A valuable aspect of understanding drumming involves exploring the unique ways in which different drums are created to produce specific sounds. Fire and water are often used to affect the sound of a particular drum; specific materials are chosen to create a desired sound. The playing of plank drums by First Nations along the Northwest Coast produces a deep, dramatic sound. The plank drum, which accompanies dance songs and games, is played with hardwood batons. This creates a sound which includes the “staccato of the batons and the deep, resonant note of the box drum combined with a rich percussive sound” (Holm 1983: 68). The type of wood used for the baton created the deep, powerful notes desired by those playing.