Drum Circle

There are essentially two types of tuning systems found on most djembe drums - key tuned and rope tuned. To help you make a more informed decision when selecting your new djembe, I will discuss each type of tuning system and touch upon some of the differences.

Key tuned djembe drums tend to have a more modern feel and are tuned using a wrench to tighten the bolts around the djembe head. They are also known as 'mechanically tuned' or 'bolt tuned'. The distinguishing feature of key tuned djembes is a bulky, metal rim that fits around the head and is secured to the body using metal tuning hooks. The additional hardware on this type of djembe adds weight and is a bit of an eyesore. The trade-off in aesthetics is a tuning system that is relatively easy to understand. Just grab the wrench and begin tightening the bolts found on each tuning hook as you go around the head. Tightening the bolts will tighten the skin thus pitching up your djembe head.

Rope tuned djembes are more traditional in their design and are tuned by tightening the ropes around the head of the djembe. Depending on the djembe, there are either two or three metal rings fitted around the head of the drum. However, unlike mechanically tuned djembe drums where there is a most prominent metal rim wrapping around the djembe; the metal rings of rope-tuned djembes are tucked under the skin, are much thinner and not very noticeable. Additionally instead of the tuning hooks, as found on mechanically tuned djembes, rope tuned djembes are fitted with a bunch of vertical rope runners that run up and down the bowl. These vertical rope runners are fastened to the metal rings around the djembe head and are used to place tension on the skin when pulled tightly. To tune the drum you would place horizontal knots on the various sets of vertical rope runners by pulling what's called a diamond. This is known as the Mali Weave. Tuning a rope based djembe can be done quite confidently by a beginner and doesn't take long.

Making a determination of whether or not to go with a mechanically tuned djembe or rope tuned djembe is really a matter of personal taste. However, it's probably safe to say that most players today are choosing rope based djembes due to their traditional aesthetic appeal, and better sound quality. Djembes that are fitted with a mechanical tuning system just seem to lack that "real" djembe sound. Additionally, I've found the bulkiness of the mechanical rim to get in the way of playing.

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Next: How to Tune a Djembe

Djembe Buying Guide

• History of Djembe Drums
• Which Size Djembe is Right for Me?
• Wood vs. Synthetic Djembe
• Rope Tuned vs. Key Tuned Djembe
• How to Tune a Djembe
• How to Play a Djembe
• Compare Djembe Brands
• Earth Friendly Djembe
• About African Djembes
• Djembe Rhythm Samples
• Djembe Rope. Why Quality Matters.
• Caring for your Djembe
• Best Beginner Djembe

 

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Labels: Djembe.Buying.Guide, rope.djembe

When shopping for a djembe drum it's important to consider the environmental ramifications of purchasing a djembe that uses illegal wood. Unfortunately, many djembe drums that are being imported into this country, from West Africa, are made from wood that has been illegally harvested. Read more about African djembe drums here.

Labels: african.djembe, djembe, Djembe.Buying.Guide, djembe.drum, jembe, rope.djembe, west.africa

The African djembe (also jembe, jenbe, yembe, sanbanyi in Susu; pronounced "ZHEM-bay") is a goatskin covered drum shaped like a large goblet and meant to be played with bare hands. Traditionally crafted djembe drums are carved in one single piece from hollowed out hardwood trees. Specific types of wood depend upon the forests accessible to the drum makers. Some West African hardwoods used for musician quality instruments (carved in Guinea, Senegal, Mali, and Ivory Coast) include dimba (bush mango), lenge, bois rouge, acajou, iroko, hare or khadi, and dugura.

As a result of the large goblet shape and the goatskin head, there is a significant difference in the tones produced. Striking the skin near the center produces a bass note; striking the skin near the rim can produce either a tone or slap note, depending on the technique used. The slap has a higher pitch than the tone. Some consider the djembe female and the Ashikos to be male. The djembe is said to contain 3 spirits. The spirit of the tree, the spirit of the animal of which the drumhead is made and the spirit of the instrument maker. The African djembe is also known as the magical drum.

The African djembe is used for ceremonial purposes such as a wedding, full moon or the start of a harvest season for farmers. There is general agreement that the origin of the African djembe is associated with a class of Mandinka/Susu blacksmiths known as Numu. The wide dispersion of the djembe drums throughout West Africa may be due to Numu migrations dating from the first millennium A.D.

The Malinke, an indigenous people who are spread throughout West Africa, use the djembe to help spread their message of peace. In the Malinke culture it's an expression of joy. And is often used as a way for the African people to share their thoughts about the world. African drummer Mamady Keita, named best djembe drummer in Africa by the Pan-African Festival in Algers puts it best: "For us personally it's a way for us to share our own thoughts about the world. It helps us show through music that all our problems are not needed, and that we can come together as people because we can come together to play music."

Next: How to Play the Djembe

Labels: african.djembe, african.djembe.drum, Djembe.Buying.Guide, goatskin.head, goblet.drum, hardwood, jembe, malinke, mamady.keita, rope.djembe, west.africa