Proper care of your djembe drum will ensure that it's consistently performing well and looking great. One of the easiest and most beneficial tips is to detune your djembe when not using it for an extended period of time. Due to the high amount of tension that is placed on the skin, it's often a good idea to detune the drum from time to time. Detuning will prolong the longevity of the skin and most likely extend the life of your drumhead by another 50%. By adding or subtracting up to six knots of Mali weave you can tune or detune your drum. The more often you do it the quicker you'll get at adding or subtracting knots. So, learn now and get in the habit.

Another tip to properly take care of your djembe is to rub a small amount of olive oil on the skin if and when it becomes excessively dry. Adding a small amount of lotion will help improve the tonality of your drum and also assists in improving the life of the skin. If possible it's also a good idea to store your djembe in a cool, dry place and avoid leaving your drum exposed to direct sunlight. A good place to store your drum is in your djembe bag. Make it a habit of leaving your djembe in the bag when not using it. Which leads me to my third point. Invest in a quality djembe bag.

A djembe is an instrument and like any instrument should be properly maintained. This includes getting a bag for transporting your drum from place to place. If you plan on lugging your drum all over, and doing a lot of gigging, I would recommend investing in a bag that offers padded protection all the way around your drum. These bags are typically more expensive and offered only in a black color, however well worth the investment. If you don't plan on transporting your drum too frequently you can probably get by with a cloth bag. Cloth djembe bags typically don't offer padding; however do serve the general purpose of offering protection during the transporting of your drum. Another positive for cloth bags is they are usually offered in a variety of color combinations.

One more point about djembe bags. Be sure to invest in a bag that fits your drum snugly. A bag that is too large for your djembe will not offer the proper protection it should as compared with a bag that fits your drum tightly. Now with that being said I typically find that people too often purchase a bag that is too small for their drum. Make sure you measure you drum correctly by taking into consideration the entire head size not just the playing surface size when sizing up a djembe bag.

Your djembe is an investment. By adhering to some simple maintenance guidelines you will get years of enjoyment out of your drum by ensuring that it's performing and looking great!

Next: History of Djembe Drums

Labels: djembe, Djembe.Buying.Guide, drum.tuning, drumhead

What are the differences between a Riq and a tambourine? They tend to resemble each other and seem to be played in a similar style, however there are subtle differences that make each one unique.

The riq (also spelled riqq or rik) is a type of tambourine used as a traditional instrument in Arabic music. It traditionally has a wooden frame (although in the modern era it may also be made of metal), jingles, and a thin, translucent head made of fish skin (or, more recently, a synthetic material). The frame of the riq can be covered on both the inner and outer sides with inlay such as mother-of-pearl, ivory or decorative wood, like apricot or lemon. It has ten pairs of small cymbals (about 4 cm in diameter), mounted in five pairs of slits. The skin of a fish is glued on and tightened over the frame, which is about 6 cm deep. In Egypt the riq is usually 20 cm wide; in Iraq it is slightly larger. The player of the riq plays without singing. The player alternates between striking the membrane and shaking the jingles, as the need for freedom of movement necessitates that they stand up. Students of the instrument are required to master the technical problems imposed by the timbre of the membrane and the jingles, both separately and in combination; aside from developing a virtuoso technique they also need to learn the many rhythmic cycles and the techniques of modifying them through creative invention.

The tambourine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a single drumhead mounted on a ring with pairs of small metal jingles. Most modern tambourines used in western popular music today consist only of the ring and jingles, with no drumhead. The tambourine can be held in the hand or mounted on a stand, and can be played in numerous ways, from stroking or shaking the jingles to striking it sharply with hand or stick or using the tambourine to strike the leg or hip. It is found in many forms of music, classic music, Roman music, Persian music, gospel music, pop music and rock music.

Remo Prizmatic Tambourine

10" Tunable Tambourine

Riq 8"

Glen Velez Riq

Labels: cymbals, drumhead, fish.skin.head, jingles, percussion.instrument, riq, tambourine, world.percussion

Below is a step-by-step guide in replacing drumheads. After reading the information, you will be able to replace drumheads on frame (ex: tambourine, african djembe) and ceramic drums.

1. You will need: masking tape, yellow wood glue, a straight edge (i.e. yardstick, etc), a utility knife and a clamp, along with your drum and the replacement goatskin head. An extended hose clamp works well. A strap and ratchet system may work. Remember that your clamp must provide even pressure around the drum.

2. Estimate the size of skin you will need by fitting your drum with a sheet of newspaper. It should cover the head of the drum, the area to be glued, and have enough excess to maneuver and clamp it. If the skin is too small you will have to start over with a larger skin.

3. Soak your goatskin in water for approximately 15 minutes. The skin should be pliable when you begin to re-head your drum.

4. Affix the masking tape to the upper part of the drum. Align it approximately one inch below the top of the drum. The tape is used to keep the glue from running down the side of the drum and gives a sharp edge to your replaced head.

5. If the old skin is still in place, use the skin edge as a guide to affix the masking tape. Remove any decorative trim. Place the tape on the drum adjacent to the skin edge. Peel off the old skin and dried glue. You do not need to clean the drum completely. Do not use cleaners or handle the lip surface, as this will leave residues.

6. To affix the masking tape without the old skin as a guide, place your straight edge across the top of the drum. Measure down, about one inch, from the yardstick to the drum's upper edge. If you need to, make a pencil mark on the drum. Do this around the entire drum. Affix the upper edge of the tape along this mark.

7. Apply the glue to the drum surface when your new skin is almost ready. Cover the drum surface from the top inside opening to the upper edge of the tape. Apply the yellow wood glue liberally. Let the glue slightly overlap the tape edge for a even fit.

8. Remove the goatskin from the water and blot it dry.
Drape the skin over the drum and center it. Do not squeeze out the glue. Smooth out the wrinkles.

9. Secure your clamp on top of the masking tape. Do not fully tighten the clamp. The skin should be sandwiched between the tape and clamp. You do not want the clamp to be above the tape edge. It will squeeze out the glue and leave indent marks in the new head.

10. Pull the skin edges to tighten the skin over the drum. Alternately tighten the clamp and pull the skin. For Ceramic Drums the goatskin should be pulled as tight as possible. If you are replacing a Fishskin head, pull it snuggly, but not as tight as possible or it could rip. IMPORTANT: for Frame Drums, the skin should have a slight droop of no more than 1/16 of an inch below level. The skin shrinks as it dries and will naturally tighten.

11. Allow the skin to dry 24 - 48 hours.

12. Trim the excess skin. Carefully, with a utility knife, cut along the upper edge of the tape. If you placed the clamp on evenly and it is level you may be able to use the clamp as a cutting guide. You should be able to feel the edge of the masking tape under the skin.

13. Remove tape. Wipe off your drum. If you wish, you can finish off the raw edge of the skin with colored electrical tape or fabric trim.

14. Enjoy your new drumhead!

Labels: african.djembe, ceramic.drum, drum.skin, drumhead, frame.drum, goatskin.head, tambourine

Bongo Drums are a type of world percussion instrument traditionally made up of two different size drums attached to each other. The larger drum is called a hembra (Spanish for female) and the smaller drum is called the macho (Spanish for male). Drumhead sizes vary between 6" & 7" to 7" & 8 1/2". There are even smaller drum sizes for children: Yes, bongos for kids. Those sizes are typically around 5" & 6". During the early half of the 20th century, Afro-Caribbean rhythms had a huge influence on popular dance music and jazz worldwide. This brought bongos into our cultural vocabulary, from Beatniks to Mambo to the current revival of Cuban folkloric music.

The history of bongo drumming can be traced to the Cuban music styles known as Changui and Son. These styles first developed in eastern Cuba (Orient province) in the late 19th century. Initially, bongos had heads that were tacked and tuned with a heat source. By the 1940s, metal-tuning lugs developed to facilitate easier tuning. It is believed that Bongos evolved from the Abakua Drum trio 'Bonko' and its lead drum 'Bonko Enmiwewos'. These drums are still a fundamental part of the Abakua Religion in Cuba. If joined with a wooden peck in the middle, such drums would look much like the bongos we know today.

Bongos are traditionally held between the legs, with the macho up against one thigh and the hembra down against the opposite calf. Most right-handed players place the macho in the upper left position, as the basic "martillo" pattern focuses on the macho. Lefties can do whatever works best for them. Always strike the drums with the pads of your fingertips, never with your knuckles. Striking with the bony joint will make a louder sound at first, but you will injure your hands that way, and risk causing or aggravating arthritis in your fingers. Practice striking with the pads, using a "snappy" wrist motion, and you will develop the crisp loud sound you want.

Labels: beatniks, bongo, bongo.drum, bongos, bongos.for.kids, caribbean.rhythms, cuban.music, drumhead, hand.drum, world.percussion

Tambourines have a long, rich history that has roots in a wide variety of music. From classical to folk to rock, tambourines are simplistic yet versatile instruments that can really bring a song to life. Check out any Beatles record to see what I mean.

Tambourines are generally handheld instruments with a round, wooden frame and parchment or skinheads; metal disks or bells (called jingles) are inserted into the wooden rim. By striking the head of the tambourine or by shaking it, you set the jingles in motion. Rubbing your hand briskly across the drumhead will produce a whisking noise.

Though an ancient instrument, its structure has remained virtually unchanged. Tambourines were played in ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome, especially in religious contexts, and they have long been prominent in Middle Eastern folk and religious use. Crusaders took them to Europe in the 13th century. The ancient Romans used it, and in the Middle Ages traveling musicians and entertainers used it. In the 19th century the tambourine became a military-band instrument, appearing later and very occasionally in the orchestra. The timbrel or tabret of the Bible was probably similar to the tambourine.

In Europe, tambourines are associated with both folk and art music repertoire; Mozart was among the earliest western composers to include the tambourine in his compositions. Since the later eighteenth century it has become a more permanent element of the western orchestral percussion section, often used to suggest an exotic or eastern flavor to western audiences, as in Tchaikovsky's Arabian Dance from The Nutcracker Suite. The tambourine is mentioned often in the Old Testament as an instrument of celebration, as here: "Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing."

Labels: drumhead, frame drums, handheld.instrument, tambourine, tambourines

Remo has long been known for building quality drumheads for drumsets. For nearly 50 years, Remo has been consistently breaking new grounds in the drumhead industry leaving all competitors in the dust. Ask any professional drummer what drumheads they use and most will answer Remo. They have roughly 77 patents on drumhead technology and continually lead the industry. Back in the 60's drumhead sizes were of various sizes and there wasn't much consistency in construction and tone. Remo changed all that when they figured out how to standardize drumhead sizes and additionally began investing aggressively into R&D on all things drumming

They eventually segued into World Percussion with same idea. Build top quality drumheads for world percussion based instruments and "they will come." Remo essentially revolutionized hand drumming by bringing modern drumhead technologies and performance to traditional world percussion instruments. Due to the huge diversity of hand drums, Remo eventually developed 12 differently shaped world percussion drumheads using Fiberskyn 3, Sude, and Nuskyn to fit most of today's popular drums. Their drumhead technologies are rugged, have consistency, and are weather resistant. Remo's worldwide collection of hand drums includes: Djembe, Bongo (Bongo drum buying guide), and Conga from countries including Africa, Asia, Brazil, and Cuba.

Remo is the benchmark by which other competitors manufacture their products. Would you believe that Remo heads are found on over 90% of drumsets - it's true I looked it up. I'm talking dw, Pearl, Ludwig and Yamaha. Simply put - they're the best!

Labels: bongo, conga, djembe, drumhead, hand.drum, hand.drumming, remo, remo.world.percussion, world.percussion