My audio paper will discuss and explore the use of percussion in traditional and modern shaman practice. Traversing a range of shaman cultures, it is my intention to shed light on the hugely misinterpreted aims of the ‘ritual’, those being of healing and transcendence. I will explore how these aims are achieved through standard and non standard forms of percussion from the drum to firework. While traditional ritual will form the basis of my paper, I will also like to discuss how modern ritual has evolved into raves and protest, with a specific emphasis on the United Kingdom post 1980.