What Is A Djembe? - African Instruments
What Is A Djembe? - African Instruments
What is a Djembe drum?
The djembe is one of the most well-known drums from Africa. You will hear its captivating rhythm throughout the continent.
Originally hailing from West Africa, this drum holds deep roots within the Manding tribes of Mali, Senegal, Guinea Conakry, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast. These tribes share an intricate cultural and historical bond, intertwined through their language, music, and annual cultural events.
Centuries ago, the ancestors of these tribes were citizens of the great Mali empire, whose heyday was in the 14th Century during the rule of Mana Musa.
What does a Djembe drum look like?
The djembe drum has unique and distinctive appearance. It features an hourglass body carved out of a single piece of hardwood, such as lenke, djalla, or dougouba.
The drum’s body is hollowed out and covered with a drumhead made of goat or cow skin, which is secured to the body with a system of ropes or cords.
The drumhead is traditionally tightened using a process known as “wedging,” where ropes are threaded through holes around the drum’s body and pulled tightly to achieve the desired tension. This allows for a wide range of tones and sounds to be produced when the drum is played. In addition, the djembe drum often features skillfully crafted carvings and decorations on its body, serving as a testament to the artistry and cultural significance of the communities that create and cherish this instrument.
These intricate designs can hold symbolic meaning, representing cultural motifs, ancestral spirits, or other elements that hold great importance within the community’s identity. The adornments add a touch of beauty and cultural depth to the djembe drum, making it not only a musical instrument but also a visual expression of tradition and heritage.
African Drumming Workshops
Experience the vitality and creative freedom of playing African drums with Unbeatable Energy’s nationwide drumming classes. African drumming workshops are an amazing way to energise, unwind and strengthen your relationships. We offer drumming workshops for corporate icebreaker events, school events, higher education and host regular evening classes in Sheffield.
What does the Djembe sound like?
The sounds produced from the versatile Djembe drum are incredibly diverse; from dry, high-pitched tones to deep, booming bass. The bass tones resonate with a rich and full-bodied presence, providing a solid foundation for the rhythm, whereas the open tones are bright and clear, cutting through the air with their distinct and melodic character.
Each slap delivers a sharp and percussive sound, adding a lively and rhythmic texture to the music. Whether played softly or with vigour, the djembe drum’s sound carries an unmistakable presence that can uplift spirits, create a sense of unity, and transport listeners to the heart of African musical traditions.
What Are Dunduns? - African Drumming
What Are Dunduns? - African Drumming
What do the Dundun drums sound like?
The dundun drums possess a distinct and powerful sound that adds depth and rhythmic complexity to West African music. When played, the dununba, sangba, and kenkeni produce a layered ensemble of catchy tones. You will rarely see a professional Djembe group in West Africa without the Dundun drums.
These drums possess remarkable strength and drive, producing an irresistibly energetic and infectious, funky sound which makes it virtually impossible not to move when their beat dances through the air!
What are the Dundun drums?
The dunduns (or dunun) are a family of cylindrical African drums. They are traditionally played along the djembe and provide a deep bass to accompany the rhythms.
Contrary to the expectation of maintaining a steady and uniform beat, the dundun drums, in fact, generate intricately syncopated patterns that add remarkable depth and complexity to the music. There are three distinct types of dundun drums.
The largest one is known as the Dundunba, which produces deep and resonant tones. The middle-sized drum is called the Sangba, providing a balanced sound.
Lastly, the smallest drum is referred to as the Kenkeni, offering higher-pitched notes. Contrary to the djembe which is played with one’s hands, these drums are played with a thick stick.
Traditionally, they would be played sideways with one hand playing the head with a stick, while the other hand plays a bell attached to the top of the drum’s shell. You can even have multiple musicians playing various complimentary rhythms on each of the three dunduns.
In some cases, one musician might strap all three drums together and play them combined!Centuries ago, the ancestors of these tribes were citizens of the great Mali empire, whose heyday was in the 14th Century during the rule of Mana Musa.
What do the Dundun drums look like?
Similar to the djembe, dunduns are crafted from a single piece of hollowed wood, shaped into a barrel form. These drums have two sides, but only one side is played at a time using a stick or mallet. In Guinea, dunduns typically feature sturdy and thick cow skin as the drumhead, while in countries like Mali, lighter goat skin is commonly used.
African Drumming Workshops
Experience the vitality and creative freedom of playing African drums with Unbeatable Energy’s nationwide drumming classes. African drumming workshops are an amazing way to energise, unwind and strengthen your relationships. We offer drumming workshops for corporate icebreaker events, school events, higher education and host regular evening classes in Sheffield.
Drumming can teach us a life skill - less effort and more trust.
Drumming can teach us a life skill - less effort and more trust
Time and time again my djembe drum practice reminds me to find an easy effortless approach to other aspects of my professional life. In addition to developing skills in listening and improving emotional well-being, there is a particular effortless grace from djembe drum technique which can offer an important life skill - sometimes success is achieved by doing less rather than more.
A djembe is a like small trampoline for your hands. It has its own power and resource of energy to do a lot of the work for you. When your hands are relaxed and you let them fall, their bounce helps to lift your hands to play a second beat – effortlessly. The process of eliminating excessive effort in playing develops over time and with practice. A sense of trust is required when you let the hands fall without worrying about how or where they land on the drum. Often beginners to djembe have a tendency to ‘hold on’ and control their hands, creating tension as they make a strike on the drum. Learning to release tension and developing trust in your hands will result in navigation from one point in a rhythm to another with little physical effort.
With this approach, I try to apply what I have learnt from practising djembe technique to other areas of my work.
As a drumming facilitator, part of my role is instructing others in technique and rhythms. How I deliver those instructions matters.
For example, when I teach drumming to very young children, I find their ability to play is increased when I give fewer instructions. Quite simply I try and talk less; tune in to their childhood excitement of drums and then pass out simple instructions – just a few at any given time. I find we get the same result as when I give out more instructions but with less tension and more fun for everyone involved.
Equally, when I’m in a situation where I’m training or supervising someone in my team, I am aware of the dangers of micro-management – overloading someone with instructions. I have learnt over the years to trust my colleagues more and allow them to find their own methods and solutions. Colleagues, like children in a class, will learn best by doing some things by themselves with my support.
Have you ever found some things in your work or life that seem to become more difficult the more you try? And that when you go back to something you find a simple solution which seems easy and effortless. And that this less-effort approach is better for your well-being and for the well-being of those around you?
What about your experience of teaching or managing others? We would love to hear from you if you would like to discuss this topic further. And perhaps at your next Staff Leadership or Team Development Day, the group drumming activity could provide a powerful reminder to trust yourself and your team!
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