The djembe, a type of West African drum, is becoming a popular item for drum enthusiasts. In fact, there are a large number of drum circles in the United States that meet regularly to play together and share their mutual enjoyment of this unique drum. In these days of computer-generated social interaction, the personal contacts made through such social groups are a great diversion.
Thousands of people have purchased a djembe to use in these gatherings. As the popularity continues to increase, the prospective djembe owner should be aware of some of the background on this African drum to help them make the right buying decision.
Making a traditionally crafted djembe is often a tough undertaking. The construction is rife with religious meaning, as well as the materials used in the process have significant influences on the tones and sounds produced by the drum.
Djembes have a traditional form that must be maintained. The look has been likened to a mortar bowl or goblet, with its depth being very important. African drums are expected to have a deeper tone in the lower ranges, and simultaneously, produce an echo with the hand slaps. The basic measurements of the regular size djembe are 1 foot in diameter and two feet tall.
The master carver will start with a single piece of African hardwood to generate the djembe drum. There are a variety of hardwoods, such as djmba, lenge, acajou, and hare that are widely used. In the carving process, a spiral shaped ridge is left on the inside of the drum deliberately. This enhances the sounds from the drum. Needless to say, remaining splinters and tough places shouldn't be present on the drum, since that decreases the tonal quality and diminishes the product value.
Be cautioned that we now have drums made in Africa that are not true hard wood, but rather are made from soft woods. Because these drums require heavier walls in the shell, their tone is duller and less unique than a hardwood design. These can be created quickly and are often sold through the larger chain stores and discount shops for under$ 100.
The European buying public saw this some years ago. Being closer to the origin or source, djembes were available in Europe much earlier than in America. With time, Europeans found that the more costly hard wood drums gave a better player experience than the cheaper soft wood drums. Therefore, these drums, even though they were initially more expensive, were actually worth the extra money spent.
It should not be a surprise that modern-day drum manufacturers have caught on to the popularity of djembes in the US, and have followed with producing items out of synthetic materials such as plastic and resin. The drum heads are made of plastic material, and along with a plastic body, the tuning on these synthetic drums is performed via a mechanical device instead of the rope system of the traditional drums. There is some trade off in the quality in comparison with a true hard wood djembe; but, the greater durability and lesser weight is usually a suitable compromise, particularly when the drum is going to be used outside a great deal.
Authentic African drums use actual goatskin for the drum heads if possible. There are some other skins utilized, but goat is the prevalent material. On a side note, many djembe drummers will swear how the African goatskin is a better playing surface compared to American goatskin. American goatskin has a reputation for being less sturdy and subject to failure when compared to African goatskin. This is attributed to the tougher existence goats have in Africa.
The pitch of the djembe comes from both depth of the drum, and also from the width of the drum head. Larger drum heads have deeper tones. The tuning of the drum head or tightening up and loosening the tension for the head, will cause the drum to have a higher or lower tone.
Drums are tuned by either a key tuning (mechanical) device, or using the classic rope tuning system. Using the mechanical key gadget, the drum head tension is modified up or down. If there is a rope system on the drum, a rope puller is needed to tighten the ropes. This is turn tightens the drum head. Rope tuning techniques are the original approach to djembe tuning, dating back hundreds of years.
A majority of djembe enthusiasts are actually biased toward the traditions of the djembe drum such as the hard wood body, the goatskin head, and the rope tuning system. Of course, as younger players and even school music programs are adopting djembes into the mainstream, the divisions between the traditionalists and the new-age drumming public are becoming blurred. That said, most traditionalists still abhor the modern changes that have been thrust on the consumer from modern mass manufacturers.
A prospective purchaser of a djembe should expect to pay in the range of $100 - $150 for a decent hand-made African djembe. Starting off with a quality, hard wood djembe made by a master craftsman can assure the new owner of an enjoyable start to what can be a lifelong hobby. And most importantly, the new drummer should seek out a local group or drum circle to learn more and socialize with fellow enthusiasts.
Thousands of people have purchased a djembe to use in these gatherings. As the popularity continues to increase, the prospective djembe owner should be aware of some of the background on this African drum to help them make the right buying decision.
Making a traditionally crafted djembe is often a tough undertaking. The construction is rife with religious meaning, as well as the materials used in the process have significant influences on the tones and sounds produced by the drum.
Djembes have a traditional form that must be maintained. The look has been likened to a mortar bowl or goblet, with its depth being very important. African drums are expected to have a deeper tone in the lower ranges, and simultaneously, produce an echo with the hand slaps. The basic measurements of the regular size djembe are 1 foot in diameter and two feet tall.
The master carver will start with a single piece of African hardwood to generate the djembe drum. There are a variety of hardwoods, such as djmba, lenge, acajou, and hare that are widely used. In the carving process, a spiral shaped ridge is left on the inside of the drum deliberately. This enhances the sounds from the drum. Needless to say, remaining splinters and tough places shouldn't be present on the drum, since that decreases the tonal quality and diminishes the product value.
Be cautioned that we now have drums made in Africa that are not true hard wood, but rather are made from soft woods. Because these drums require heavier walls in the shell, their tone is duller and less unique than a hardwood design. These can be created quickly and are often sold through the larger chain stores and discount shops for under$ 100.
The European buying public saw this some years ago. Being closer to the origin or source, djembes were available in Europe much earlier than in America. With time, Europeans found that the more costly hard wood drums gave a better player experience than the cheaper soft wood drums. Therefore, these drums, even though they were initially more expensive, were actually worth the extra money spent.
It should not be a surprise that modern-day drum manufacturers have caught on to the popularity of djembes in the US, and have followed with producing items out of synthetic materials such as plastic and resin. The drum heads are made of plastic material, and along with a plastic body, the tuning on these synthetic drums is performed via a mechanical device instead of the rope system of the traditional drums. There is some trade off in the quality in comparison with a true hard wood djembe; but, the greater durability and lesser weight is usually a suitable compromise, particularly when the drum is going to be used outside a great deal.
Authentic African drums use actual goatskin for the drum heads if possible. There are some other skins utilized, but goat is the prevalent material. On a side note, many djembe drummers will swear how the African goatskin is a better playing surface compared to American goatskin. American goatskin has a reputation for being less sturdy and subject to failure when compared to African goatskin. This is attributed to the tougher existence goats have in Africa.
The pitch of the djembe comes from both depth of the drum, and also from the width of the drum head. Larger drum heads have deeper tones. The tuning of the drum head or tightening up and loosening the tension for the head, will cause the drum to have a higher or lower tone.
Drums are tuned by either a key tuning (mechanical) device, or using the classic rope tuning system. Using the mechanical key gadget, the drum head tension is modified up or down. If there is a rope system on the drum, a rope puller is needed to tighten the ropes. This is turn tightens the drum head. Rope tuning techniques are the original approach to djembe tuning, dating back hundreds of years.
A majority of djembe enthusiasts are actually biased toward the traditions of the djembe drum such as the hard wood body, the goatskin head, and the rope tuning system. Of course, as younger players and even school music programs are adopting djembes into the mainstream, the divisions between the traditionalists and the new-age drumming public are becoming blurred. That said, most traditionalists still abhor the modern changes that have been thrust on the consumer from modern mass manufacturers.
A prospective purchaser of a djembe should expect to pay in the range of $100 - $150 for a decent hand-made African djembe. Starting off with a quality, hard wood djembe made by a master craftsman can assure the new owner of an enjoyable start to what can be a lifelong hobby. And most importantly, the new drummer should seek out a local group or drum circle to learn more and socialize with fellow enthusiasts.
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