After catching a beat from a djembe drum one time, the urge to purchase one for oneself is hard to resist. When you feel that the idea of acquiring one has matured in your mind, it is important to devote some time to the drum's materials, synthetic or wooden djembes has to be done. What follows helps towards making the right decision.
Various drum materials have their pros and cons. What is important to the player is the deciding factor. For example, if durability is important, because, say, the drum will be played outdoors a lot, synthetic, fiberglass djembes may be the best bet. Synthetic djembes are also a little more user friendly than wood because they produce a solid drum tone easily,also allowing more room for error.
Clear sound is produce by fiberglass djembes and warm, soft sounds are produced by wooden ones. Djembe players who participate in small drum circles or play in groups with just a handful of instruments, like banjos or acoustic guitars, may choose the more natural, earth-like warmth of a wooden drum, conversely, a drummer who is part of a large circle or musical ensemble will often choose to be heard and prefer the sound produced by synthetics. The choices are based upon the final purpose of the drum. In or outside? Is the drum going to travel frequently? Answering these questions will aid in deciding whether fiberglass or wooden is the better material for your djembe.
Drum heads can also be synthetic or natural. The main material that is used to make a natural head is goatskin. Goatskins can produce a vast variety of tones and effects depending on the quality of the hide and the way it has been treated. A helpful hint for players heart-set on a goatskin drum head is "look for the stripe!". A stripe in the middle of the drum head is usually a factor that indicates its high quality and durability.
Synthetic drumheads were created to mimic the sounds of goatskin, while providing more sturdiness. Synthetic heads are good for beginners.
Feel free to mix the materials of the drum base and drum head. Some drummers choose their drum to be made out of either all natural or all synthetic materials, while others mix the materials up. The key item to keep in mind is that this choice is a matter of personal preference with no clear objective superiority. With djembes, one would find it hard to go wrong. After selecting a djembe you can start to have fun with it.
Various drum materials have their pros and cons. What is important to the player is the deciding factor. For example, if durability is important, because, say, the drum will be played outdoors a lot, synthetic, fiberglass djembes may be the best bet. Synthetic djembes are also a little more user friendly than wood because they produce a solid drum tone easily,also allowing more room for error.
Clear sound is produce by fiberglass djembes and warm, soft sounds are produced by wooden ones. Djembe players who participate in small drum circles or play in groups with just a handful of instruments, like banjos or acoustic guitars, may choose the more natural, earth-like warmth of a wooden drum, conversely, a drummer who is part of a large circle or musical ensemble will often choose to be heard and prefer the sound produced by synthetics. The choices are based upon the final purpose of the drum. In or outside? Is the drum going to travel frequently? Answering these questions will aid in deciding whether fiberglass or wooden is the better material for your djembe.
Drum heads can also be synthetic or natural. The main material that is used to make a natural head is goatskin. Goatskins can produce a vast variety of tones and effects depending on the quality of the hide and the way it has been treated. A helpful hint for players heart-set on a goatskin drum head is "look for the stripe!". A stripe in the middle of the drum head is usually a factor that indicates its high quality and durability.
Synthetic drumheads were created to mimic the sounds of goatskin, while providing more sturdiness. Synthetic heads are good for beginners.
Feel free to mix the materials of the drum base and drum head. Some drummers choose their drum to be made out of either all natural or all synthetic materials, while others mix the materials up. The key item to keep in mind is that this choice is a matter of personal preference with no clear objective superiority. With djembes, one would find it hard to go wrong. After selecting a djembe you can start to have fun with it.
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Thinking of buying a djembe drum? The Djembe Drum Shop has a number of djembe drums, both modern and traditional, in a number of sizes and styles - go to www.djembedrumshop.com.
