Break Away II

Looking to purchase djembe drums may be intimidating, unless you’re sure of what it is you want. A different size, tuning mechanism, head type or even shell composition can affect the personality of a drum. Consider the drum as an extended part of yourself, as another way to communicate your feelings. By studying the buying guide, you will learn a lot about the subject, ensuring that you pick the perfect drum to suit your needs.

Choosing your shell material

Djembe drums can be made in many varieties of shell, including both synthetic and natural materials. It is vital to keep in mind the conditions where you will perform as you decide one way or the other. If you choose one made from natural material, such as a body composed of wood, you should make sure that it has undergone special treatment so that your drum does not get bugs nor rot. Be careful when buying a traditionally built drum because this can be a problem in some foreign places. Most major manufacturers use a form of fiberglass to form the body of the drum. These synthetic drums perform well even under adverse conditions and are very durable. The tonal qualities are slightly different and less “earthy” but you can still project just fine when you play.

How to Choose a Good Drum Head

According to custom, the head of a djembe drum consists of animal skin, typically from a goat. These are fine, especially on more traditional drums but require additional upkeep. Natural skin heads have a very rich sound and in a drier environment work very well. However, if you live in a climate with higher humidity, you may want to opt for a drum that has a synthetic drum head instead. Synthetic heads tend to be made from Mylar, or sometimes a different polyester film. The design of synthetic heads mimic the style of natural heads; also these heads are great to use at the studio. Heads made of man-made materials work well in nearly any weather conditions – a versatile advantage that distinguishes them for players who aren’t professionals.

Deciding which way to tune your drum.

In most cases, manufactured drums are tuned mechanically, using bolts rather than rope. This is a popular design since it is very easy to understand the way to tune and put on different drum heads — just unscrew the bolts then take off the head. Extra practice is involved if you choose a rope tuning method for your drum. With this tuning type, you should consult a professional that will help you tune the skin and change it a couple times to help you become comfortable with it. It is important to tune your drum correctly so as not to damage it. A more common method is rope tuning and if the head is natural, this makes the sound more special and authentic.

The type of djembe you purchase will be decided by the way you want to tune it. Djembes are usually tuned via rope or key systems. The following is a short snippet about the kinds of tuning system and construction of drums:

Rope based tuning

Rope tuned djembes are more traditional since the original form of this African instrument was only tuned with ropes. To change the pitch on a rope tuned djembe you change the position of the ropes. These ropes hang horizontally from metal rings that hold the skin on. There may be either two or three rings around the head of a djembe drum, and these are usually thinner than with key tuned drums.

Tuning is performed on the djembe by pulling ropes, which in turn tighten the rings surrounding the drum. This increases the tension on the drum skin and raises the pitch. The term “pulling a diamond” refers to adjusting knots in order to tune the drum. One type of knot used in tuning djembe drums is the Mali Weave.

Key tuned

A feature of modern djembe drums is their key tuning systems. A wrench is used to tighten the bolts that border the djembe head in this tuning system, which is closely related to the type of tuning systems used for snares, tom toms, and other conventional drums. This action in turn increases tension on the rim of metal surrounding the drum head, which has the effect of raising the drum’s pitch. The tuning elements on a djembe are rather bulky. This type of djembe will weigh more and have more metal than a rope tuned one.

What type of tuning system is right for you?

The benefit of a system featuring key tuning is ease of understanding and simple implementation. However, though it is up to the individual, many djembe players feel that the advantages essentially stop there. One obstacle that has been noted, is the bulky tuning rim on a key tuned system, which has been said to get in the way and actually hinder or prevent the instrument from playing properly. The easy tuning will out weigh the extra hardware required for the operation.

Rope tuned djembes are more authentic in construction in that they are made the way djembes were originally made by West African peoples such as the Mandika in times of antiquity. If you want a djembe true to original form, choose a rope tuned djembe. Rope tuned djembes are a bit more involved to learn to tune properly, but they are easy and convenient to tune nevertheless once you have learned how. Some also feel that the thinner rim rings and more unobtrusive placement also allow for easier drumming. So on a number of levels, rope tuned djembes may be a better choice. Again, all this is really up to the drummer.

Percussion instruments define African music. It is the common ground for most African activities . During the old times, African music was the way to bring African people together, they often held rituals or other special events. Since participation is important in the community, they would play percussion instruments, the most rhythmic musical instruments they had. Some of the widely used African percussion instruments are described below.

The Djembe Drum

If you find a drum that uses an animal skin covered head, then you have just come across the djembe drum. It is characterized by a thick upper body partnered with a thinner lower body which makes the drum look like a goblet. The body is typically made from an echoing log to create various acoustics. The head is secured over thhe body with the use of ropes although, nowadays, some makers make use of steel hoops, nylon core ropes, and rubbers when tightening and tuning the drum. Djembe is , oftentimes, the main piece of the percussion section. The djemebe drum has varying tones and tunes depending upon the size of the instrument. A drummer would usually strike the head with his fingers or hands to create different tones. The djembe drum is probably one of the most commonly utilised African instruments used in today’s music.

Udu

Loosely translated, “udu” means vessel in the African language and it is usually made of clay. This former drinking vessel produces sound courtesy of its extra hole located in its body. The sound it creates is similar to that created by a glass bottle. To play the Udu you cover the top hole with one hand while the other hand manipulates the other hole. A wide range of varying tones would then be produced.

Slit Drums

Another widely used percussion instrument in Africa is the Slit drum. This kind of drum is usually made up of hollowed wood or carved wood so it can produce a sound. These drums can be made of logs or bamboo. Drums and mallets are, oftentimes, used to strike the drum in order to produce a sound. Just like udu, the slit drum also produces a rainbow of tones.

Double Bells

When two metallic bells are combined in a horseshoe fashion, you get what is known as Double Bells. In order to produce a sound, mallets are used. In the African percussion instruments, double bells are used to mark measures and keep time for the percussion players.

Aside from these four, other percussion instruments commonly used by the Africans hand-shakers, wooden xylophones, and lamellophones (finger pianos). 

The djembe is part of the membranophone family of drums. Typically made from wood it is shaped like a large goblet over which is stretched an animal skin. One of the most popular drums of West Africa, when struck properly it produces a deep bass sound thanks to its shell shaped body.

The origins of the djembe can be traced all the way back to the twelfth century and the Mali Empire and the tribes of either the Susu or Mandika. When the blacksmiths of the Mandinka tribe crossed Africa the djembe, or sanbayi as the Susu call it, went with them and as a result it became widespread. The people of these tribes believe that the instrument contains three spirits, one of the person who makes the djembe, one from the tree from which the wood is taken, and one from the animal whose hide is used for the drum. Nowadays players prefer to have drums with a goatskin hide that they make unique with braided rope and designs carved into the wood.

The word djembe itself is not actually African, it is in fact French. The French colonised parts of Africa and studied the music styles of the people as well as their instruments. As they do not have a hard ‘j’ in their language they chose to use ‘dj’ and it is this spelling that has gained the greatest recognition. There are currently many accepted spellings of the drum including jembe, djimbe and yembe. In the 1950′s and 1960′s the djembe became well known in and around Paris primarily as it was used extensively by the ballet ensemble Les Ballet Africains. From then on the drum has grown in popularity around the world, especially amongst drummers who appreciate its unique sound.

In Africa the diansa, or drum rhythm, is traditionally used in celebrations such as at weddings and baptisms and to commemorate full moons as well as the changing seasons. Some have even suggested that African peoples have used the sound produced by the drum in order to send messages over long distances, making use of the different sounds to communicate different meanings like a type of musical code language.

The djembe is often played alongside other instruments such as bells and dundun drums. In Senegal, the djembe is used by the Wolof tribe as part of the elaborate dances that their women perform. When the instrument is being played the women put on an alluring dance called the Saber meant to attract and entice the men.

There are three basic ways to create sound using a djembe. The first technique is where you create a ‘bass’ note by hitting the middle of the drum with your palm. A ‘tone’ is produced when you hit the rim of the drum with flat fingers and a ‘slap’ is the same action but with your fingers relaxed.

Djembes are now made by specialist drum makers all over the world and are sought after by students, tourists, professional musicians and hobbyists alike. Musically it is hard to resist moving to the driving beats of a well-played djembe, and even novices to drumming enjoy the primal energy of handling a djembe.