How to Play the Djembe
Posted on May 19th, 2009 by Marck
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The music of the African peoples is more than just for art’s sake. Music is meant to be enjoyed, and is a great way to gather the members of the community together through song and celebration. One of the instruments used in traditional African music is a drum called the djembe.
What is a Djembe?
Many elements of ethnic African music involve percussion instruments. The djembe is a goblet-shaped drum traditionally used by the Bamana peoples of Mali. The word “djembe” comes from the Bamanakan words “dje” (gather) and “be” (everyone). The rhythmic beats and sounds made by a good djembe player can have people dancing to the beat of the drum. The djembe is a very important musical instrument for the African peoples, because it takes them to their roots and keeps the community together during a celebration.
The djembe is made from a hollowed out tube made from hardwood trees found in West Africa. The body of the drum is constructed in such a way that different sounds resonate from the sides to the center of the drum. A carefully carved spiral channel is carved inside the body of the drum to improve the quality of the sound. The membrane used for the drum is typically made of toughened goat skin from West African goats, and is attached to the drum with a series of ropes.
Djembe Sounds
A skillful djembe player can play many sounds on the drum, as long as he or she knows the techniques to maximize range of sounds that can be made with the instrument:
- Bass notes are made by striking the middle part of the drum, where the tube of the body is longer, and the sound waves can move along the length of the tube. To get the best effect of the bass note, strike the drum with your finger kept close together.
- Tone notes are made by striking the parts of the drum closer to the edge, where the sound waves can reverberate across the length of the tube. Like bass notes, you should keep your fingers together when making tone notes.
- Slaps are sounds made as transition points between bass lines and tone lines. Slaps are made by striking the drum with open fingers.
Rhythm
Djembe drums can be played with a very rapid pace, although a slow beat can also be used. While you can freely experiment with various beats and paces, the best way to learn rhythm with the djembe is to listen to the music being played. Many communities with strong ties to African roots have people that can help you learn how to play the instrument, and many music schools also hold classes for the djembe. If you want to incorporate the djembe to modern music routines, you may also use drum lines and scores provided that you use your bare hands to play the instrument.
The djembe is an instrument with a long history of tradition in music and community. With these tips, you can get in touch with one of the most popular and important musical instruments in African music.
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