Hand drums have become extremely popular over the last few years, both for use on stage and in informal settings like drum circles. A djembe drum demonstrates itself as being very versatile for both purposes. Players often make a few common mistakes when playing this or any other type of hand drum.
For someone wanting only one drum that has a number of different sounds, a djembe drum is the perfect choice. The are a number of different djembe drums available, with one to suit every player and their preferences. A drum head can be either be synthetic material or natural skin. Both synthetic and natural skin heads have their own particular challenges. A lot of "ring" and overtones that you don't want can be caused by the synthetic head being tuned too tightly. With a natural head, the tones tend to be more "organic" and the drum produces fewer overtones. An over-tensioned head might be tricky to down-tune. The easiest way to avoid this is to tune the synthetic head a bit at a time and checking 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. If you go to a drum circle with a few people playing djembe drums you will probably notice all of the players pounding away and the volume steadily increasing. 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.
Players have a tendency to speed up as they play louder which is another issue that goes hand-in-hand with this problem. The best way to avoid these two issues is to simply use your ears. If you can't hear the players around you, then you are probably too loud. Some people find it very helpful to close their eyes for better focus; after all, the drum won't go anywhere.
The djembe is a great drum, and it is easy to play, even for a beginner. That being said, just because a beginner can play the djembe easily, they shouldn't ignore the basics. Other players take the time to learn the basics of where the tones are located and how to bring them out of the djembe, while 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. 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. The are a number of different djembe drums available, with one to suit every player and their preferences. A drum head can be either be synthetic material or natural skin. Both synthetic and natural skin heads have their own particular challenges. A lot of "ring" and overtones that you don't want can be caused by the synthetic head being tuned too tightly. With a natural head, the tones tend to be more "organic" and the drum produces fewer overtones. An over-tensioned head might be tricky to down-tune. The easiest way to avoid this is to tune the synthetic head a bit at a time and checking 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. If you go to a drum circle with a few people playing djembe drums you will probably notice all of the players pounding away and the volume steadily increasing. 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.
Players have a tendency to speed up as they play louder which is another issue that goes hand-in-hand with this problem. The best way to avoid these two issues is to simply use your ears. If you can't hear the players around you, then you are probably too loud. Some people find it very helpful to close their eyes for better focus; after all, the drum won't go anywhere.
The djembe is a great drum, and it is easy to play, even for a beginner. That being said, just because a beginner can play the djembe easily, they shouldn't ignore the basics. Other players take the time to learn the basics of where the tones are located and how to bring them out of the djembe, while 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. 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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To buy djembe drums and djembe bags visit the Djembe Drum Shop at www.djembedrumshop.com.
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