spoons (or similar) are held with concave sides facing out […]

Tambourine

The tambourine is at once an ancient instrument and one of the most common and best known instruments in the world today. It has been used in a wide range of music genre over the centuries. The tambourine consists of a wood or plastic frame with pairs of small metal discs, known as 'zils', mounted […]

Triangles

The triangle is an idiophone type of musical instrument in the percussion family. It is a bar of metal, usually steel but sometimes other metals such as beryllium copper, bent into a triangle shape. One of the angles is left open, with the ends of the bar not quite touching. The instrument is usually held […]

Twittering Birds

These sweet clay bird shaped whistles can be filled with water to create amazingly lifelike bird noises! Also available in plastic.

Pellet Drum

Used in East Asia both for ceremonial purposes (in Mongolia) and as children's toys in many other places, these small percussion instruments are either made entirely of wood, or of a wooden frame with animal skin stretched over it. The drum is played by rolling the stick between the palms or rotating it between the […]

Bell Tree

A bell tree is a percussive instrument consisting of vertically nested inverted metal bowls. The bowls are fixed to a vertical rod and are arranged inexactly in order of pitch. An effective ascending or descending glissando is accomplished by sliding a metal beater up or down the tree. When a glissando is played, the inexactness […]

Flexatone

The flexatone was invented in the 1920s. It is a percussion instrument that consists of a small flexible metal sheet suspended in a wire frame that also makes up the handle. Two wooden knobs are mounted on strips of spring steel and attached on each side of the metal sheet. The player holds the flexatone […]

Qi-Gong Balls

A melodious fitness device for all hands that need relaxation! In China where the ancient art of healing has been cultivated for many ages, Qi-Gong Balls are a widely used means of relaxing the nerves and to develop the flexibility of the fingers. The trick is to spin two balls in one hand without letting […]

Rain Stick

The rain stick comes from the Atacama Desert in Chile and is a truly natural instrument. Rain sticks are made from a particular type of cactus which, when it dies, is dried out. The thorns are then cut off and pushed back into the dried cactus branch so that the pointed tips of the thorns […]

Shaman Rattle

Shaman rattles are traditionally made from various materials including wood, turtle shells, snake skin, rawhide, gourds and coconuts and filled with items such as corn seeds, teeth and shards of bone or crystal, and shells (which they are also sometimes decorated with, along with feathers and fur). They are used for ritualistic purposes among Shamanic cultures […]

Temple Block

Temple blocks are traditionally used to serve as a beat for chants in Buddhist ceremonies. One can also use them with a lot of flexibility as the different sizes and tones produce a wonderfully array of sounds. Temple blocks are generally played as a set on a stand but they can also be held and […]

Chinese Temple Bell

The sounds of bells have comforted man in time of despair, warned him of impending danger, and accompanied him in battle and in revelry. Bells have also been used as part of spiritual and religious ceremony in diverse cultures world wide. Chinese temple bells that are available at Gandharva Loka are heavy cast iron bells […]

Yak Mule Bells

Hand beaten metal bells traditionally used for animals in Eurasia and Africa, they also make excellent and unique percussion instruments.

Alchemy Singing Bowls

Crystal bowls made using various combinations of metals and semi-precious stones (such as gold, platinum, silver, and various beryls). Beautifully coloured and very finely tuned with an incredibly powerful sound.  They are also available in both transluscent and opaque models.

Atlantean Wands

The Atlantean wand is essentially a crystal bowl with a handle, which makes it all the more easy to play, as you do not have to worry about accidentally dulling the resonance with your hand. They are made of various semi-precious stones and are extremely resonant, like the rest of the crystal bowls.

Crystal Singing Bowls

These remarkable singing bowls made of heated quartz poured into a mould and allowed to cool – very precisely tuned and extremely resonant.  Their sound is extremely powerful and the bowls are designed to resonate at a very physiological deep level.  

Elephant Bells

Elephant bells were originally hung on the sides of elephants to warn others of the animal's approach. They are made of bronze and come in five different sizes.

Gunghroo

Ghungroos (also spelt ghunghroo or ghunghru) are sets of many small metallic bells strung together to form a musical anklet that is strapped to the feet of Indian classical dancers. Ghungroos serve to accentuate the rhythmic aspects of Indian classical dance and allow complex footwork to be heard by the audience. The sounds produced by […]

Hand Hammered Singing Bowls

These beautiful bowls are made in traditional fashion in Nepal, and their ever so slightly uneven surface gives them an incredible harmonic range; meaning that you will hear multiple notes at one time.  We offer them in an emormous range of sizes, and the individuality of each bowl means that each bowl has a completely […]

Temple Bell

Tibetan temple bells are made of brass and have two main aspects: the ringing of the bell; the singing bowl aspect where a wooden stick is drawn around the rim of the bell to create the constant singing bowl tone. An important part of Tibetan Buddhism, these temple bells are ornately decorated and everything about […]

Tingsha

Tibetan temple cymbals (also known as tingsha, Tin Shas, temple chimes and hand cymbals) are small metal cymbals used in prayer and rituals by Tibetan Buddhist practitioners. The cymbals are joined together by a leather strap and, when struck together, they producing a crystal clear, high pitched ringing tone. Tibetan temple cymbals are very thick […]

Hand Bell Sets

Charming little sets of plastic bells for children tuned to major scales. They are available in sets of 8, 12, and 20, and come in various shapes and sizes.

Cow Bells

Finely made cow bells, sold singly or in sets, which are an excellent addition to drum sets.

Soundwave

The soundwave is an ingenious combination of two instruments built into a comfortable platform which the recipient of the sound therapy experience lies upon. On one side is a large and sonorous tongue drum (grounding, rhythmic, integration, structure). The notes of the with four wooden tongues are A, B, D and E. On the other […]

Jing Cymbals

Jing cymbals are traditional Chinese cymbals that come in a variety of sizes from hand-held to stand mounted. Jing cymbals are handmade and this gives them an authentic Asian sound with more overtones than the classical Western cymbals. Traditionally the smaller paires of cymbals are held in each hand and struck together with the stand […]

Autoharp

The Autoharp belongs to the Zither family, but has a sophisticated mechanism which makes it an easy string instrument to learn. In the beginning it might seem unusual to play, but soon proves to be simple. One hand operates with the help of a system of buttons and a number of buffers. So when playing […]

Balalika

The balalaika is a Russian instrument theorized to have been developed from certain Central Asian instruments. The first recorded mention of it is in a police file from the 17th century, and early illustrations from the 17th and 18th century portray it with anywhere from two to six strings. Nowadays, it generally has 3 strings, […]

Banjo

Instruments that lead to the development of the banjo were first fashioned by African slaves as equivalents of similar African instruments. Today, the banjo is most often associated with bluegrass, country, and Irish music. They can have 4 to 6 strings, and the body is fashioned of wood, with a piece of skin or plastic […]