Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Find Out How the Djembe Drum can be Successfully Utilized in Music Therapy

By Ruth Williams


Hand-crafted African djembe drums are beautiful musical instruments with an attractive sound. Not just that, these drums are helpful for therapy and recovery. Rhythm is an essential element of the human experience, starting with the sound of the mothers heart beat while still within the womb. Drum therapy builds on that sensation to further encourage healing.

Music therapy with djembe drums can be utilized in various institutional surroundings. In particular, school kids of every age group like a session of playing rhythm instruments. But the gain goes over and above simple pleasure. Producing music has been found to be beneficial to a youngster's intellectual advancement along with minimizing anxiety levels, both facts that make drumming important as a therapy for kids with problems like ADHD, mental retardation, or physical handicaps.

The djembe drum goes back about 700 years, where it was first developed in the African country of Mali. The craftsman carves the drum using a single length of tree trunk and covers it with an animal skin drum head. The drum was designed to fit between the legs of the player and be drummed on with bare hands. Musicians can either learn conventional rhythms or play depending on the way they feel.

Drum circles are used for various types of therapy. When used in a group, the sense of community helps the music in generating well being. Drum circles have been identified to be useful for stroke sufferers, cancer sufferers, people wanting to break addictions, and other people old and young that are facing problems. Drums are used with Alzheimer's sufferers and it's believed that drumming can even help the body's defence mechanism.

In a drum circle, the head djembe drummer will usually lay out the rhythm for the circle, with other instruments following his lead. Other instruments used include rattles, shakers, bongo drums, rhythm sticks, and tambourines. Schools often buy the instruments in classroom kits to ensure that there'll be something for everybody to play.

When picking a djembe drum, it is important to consider the size of the person who'll be playing it. Heights of the drums range from 12 to 28 inches with the diameter of the head increasing proportionately. The drum should rest on the floor or chair when the player is sitting down. The head of the drum needs to be positioned 3 or 4 inches above the lap. Therefore, the smallest children ought to be equipped with the shortest size of djembe drums.




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