You're standing outside the Dueling Peaks Stable, looking at a giant, sentient flower bud that refuses to open because it hasn't heard a drum solo lately. It’s a bit ridiculous. But that’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for you. If you want to upgrade your armor—and trust me, you do, unless you enjoy getting one-shot by a Silver Lynel—you need the Great Fairies. And to get the Great Fairies, you have to reunite the Stable Trotters.
Most of the band members are easy to find. You basically trip over them. But finding the sound of a drum totk depends entirely on your ability to find Beetz, the troupe's percussionist, who has managed to get himself effectively lost in the Necluda region. He’s not at a stable. He’s not in a town. He’s just... off in a pipe.
Honestly, Beetz is the bottleneck for a lot of players. Without him, you can't wake up Tera, the Great Fairy near the Dueling Peaks. This isn't just a "nice to have" side quest; it's a fundamental gear check for the mid-game.
Where exactly is Beetz hiding?
If you're looking for the sound of a drum in TotK, stop wandering around the stables. You need to head towards Kakariko Village. Specifically, take the road that leads from the Dueling Peaks Stable toward the village, but don't go all the way there.
Look for a spot on the map called the Kakariko Village North Road. There's a specific bend in the path near the Pillars of Levia. If you’re paying attention to the audio—which you should, because the sound design in this game is incredible—you’ll start to hear a faint, rhythmic thumping. It’s not a monster. It’s Beetz.
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He’s tucked away in a small alcove or "pipe" structure off the main path. Look for the coordinates 2166, -1382, 0108. When you find him, he’s not ready to just pack up and leave. He’s obsessed with making a specific snack. Because of course he is.
The Honey Problem: How to finish Sound of a Drum
Beetz is moping. He wants to make some Honey Crepes to regain his "thump," but he’s missing the most important ingredient: Courser Bee Honey. He specifically asks for three combs.
Now, you might have some in your inventory if you’ve been raiding every hive you see in the forests of Hyrule. If not, don't fast travel away just yet. There’s actually a hive nearby, usually located in the trees just north of where Beetz is standing.
A quick tip on gathering honey
Don't just run up and whack the hives with a sword. The bees in TotK are aggressive. Use a fire fruit or a fire arrow to clear the swarm, or use Ultrahand to pluck the hive from a distance. Once you hand over the three portions of Courser Bee Honey to Beetz, he finally realizes that his band needs him.
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The quest Honey, Bee Mine wraps up, and Beetz heads back to the Dueling Peaks Stable. This is the "Sound of a Drum" moment you actually need.
Fixing the Breezer (Again)
Once Beetz is back at the stable, the real work begins. The Stable Trotters are ready, but their wagon, the Breezer, is broken. Or rather, it’s missing its roof. In this specific questline, you need to get the band across a river to reach the Great Fairy Tera.
You’ll need to use Ultrahand to attach a roof to the Breezer (a simple wooden board works) and then find a way to get it across the water. Most players use a nearby horse with a Towing Harness, but you can also get creative with Zonai fans if you’re feeling lazy about horse management.
Just don't flip the wagon. The musicians are incredibly fragile and will scream at you to restart the whole trek if a single wheel leaves the ground for too long.
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Why this quest matters for your endgame
It’s easy to get distracted by the main temples or the flashy sky islands. But the sound of a drum totk quest is a pillar of character progression.
- Armor Upgrades: Tera is the Great Fairy who handles the second or third tier of upgrades depending on your order.
- Set Bonuses: You can't unlock set bonuses (like the "Unfreezable" buff on the Snowquill set) without visiting multiple Great Fairies.
- The Music: Let's be real—the theme for the Stable Trotters is a banger, and adding the drums finally makes the arrangement feel complete.
Common mistakes to avoid
Don't go looking for Beetz during a thunderstorm if you're wearing metal gear. The area around Kakariko is a lightning magnet. Also, avoid the temptation to eat the Courser Bee Honey yourself for stamina recovery. It's way more valuable as a quest item here than as a snack.
Actionable Next Steps for Hyrule Explorers
If you’re currently stuck on this quest, follow this exact sequence to save yourself twenty minutes of aimless wandering:
- Check your inventory: If you don't have 3 Courser Bee Honey, head to the woods near Rutile Lake (southwest of Satori Mountain). It’s the single best honey farming spot in the game.
- Pin the location: Mark the coordinates 2166, -1382, 0108 on your map. It’s just southeast of the Kakariko road.
- Prepare the Towing Harness: Make sure you have at least 3 Pony Points to unlock the Towing Harness from any stable. You can't pull the band's wagon without it.
- Talk to Mastro: Once you have Beetz back at Dueling Peaks Stable, talk to the conductor, Mastro, to trigger the final escort mission.
Once the drum starts beating and the Great Fairy Tera emerges, you'll have access to some of the best defensive boosts in the game. It’s the difference between dying to a single arrow and being a walking tank.