MADE through the passion and pride of a Filipino artist, Tree;ty Drums is giving a different sound to Pinoy music, as it is filling up stages that are usually dominated by foreign brands of instruments.
Behind the local brand of drums is Toks Paras, who creates Tree;ty Drums from scraps as well as recycled woods, then makes them truly sustainable and good-sounding.
Paras’ first drum in 2014 was made from his mother’s antique narra furniture. He jokingly said that while he was crafting it, the parent scolded him, as she thought he was just wasting time. But when he was finished, the mom suddenly praised his work, and even pushed him to continue his art.
When orders came pouring in, Paras then asked his longtime friend and full-time furniture maker Vitaliano Tumazar to join him in his journey of making drums.
Staying purely local
THE wood types that Paras uses are only from those that are indigenous to the country: narra and mahogany. When asked if it is just about the hard quality of the wood, his rhetoric, told in Filipino, was: “Why would we let other countries take advantage of what is truly ours?”
Paras even told the BusinessMirror’s SoundStrip that it always saddens him how Filipinos could buy costly musical instruments, yet rant about how expensive local ones are. He even wondered why they could not just trust their countrymen on the quality of the works they are creating.
The drum maker shared his thoughts on how foreign brands import raw materials from the country, then bring his final products back at a high price.
‘Art, not business’
PARAS shared with SoundStrip his future plans for Tree;ty Drums. He actually does not intend to make it as a business in the coming years.
“For me, this is my art—as long as I’m enjoying, and I know that there is sense in what I am doing,” Paras said.
He added then that he just wants to contribute to the Filipino music scene and make use of his talent.
Loud enough
THE first full set of Tree;ty Drums Paras made was used in Yuletide 2015 at the Luneta Park. He assured the organizer of the event that his drums would perform at that time.
The percussion set indeed played, and made music the way it was meant and designed for.
So far, Tree;ty Drums has never failed to deliver—even when it played nonstop during the Pepe Smith Rockfest in June.
Paras’ creations are now available at Limitado event’s place in Marikina City. This has been made possible through his partnership with Leiz Jimenez, owner of Limitado.
Follow the journey of Paras in making his sustainable Tree;ty Drums through its social media accounts on Facebook (facebook.com/Treetydrums) and Instagram (@treety_drums). Contact Paras at 09216308896, or Jimenez at 09167840522.