YAY! You’re excited! You’re going to buy a djembe.
Important information on the djembe background and types of djembes:
The article below is an important read on what to look for when you go out to buy your drum.
The Video: – “What makes a quality djembe?” – gives a great background to the djembe.
A Quality Djembe:
Djembe Knowledge & Criteria:
WHAT IS YOUR INTENTION FOR YOUR DRUM, ARE YOU A SERIOUS DRUMMER AND WANT TO LEARN IT ALL OR DO YOU WANT TO GO TO DRUM CIRCLES ONLY NOW AND THEN AND CONNECT WITH A DRUM ONCE IN A WHILE? THIS INFO WILL LIKELY DICTATE WHAT YOU WANT TO SPEND ON A DRUM.
YOU SHOULD GET A DJEMBE THAT HAS A HEAD BIG ENOUGH TO FIT TWO ADULT HANDS ON THE DRUM. THAT WOULD BE FROM 10 TO 12 INCHES.
YOUR DJEMBE SHOULD BE ABOUT A FIST HIGHER THAN YOUR THIGH WHEN YOU ARE SITTING DOWN – THE DJEMBE RESTING ON THE FLOOR ON ITS FRONT EDGE. THAT HEIGHT WOULD BE 22 TO 24 INCHES.
YOUR INVESTMENT IN A DJEMBE IS THE BODY/WOOD OF THE DRUM, THAT’S THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART OF THE DRUM
THERE SHOULD BE NO CRACKS IN THE WOOD
THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF DJEMBE WOOD AND MANY PROCESSES ARE USED TO MAKE DJEMBES. AFRICAN DJEMBES ARE ONE UNIT OF NATURAL WOOD AND ARE NOT PIECED. THEY ARE MADE OF NATURAL AFRICAN WOOD AND A PRO DRUM IS HEAVY AND MADE OF A HARD WOOD SUCH AS MAHOGANY
YOU CAN STILL BUY AN AFRICAN DRUM WITH A LIGHTER WOOD BUT THE SOUND WILL BE A BIT DIFFERENT
THE WOOD BARREL OF THE DRUM IS CLEAN, NO SAWDUST EVIDENCE OF BUGS SHOULD BE SEEN,
THE WOODEN NECK OF THE DJEMBE, BETWEEN THE STEM AND THE BARREL SHOULD BE THE SIZE OF A FISTED HAND, THE AIR IS RELEASED AND THE SOUND RESONATES BETTER
A NATURAL (African), NON BLEACHED GOAT SKIN HEAD IS BETTER FOR YOUR HANDS, WHITER DRUM HEAD SKINS HAVE HAD MORE CHEMICALS AND THE BOUNCE BACK /RESPONSE IS NOT AS NATURAL, YOUR HANDS MAY GET SORE AFTER A WHILE. THE SKIN MAY BE THINNER
IS THE DRUM SKIN SMOOTH, NO UNCOMFORTABLE SPOTS SHOULD BE PRESENT, YOU CAN ALWAYS SHAVE OFF UNWANTED HAIR, SEE A DJEMBE MASTER FOR THIS TECHNIQUE
THERE MUST BE NO PINHOLES IN THE SKIN, HOLD THE DRUM (they’re heavy!) UP TO THE LIGHT, LOOK INSIDE THE BARREL TO LOOK FOR PIN HOLES ON THE SKIN
THE DRUM HEAD SHOULD HAVE A TIGHT SKIN, WHEN YOU PUSH DOWN ON THE HEAD OF THE DRUM WITH YOUR FINGER TIP. THE SKIN SHOULD NOT DEPRESS MUCH, THIS MEANS YOUR DRUM IS TUNED
THE DRUM SHOULD HAVE A PITCH YOU ENJOY ON THE RIM AND ON YOUR TONE SOUND AND SLAP. A PRO DRUM WILL HAVE A BELL SOUND WHEN YOU VARY YOUR PLAYING HAND AND FINGERS ON THE RIM. THE TONE SOUND AND BASS SOUND SHOULD BE ONE YOU ENJOY.
DO NOT BUY A DRUM THAT HAS TOO MUCH OF A METAL SOUNDING TONE ON THE RIM, YOUR DRUM MAY SOUND OUT OF PLACE WITH A GROUP. A BELL SOUND IS GOOD ON THE RIM – BUT NOT A METAL SOUND
DRUMS CAN HAVE A HEART SOUND ON THE BASS WHICH IS THE FRONT MIDDLE OF THE DRUM, BUT THE HUM SHOULD NOT CARRY LONG OTHERWISE THIS INTERFERES WITH THE LAYERING OF RHYTHMS WITH OTHERS
THE HANDLE ON THE DRUM SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH ROPE ON THE DRUM TO ALLOW YOU TO HAVE THE DRUM TUNED IF NEEDED
GET A DRUMMER TO PLAY THE DRUM TO SEE WHAT IT WILL SOUND LIKE WHEN YOU GET GOOD AT DRUMMING
CHECK THE RIM DROP OF THE DRUM ON THE HEAD TO MAKE SURE IT IS COMFORTABLE AND TALL ENOUGH TO MAKE A GOOD COMFORTABLE SLAP SOUND
MAKE SURE THE RIM DOESN’T HAVE A SHARP EDGE, IT NEEDS TO BE ROUNDED
THE RIM AREA SHOULD BE SMOOTH, FREE OF SHARP DRUM SKIN AND OF LUMPY ROPES ON THE RIM
CHECK THE HEIGHT OF THE DRUM FOR YOUR BODY, WILL IT SIT ON THE FLOOR ON ITS FRONT EDGE WITH IT BEING HELD BETWEEN YOUR KNEES. IF NOT -, CHECK TO SEE IF YOU CAN YOU HOLD YOUR DRUM BETWEEN YOUR KNEES BECAUSE IT’S LIGHT ENOUGH TO HOLD OFF THE FLOOR
THE DRUM SHOULD BE ALMOST 2 INCHES ABOVE YOUR THIGHS WHEN YOUR PLAY, ONE FIST HIGH ABOVE YOUR THIGHS, THE DRUM SHOULD BE NOT TOO TALL AND NOT TOO SHORT
CAN YOU CARRY A HEAVY DRUM, THINK OF THE WEIGHT YOU’D PACK AROUND AND BE MOVING
SOME NATURAL FIBERS IN THE ROPE MAKE IT EASIER ON THE HANDS AND THEY GRAB BETTER FOR A HOLD BETWEEN THE LEGS RATHER THAN STRAIGHT NYLON
A TUNABLE DRUM WITH THE METAL PEGS ARE A LITTLE HARDER TO HOLD BETWEEN THE KNEES
