African drum. Characteristics and description of the tool

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The subtle sense of rhythm of Africans has long been envied by Europeans and Americans. It is also known that jazz, famous for its rhythm, originated precisely in the circles of African slaves taken out by the Americans from their native land, where almost everyone knows how to play a special ethnic drum. It is used both for musical and rhythmic accompaniment of mass dances, and during magical shamanic rituals - with its sounds, it helps to immerse a person in a state of trance.

What is the name of the African drum

Djembe - the name of the folk percussion instrument of the inhabitants of West Africa.

Initially, the djembe drum was considered the national instrument of the Republic of Mali, but its wide distribution made it the property of the entire continent.

The instrument is shaped like a goblet, approximately 60 cm high, with a wide, 30 cm in diameter, goatskin-covered surface, which is played with the palms of the hands. Made from solid wood. According to the method of sound extraction, it belongs to membranophones.

It is also worth noting that the "longevity" and unchanged sound quality of the drum is largelydepends not only on the wood used, but also on the care of the tool, careful storage.

You should try to put the djembe on dusty ground as little as possible, because this leads to rapid contamination of the membrane, reducing its elasticity and, as a result, bad sound.

It is also advisable to carry the drum in a case that protects it from external shocks and shocks. The cover prevents dirt and dust from entering the case, it is very convenient when transporting.

To prevent the wood and leather from drying out, occasionally lubricate the tool with vegetable oil.

Spreading djembe

The African drum is very popular among musicians of various styles and nationalities. It is used both for playing in an ensemble and for rhythmic solos. However, in Europe, they learned about the djembe relatively recently, from the 50s. XX Art.

African music, drums in particular, are perceived as something very exotic, their rhythms and timbres fascinate the listener.

The instrument impresses with its sonorous and deep bass, which arises due to resonance in the cavity of the instrument.

Making a drum

Classic djembe is usually made from a single piece of wood, often decorated with carvings or various ethnic patterns and inscriptions. Modern instruments are often made from glued parts, which significantly reduces the price of the drum. Also recently, somefirms began to produce plastic djembe. In terms of sound quality, they are significantly inferior to wooden instruments, but the affordable price and lack of response to climate change make plastic drums quite common.

Africans themselves can meet the so-called ashiko - an instrument similar to the djembe, only glued together from several strips of wood.

The membrane of an African drum is made from goat skin, but sometimes antelope, zebra or deer skin is also used. It is pulled to the desired degree with a special rope, which is attached to the drum with metal rings or clips.

On the djembe, the rhythm is played with both hands, while the body itself is fixed with the legs or under the arm for convenience, and for reliability it is also fastened with a special belt that the drummer puts on his neck.

There are three main sounds played on the djemba: bass tone, high pitch and ringing.

Tuning the African drum is also of great importance for the correctness and beauty of the sound, especially if ensemble playing is supposed.

The main components of djembe are wood and leather. They respond to changes in air temperature and humidity by swelling or, conversely, narrowing, which requires additional adjustment.

African drums in processing

A lot of classical and folk music can be heard in modern arrangements. They are written using special computer programs, so creating such tracks canalmost anyone.

Processing recordings of various African rhythms makes them sound more interesting and rich.

Thanks to djembe, you can bring a little exotic into your life, go beyond the ordinary and "move" to African latitudes for a while. Drums can be purchased from online music stores, contributing to the growing popularity of the instrument.