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Articles and posts about the Djembe Drum

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

December 3rd, 2011

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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Tags: djembe djembe bags drum maintenence how to play drums

What Is a Djembe Strap Used For?

September 24th, 2011

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

Your Complete Guide To Buying a Djembe Drum

August 31st, 2011

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

Learn Drums – The 2 Most Important Drumsstick Grips When You Are Learning The Drums

March 20th, 2010

The most basic lesson required to start learning the drums is to master the drumstick grips.

The Traditional Grip

This is the most popular method of holding the drumsticks and one that is most commonly taught. The traditional grip began as an easy way for marching drummers to play when the drum was strapped across their chest.

The right hand will use a hammer-like motion. The left hand should hold the drum stick as if writing with a pen.. Now you must position your first two fingers on the top of the shaft and two fingers below the shaft. Allow the drumstick to rest between your first finger and your thumb.

The Match Grip

The match grip is the accepted way of playing the drums for most modern players. When you play with the match grip both hands hold the sticks the same way. This is the reason it is called the match grip. Imagine holding the drumstick like a hammer and stick the drums as if driving a nail.

When you first start learning the drums it is best to stick with one of these two grips. Once you start to improve and you progress to an intermediate level you may want to start experimenting with different grips besides the two mentioned above.

One Final Tip For Left Handed Players

If you are new to the drums and you are just learning the grips I would recommend sticking with the Match Grip instead of attempting to reverse the Traditional Grip.

Do you want to discover the fastest and easiest ways to master the drum quickly – learn drums

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Tags: drum grips how to play drums learn drums learning drums

Drumstick Grips – The Top 2 Drumstick Grips You Need To Know

January 19th, 2010

The most basic lesson required to start learning the drums is to master the drumstick grips.

The Traditional Grip

The traditional grip is one of the most common grips used today. It is taught by the majority of books and teachers as the primary grip. It began to be used by drummers in marching bands.

The right hand will use a hammer-like motion. The left hand should hold the drum stick as if writing with a pen.. The only difference is that you must keep two fingers on top of the shaft and two fingers below the shaft. Let the drumstick rest on the fleshy bit of your palm.

The Match Grip

The match grip is the favorite way to hold the drumsticks for most modern drummers. When you play with the match grip both hands hold the sticks the same way. This is the reason it is called the match grip. The trick is to hold the drumsticks just like you were using a hammer to strike nails.

At first I would recommend you stick to playing one of the two grips mentioned above. As you advance and become a better drummer you may want to experiment with different ways of holding the sticks to suit your own style.

Left Handed Drummers

If you are only starting out playing the drums I would recommend sticking with the Match Grip for now. Once you are more experienced you can try out reversing the Traditional Grip.

Do you want to discover the fastest and easiest ways to master the drum quickly – learn drums