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Articles and posts about the Djembe Drum

Do Djembe Drums Make Good Children’s Musical Instruments?

January 12th, 2012 by admin No comments »

Whether at school or at home, children’s musical instruments are a great way to enrich the lives of your kids and teach them a few things along the way. Playing an instrument can help your child learn in a fun and exciting new way. A djembe drum is a great way to get your their creative juices flowing.

Cultural Awareness

An instrument like the djembe drum is steeped in cultural history and is a really easy way to teach your children all about other traditions and customs. Pronounced ‘jem-bay’, the drum originates from the Mali Empire of West Africa.

The djembe drum was originally used for ceremonial services, and motivating warriors into battle. Today, the drum is often used to unite communities and as a form of entertainment. The djembe is West Africa’s most popular drum and is fast becoming the most popular hand drum in the world.

This makes for the perfect children’s musical instrument as they can learn all about this drums illustrious history whilst learning how to play.

Musicality

Learning to play the djembe Drum is also fun and simple way to become musical. It’s a great idea for young children to play a musical instrument and something like the djembe is perfect. Playing an instrument is a great way to make friends and learn team building skills in a fun and child-friendly way.

Learning one instrument often paves the way for a keen interest in music and is an easy way for children to mix with others and learn new life skills.

Co-ordination

Playing the drums is a great way for your child to improve their hand-eye coordination. The djembe drum makes for a great children’s musical instrument has it is easy to learn and will help improve their coordination no end.

An improved confidence and coordination can then result in your child taking up sports and other extracurricular activities. All of these will help give your child some great skills for later life.

Responsibility

Giving your child a musical instrument like the djembe is a great way to teach them to be responsible. By putting them completely in charge of the drum and its care, your child will learn the value of their possessions in the way most modern, electrical toys do not.

The djembe makes the perfect children’s musical instrument. Your child will not only have fun learning to play the instrument, but learns a whole host of valuable life lessons.

Other Types of Children’s Musical Instrument

As well as the djembe drum, we also sell a wide selection of exciting children’s musical instruments for your child or school.

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Posted in african instruments, djembe drum shop, djembe drums

Tags: childrens musical instruments djembe percussion rhythm school percussion packs starter drum sets

Is a Djembe Bag a Good Way To Care For My Drum?

December 3rd, 2011 by admin No comments »

The wear and tear of storing and playing your djeme can take its toll on the quality and look of the drum. One of the best ways to care for your new instrument is with one of our djembe bags. Both the lightweight fibreglass and traditional wooden djembe’s can stay looking as good as new with this key accessory.

Lightweight Djembe Bags

Our range of lightweight djembe bags are the perfect bag for the lighter, fibreglass djembes. The backpack-style bag lets you carry your drum around with ease.

This range is made from traditional, colourful Bogolan cloth. The patterns are inspired by the traditional West African mudcloth and are the perfect companion for our fibreglass and jammer series djembes.

Padded Djembe Bags

Our range of padded djembe bags help keep even our wooden drums safe and secure. With dense padding, fur lining and a unique 3 zip system, these backpack

style carry cases keep you djembe safe from all the elements.

The padded, heavy duty shoulder straps make carrying even the heaviest hardwood djembes easy and comfortable.

How Do I Find The Right Djembe Bag For My Drum?

If you are looking to purchase one of our djembe bags, please be sure to accurately measure your drum. The outer dimensions of the top diameter, base diameter and height of the drum will help you pick the right sized bag for your drum.

Our full range will help protect your djembe from changing weather conditions and help stop damage to the wood.

How Else Can I Protect My Djembe?

There are loads of ways you can make sure your drum stays as good as new. Here are a few simple ways to look after your djembe:

Only play with your hands – sticks and mallets will damage the head
Be careful with it – try not to hit it on doorframes, walls etc
Don’t expose the goat skin drum head to rain – if it does get wet, don’t use a hairdryer on it
Use spray furniture wax and a soft cloth to gently clean your drum
Play often!

View our full range of accessories to find the perfect djembe bag for you. Make sure you watch this video for all you need to know about djembe bags and hats:

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Posted in djembe drum shop, musical instruments

Tags: djembe djembe bags drum maintenence how to play drums

What Are The School Percussion Packs Avaliable?

October 12th, 2011 by admin No comments »

Our school percussion packs are a great way to encourage groups of children to get actively involved in school music lessons. You can choose from drum packs and hand percussion packs in a number of sizes to suit your school requirements. We stock school percussion packs for between 8 and 40 players.

Our economy djembe drum pack is ideal for primary schools. It contains a great range of drums and is excellent value for money. Suitable for 11 players, the economy pack includes:

4 x 5″ handheld djembes
3 x 5.5″ medium handheld djembes
2 x 6.5″ large handheld djembes
2 x 8″ Jammer djembe

Our much larger Mixed Percussion Pack is suitable for 40 players so is perfect for larger schools or percussion groups. With a range of instruments, musicians of all abilities can enjoy playing these traditional African instruments. This pack includes:

2x Painted Djembe 6.5″	1x Pan Pipes
3x Carved Djembe 5″	10x Swanny Whistle
1x Didgeridoo	2x Painted Prayer Drum
1x Carry case	2x Painted Thunder Drum
1x Instruction Book	1x Xylophone
1x 120cm Rainstick	2x Carved Karimba
2x Coconut Maraca	1x Meditation Chime
2x 5 Head Maraca	3x Frog Caller Shaped
4x Wooden Egg Shaker	1x Rattan Double Maraca

The most expensive of our school percussion packs is the Large Drum Pack. This pack is suitable for more experienced musicians or older children and is perfect for creating a wonderfully traditional African sound. This pack is for 24 players and consists of:

1 x Sangban
1 x Kenkeni
6 x Jammer Djembe 8″
6 x Jammer Djembe 9.5″
1 x Gourd Shekere
2 x Jammer Djembe 12″
4 x Caxixi
3 x Gourd Sheker

If you’re a teacher looking for a school percussion pack, you need look no further than Djembe Drum Shop.

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Tags: djembe junior drum sets musical instruments percussion school percussion packs starter drum sets

What Is a Djembe Strap Used For?

September 24th, 2011 by admin No comments »

You’ve brought your djembe, leaned how to play, and now you’re looking for an easy way to play on the move. A djembe strap from Djembe Drum Shop is a great way to carry your instrument and give you support when playing.

A djembe strap can prove useful in both the sitting and standing positions. The lightweight strap is durable and fits any size djembe. The heavy duty nylon used in our products is strong enough to stand up to even the most intense drumming session. This makes even the heaviest hardwood djembes feel light and mobile.

When you’re playing stood up, the strap provides support and frees up both of your hands to play comfortably. When playing sat down the strap eliminates the need to hold the drum with your legs. This can greatly reduce the fatigue associated with securing the drum with only your legs and thighs.

When Can I Use a Djembe Strap?

A djembe strap can be used for any type of playing. Whether you’re just practicing or playing at school, the strap gives added comfort and helps support the heavier djembes. The most common use for djembe straps would be live, group performances.

Whether in a carnival or as part of a school performance, the strap gives the player increased freedom to play the instrument in the traditional way. Djembes originate from West Africa and were originally used for ceremonial services and motivating warriors into battle. This would involve lots of dancing, made possible by the use of a sturdy djembe strap.

Another great example of when a strap comes in useful is in a drumming circle. A drum circle is a group of people, usually from one community or school, whose main objective is to share the rhythm and their love for music. The group can vary in size and age making it a great way for your children to get involved in music.

There are loads of local community drumming circles and people of all abilities are always welcome. Check out local community centres and online to find your nearest group. Make sure you purchase a djembe strap from Djembe Drum Shop to help get you started.

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Posted in djembe drums, musical instruments

Tags: djembe djembe strap drumming circles Festival how to play drums

Your Complete Guide To Buying a Djembe Drum

August 31st, 2011 by admin No comments »

Once you’ve decided to purchase a drum from us, it’s important you know all about caring for it, playing it and everything in between. We’ve compiled a complete and comprehensive guide to buying a djembe drum.

Make sure you buy a drum from a reputable dealer like us. All handmade djembe drums should be made of wood and goat skin, with their own distinctive voice. Different woods produce different sounds so it’s a good idea to do some research.

Lightweight Mahogany is a great material for a djembe drum. It is stable and is dense enough to produce a nice open sound. Mahogany is also often plantation grown which is an important environmental aspect for out Pro Africa and Jammer Your drums.

If you’re looking for something a bit more lightweight when buying a djembe drum you need look no further than our fibreglass djembes (link). This Djembe is perfect for any performer who needs a hardworking, reliable drum or for equipping a demanding drum circle with long lasting, attractive Djembes.

How Do You Play a Djembe Drum?

You can play your djembe sitting or standing but we find the best way to play is in the sitting position. This is the most common method within Drum Circles too. If you play standing, you will need a djembe strap.

To play the Djembe, sit up straight on the edge of a chair. Cross your ankles and tuck them slightly under you. Hold the drum between your thighs or knees so the bottom of the djembe rests behind your heels.

There are three basic tones for playing the djembe. Watch this video and see for yourself just how easy it can be.

We hope this has helped you when buying a djembe drum, it really is as easy as that to make beautiful music.

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Tags: buying a djembe drum djembe djembe strap how to play drums

What Are The Different Types of Djembe Drums For Sale?

July 15th, 2011 by admin No comments »

There is a whole host of different djembe drums for sale, so it’s important you do your research before making a purchase. Our djembes vary in size, material and weight so we would recommend taking your time to browse the site first. We stock a range of hand held djembes, right through to 13” tall drums.

What Are The Different Sizes of Djembe Drums For Sale?

Our hand held djembes range from 5” to 6.5” so are perfect for children and beginners. These djembes are hand turned from sustainable mahogany and finished with an intricate tribal carving. This entry level djeme is a popular choice with beginners and is great as part of a drumming group or street performance.

Our range of small djembes range from 8.5” to 10” and are perfect for live performances and drum circles. Available in a number of patterns and colours, these djembes are intricately carved with a natural bark style finish.

Our medium djembes are 12” tall and is perfect for the seasoned performer who requires a hardworking, reliable drum. These are adorned with traditional rope runners, natural goat skin and attractive mudcloth and African Bogolan inspired cloth casings.

Our large djembes are 13” tall and offer the best sound quality for performance and recording. The sustainable mahogany body on our Ghana Djembe is carefully hand carved and the natural goat skin creates crisp but warm tones and outstanding bass notes.

What Are The Different Materials Avaliable?

Our range of djembe drums for sale includes both traditional wood and goat skin djembes and the more modern fibreglass drum. Each material has its own unique benefit so it’s best to shop around.

If you’re a beginner, we would recommend the wood djemes. These are more authentic and produce a rich, more colourful sound and are perfect for drumming circles.

The fibreglass djembes have a thinner sound and would be better suited for schools. They are also more durable as they have a plastic head and more lightweight.

As you can tell, there are lots of different djembe drums for sale so it is a good idea to shop around and do your research prior to any purchase.

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Posted in african instruments, djembe drum shop, djembe drums

Tags: djembe drums for sale fibreglass djembes wood djembes

Why Choose a West African Drum

July 12th, 2011 by admin No comments »

West African drums have been growing in popularity in the UK in recent times. The beautiful, earthy sound is unlike anything else and is a favourite amongst drumming circles and school percussion groups.

The drum is one of the oldest and most popular musical instruments in the world. Used by various communities and cultures for a multitude of ceremonies and celebrations, drums are also famously very noisy.

It is this that has made drums an increasingly popular choice of musical instruments amongst children and teenagers. If you’re looking for an alternative to a drum kit, why not consider a West African drum from Djembe Drum Shop?

These drums, djembes in particular, are a great alternative to the large and expensive drum kits. These compact and affordable instruments can be tidied away and take up little room in a bedroom or lounge.

They have a much nicer sound too. Even when your child is learning or playing alone, West African drums have a unique and glorious sound. A djembe drum will bring the carnival spirit into any home. This type of drum is fast becoming the most popular hand drum in the world.

What Are The Other Benefits of a West African Drum?

A drum such as a djembe is a great introduction into playing a musical instrument. Your children can slowly learn the art of playing the djembe as well as increasing their hand-eye coordination. Djembe drums are also a great way to teach your children about other cultures and give them a sense of responsibility.

West African drums and instruments such as percussion shakers and rain sticks are also a great way to get your children involved in drumming circles or school. This is a great way to encourage team building and friendship amongst children. It’s also a great way to meet people you wouldn’t normally.

What Are The Most Popular West African Drums?

The djembe is the most common and well known West African Drum but there are a whole host of other drums of all shapes and sizes to choose from:

Bougarabou Africa – traditional drum from the Jola people of Senegal often has a softer deeper tone than the djembe
Bougarabou Tribal – has a rich warm and very loud tone.
Dundun Range – played with a drumstick and open hand these drums have a rich booming tone

We have a great selection of West Africa drums and instruments to choose from, contact us today to see what we can do for you.

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Posted in african instruments, musical instruments

Tags: African drum sets musical instruments percussion percussion west african drums

Other African Instruments for sale

June 1st, 2011 by admin No comments »

As well as the djembe drum, we also have a whole host of African Instruments for sale. Africa is famous for its colourful instruments and heart warming music. Snapping up one of these authentic instruments for your school or band is guaranteed to bring the warm feel of Africa to even the most traditional of bands.

Percussion Shakers

Our African Instruments range contains two types of percussion shakers. The lightweight 5 Headed Maraca is a vibrant sounding instrument consisting of 5 synthetic sound chambers bound to a rattan and bamboo handle. The Maraca is decorated in a traditional painted pattern and is topped with Jentri Beads for added decoration. This instrument has a light an playful sound and is perfect for schools and beginners.

Our Beaded Coconut Maraca is a high quality maraca constructed in coconut and sustainable teak wood handle. The bead filled maraca is also covered in a string mesh threaded with Jentri beads which bang and scrape the coconut sound chamber when played adding a second layer of sound to the traditional maraca.

Rain Makers

The Rain Maker, or Rainstick is an essential part of any percussion set. A favourite amongst children and schools, the Rainstick’s amazing unique sound stimulates the sound of falling rain. You don’t need any music ability to make fabulous music with one of these.

The Rain Maker is made of bamboo and is covered in either blue or red cloth with a rattan lattice. At 100cm or 39”, anyone can play the play weatherman with the Rain Maker.

Didgeridoo

The Didgeridoo may not be an African instrument but it certainly makes for a colourful addition to any percussion band. Traditionally played by the Aboriginal people of Australia, these instruments are recreated in mature bamboo.

They are easy to learn and fun to play making them a very popular item, especially when combined with the Carry Case and Instructional book to make a package offer. We stock a ‘Carved’ and a ‘Carved and Painted’ Didgeridoo so there is one for every pocket.

The Next Step

If that’s given you the musical bug and you would like to try out any of our African instruments, contact us for free today.

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Posted in african instruments, musical instruments

Tags: African african instruments didgeridoo musical instruments percussion percussion rain maker

What to expect when you receive your Djembe Drum

May 10th, 2010 by admin No comments »

Some people have asked us what would the packaging be like, and basically what can I expect to receive when I order a djembe drum from Djembe Drum Shop. We made a short video in our living room with one of our djembe drums to let you have an insider’s view!