The 5 Best Ocean Drums (2024) for a Soothing Sound

An Ocean Drum is a double-sided drum filled with small metal beads, which produce a nice, relaxing, and mellow sound of waves when moved around. Differing from the velocity of moving, you can get both very gentle wave sounds and also sounds of crashing waves. This is what gave them the name.

They have been used in all kinds of music, to provide the backing sounds with different percussion instruments. Even though they are a relatively new type of drum to start getting widespread traction, they are very popular and are being used in many different types of music situations, from music production to music therapy!

My top recommended ocean drum is the Meinl Percussion Sea Drum. This is a high-end and high-quality ocean drum from a great manufacturer.

My second recommended ocean drum is the Andoer Ocean Wave Bead Drum. This is an affordable option for those on a budget but of overall decent quality.

The 5 Best Ocean Drums (2024)

1. Meinl Percussion Sea Drum
Top Pick - High-end, high-quality drum with bead filling port.
2. Andoer Ocean Wave Bead Drum
Budget Pick - Low-end, affordable paper skin drum.
3. NINO Sea Drum
Transparent kids 10” ocean drum.
4. Yibuy Wave Bead Ocean Drum
Cheap, sturdy, and small ocean drum.
5. Remo Ocean Drum
Beautifully designed, quality ocean drum.

Let’s compare these in more detail.

1. Meinl Percussion Sea Drum

Top Pick
High-end, high-quality drum with bead filling port.
View Price at SweetwaterView Price at Amazon

Meinl is a famous name when it comes to percussion and it’s no wonder they also produce high-end ocean drums. Their drums are made out of hardwood shells, with good quality skins to provide this drum with the best sound possible.

These drums are available in different sizes, from 16 to 22 inches, so that they can be used as an addition to the drum sets or as separate drums independently.

Also, a great thing about them is that they have a sealable filling port. This means that you can change the number of beads in the drum easily, adjusting them to the sound you want to create. The sound of this thing is great, as you would expect. Because it has filling ports, this drum can also be used as a normal drum.

2. Andoer Ocean Wave Bead Drum

Budget Pick
Low-end, affordable paper skin drum.
View Price at Amazon

This is an affordable, nice little drum. Andoer Wave Bead Drum comes in two sizes – 8 and 10 inches in diameter. Compared to other drums available on the market, this is a bit of a smaller side, but it’s not a bad thing. The drum skin is made out of stretched paper, and it’s filled with metal beads.

The drum skin is not transparent, so you will not be able to watch the beads as they roll around the drum. However, the sound quality is good for such an affordably priced drum.

All in all, this is a nice, cheap, affordable ocean drum for people who are looking to get it as a starting point.

3. NINO Sea Drum

Compact
Transparent kids 10” ocean drum.
View Price at SweetwaterView Price at Amazon

The NINO Sea Drum is another small ocean drum. Coming in the 10-inch size, this drum is advertised as a kid-sized drum and fits that bill perfectly. The drum body is made out of hardwood, with transparent synthetic heads, filled with metal beads.

Because it’s transparent, it’s great to watch the beads moving around the drum creating sound. Also, it’s a lot easier to know what you’re doing if you have visual aids like looking at the beads.

Price-wise, it might not be as cheap as the others on this list, but you’re paying for great quality.

4. Yibuy Wave Bead Ocean Drum

Budget-friendly
Cheap, sturdy, and small ocean drum.
View Price at Amazon

Another affordable, lower-end product on this list. This 10” drum comes in one size, with a hardwood body and two different synthetic heads – one transparent and the other opaque.

The sound of this drum is very nice and you can play it as an ocean drum or hit it as a kind of snare drum. It can be used by kids since it’s small in size, and it’s sturdy so you don’t have to worry that your kids are going to rip it open and spill the beads.

The plastic heads will endure most of the damage kids (and adults) can do to this drum. This is a nice, affordable, low-end addition for kids or people who just want to try out Ocean Drum for fun.

5. Remo Ocean Drum

Great Design
Beautifully designed, quality ocean drum.
View Price at SweetwaterView Price at Amazon

Another famous drum maker on this list, Remo is no surprise to be found here. With their ocean drums, which can be found in different sizes (this particular one is 16” in diameter), they top the market with their well-known quality.

The great thing about this particular drum is that it’s made with a beautiful sea bottom design. You will enjoy listening to the sea waves sound while looking at all the colorful fish and other marine creatures on it. It has a very nice soothing effect, which makes it perfect for drum therapy.

The sound of this drum is great. It’s a bit of a higher price range, but it’s nothing too expensive for the quality you get. It’s a sturdy, quality drum that will last you for ages and can be used for professional music playing as well as for the other uses you think of.

Conclusion

I hope that I’ve helped you with making the right choice. Ocean drums are not just for musicians but are being used in so many other fields. You don’t need any formal music education to learn how to use them and play them. And from the soothing, calm sounds and movements, can come inner peace and meditation you might need to relax.

My top ocean drum pick is the Meinl Percussion Sea Drum, a high-end and high-quality ocean drum by a well-known manufacturer.

My budget ocean drum pick is the Andoer Ocean Wave Bead Drum, an affordable option for those on a budget but still provides decent quality sound.

Mike O'Connor
Mike O'Connor

I've been playing drums for over 18 years. I work as both a session drummer and a drum teacher, and I love to share my knowledge and tips on this site. You can also find me on the Electronic Drum Advisor YouTube channel.

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