Brand: Hohner

Hold this instrument in the middle, and play either end - hence the "two tones". Includes one wooden mallet. Ridges on the playing surface double your options- scrape along the ridges for use as a guiro, or strike with the mallet for a tone block sound. Size approximately 7.63" long x 1.5" diameter at the widest point.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Instrument!
Comment: I have a great collection of musical instruments for kids and this one just adds to it!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: You get what you pay for.
Comment: While I can't argue with Joanna Daneman's generic endorsement of teaching youngsters to play rhythm instruments, I have to wonder if she actually has experienced this specific product.

I have, and I can tell you that mine has a dull sound that instantly bored me and a couple of kids. I've tried numerous times to find the sweet spot, but I'm convinced there isn't one. This is the kind of beginner instrument that turns people away from further exploration in music.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Teach music with percussion
Comment: Music tunes into a part of the brain that might be connected to math skills. In any case, making music is fun, it's participatory and it teaches about rhythm, counting and doing things cooperatively. A collection of percussion instruments like blocks, and percussion accessories like sleigh bells are great to keep in a box for kids.

Take them out and have the kids keep time along with a favorite cd or with a song they are singing. This is a very inexpensive toy and one that can teach a lot. Make up a percussion accompaniement for a song about a horse. Have kids keep time with other musicians and have a family band practice. Lots of fun.

Mr. Wing in the other review thinks the sound is dull here; enough so to call me out by name in his review. Frankly, for teaching kids, the sound quality is secondary to the fact that this, like so many other toys, might lie dormant under the extra-heavy quilt and the spare cannister vac in the closet. Rather than spend money on a fine instrument, this is fine for parents and daycare operators. If it sounds dull, don't worry, soon these kids will be dulling their eardrums on over-loud music from headphones on their mpeg players. At the this price, a parent can take a risk to teach some musical skills, and what this little block lacks in fine tone, it makes up for in fun with participatory music.

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