There has been an increase in the popularity of hand drums during the past several years, on the stage as well as in casual environments such as drum circles. The djembe drum has proven itself to be incredibly versatile in both scenarios. There are some common errors that are often made by musicians when playing a hand drum of any type.
For someone wanting only one drum that has a number of different sounds, a djembe drum is the perfect choice. Djembe drums come in a number of different styles, appealing to the specific preferences of each player. Drums are available with either a synthetic or natural skin head. Each type of head presents an individual challenge. If you tune the synthetic head too tightly, you will get certain overtones and a "ring", which isn't the sound you want to achieve. The natural head has less overtones and more of an 'organic' feel to the sound. If the head gets over-tensioned, it can be tricky to down-tune it. This can be avoided by tuning the head gradually, paying careful attention to the tone as you go.
Other misconception is that drummers should play more loudly than the other musicians, and that the larger drums are, the more loudly they are to be played. This happens quite often, and it is inconsiderate to the people around you. People who drum together in drum circle have a tendency to speed up as they are drumming and also get louder. Djembes have the potential to be very loud but it is not necessary to play them loud as those drumming quietly will still be heard when playing in an orchestra or band.
Another issue that goes hand-in-hand with this problem is that players have a tendency to speed up as they play louder. These can be avoided if you simply listen and pay attention to what you are playing. You are possibly too loud if you cannot hear the other players. Some people think it helps to shut their eyes so they can concentrate better; it's not like the drum is going to go anywhere.
The djembe is an excellent drum and is easy for all, even beginners, to play. That being said, just because a beginner can play the djembe easily, they shouldn't ignore the basics. Many casual players have a good time just pounding away without knowing how to coax the variety of sounds that are possible out of the drum, while other players take the time to learn the basics of where the tones are located and how to bring them out of the djembe. Once you have mastered the three primary tones of the djembe drum, you will sound like you are part of the band.
For someone wanting only one drum that has a number of different sounds, a djembe drum is the perfect choice. Djembe drums come in a number of different styles, appealing to the specific preferences of each player. Drums are available with either a synthetic or natural skin head. Each type of head presents an individual challenge. If you tune the synthetic head too tightly, you will get certain overtones and a "ring", which isn't the sound you want to achieve. The natural head has less overtones and more of an 'organic' feel to the sound. If the head gets over-tensioned, it can be tricky to down-tune it. This can be avoided by tuning the head gradually, paying careful attention to the tone as you go.
Other misconception is that drummers should play more loudly than the other musicians, and that the larger drums are, the more loudly they are to be played. This happens quite often, and it is inconsiderate to the people around you. People who drum together in drum circle have a tendency to speed up as they are drumming and also get louder. Djembes have the potential to be very loud but it is not necessary to play them loud as those drumming quietly will still be heard when playing in an orchestra or band.
Another issue that goes hand-in-hand with this problem is that players have a tendency to speed up as they play louder. These can be avoided if you simply listen and pay attention to what you are playing. You are possibly too loud if you cannot hear the other players. Some people think it helps to shut their eyes so they can concentrate better; it's not like the drum is going to go anywhere.
The djembe is an excellent drum and is easy for all, even beginners, to play. That being said, just because a beginner can play the djembe easily, they shouldn't ignore the basics. Many casual players have a good time just pounding away without knowing how to coax the variety of sounds that are possible out of the drum, while other players take the time to learn the basics of where the tones are located and how to bring them out of the djembe. Once you have mastered the three primary tones of the djembe drum, you will sound like you are part of the band.
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Djembe drums for sale at the Djembe Drum Shop, visit www.djembedrumshop.com for further information.
