Origin of the Djembe Drum
The African instrument djembe is a drum that people played for the king of Mali in West Africa, and it became a very popular drum. Wherever the king went, post-pre-battle celebrations and any event involved playing the djembe, which now became the tradition. It is a very loud drum with a strong beat; therefore, people used this drum as a form of communication that they could hear from mountaintop to mountaintop to tell others that the king was coming. In fact, there’s a rhythm that actually conveys the message of the king’s arrival. Thus, people literally called this drum a communication device.
What is the djembe drum made out of
The African instrument, the djembe drum, consists of four different parts. First, the top part features goatskin. Then, three metal rings hold the goatskin down. Furthermore, rope or string connects the metal rings. Finally, the main part—and, most importantly, the essential part—is the wood.
Djembe Drum Sound
The three sounds that come out of the djembe drum are bass, tone and slap. Again, it is not necessary for a player to be a good professional; rather, a passionate player can produce different sounds. Therefore, there are no constraints.
There are some beautiful ways to create unique sound from jembe which you must try and I must share:
- 1. Cover the djembe with a newspaper page and feel the sound coming out of it.
- 2. Try covering it with aluminum foil and play the same.
- 3. Get some Ghungroo ( a musical anklet tied to the feet of classical Indian dancers. A string of Ghungroos can range from 50 bells to, in fact, greater than 200 bells knotted together.
Tied on your finger. With this, you get the feeling, as if you are playing drums.)
The best way to play the instrument is to hold it between the thighs. This not only gives you proper control but also produces a good sound. The face of the djembe is made of goat skin and synthetic material. Goat skin djembe plays all kinds of tunes . Goat skin djembe produce less bass. Actually, it’s depend upon the player and techniques, Synthetic skin djembe is preferred over animal skin, especially when playing in humid conditions. The fiber in the synthetic head djembe made it possible to play in all climatic conditions.
Wooden Resonance: The Soul of the Djembe
All professional djembes use wood. The wooden body of the djembe produces a good sound. The bass coming out of it is soothing to the ears. Players from West Africa and around the world play handcrafted drums. The craftsperson knows the soul of the instrument and connects well with the soil. Their passion elevates the instrument-building process to a different level. There are so many versions of this beautiful instrument, but the best one is the traditional wooden djembe that the craftsperson makes. Moreover, another important point is the tuning. This is, in fact, a rope-tuned instrument, and the nylon mountain climbing rope is very strong. Consequently, you can tune the drum as much as you want; thus, it’s very comfortable.
Disclaimer: Songsblogmovies does not support animal killing and does not promote the trade of products made from animal skin. It serves merely to educate and inform about the subject.
