djembe

Hear this out loudPauseFor example bass-tone, bass-slap, tone-slap, bass-bass, etc… A djembe roll is when the player plays many sounds in quick succession. On the bass it sounds like thunder, on the tone like purring, and on the slap like fire!

Hear this out loudPauseIn much of Africa, drums are considered to symbolize and protect royalty, which often leads to their being housed in sacred dwellings. They can also be considered as a primitive telephone, since drums are also used to communicate with tribes that are miles and miles away.

Hear this out loudPauseStyles of music Traditionally, djembe is the instrument of dance. Today it has been incorporated into popular West African music by artists like Youssou N'Dour, Salif Keita and Baaba Maal.

Hear this out loudPauseAfrican hand drums are played to communicate, celebrate, mourn and inspire. They're played in times of peace and war, planting and harvesting, birth and death. Drums have been such a large part of Africans' daily experience for so long that drumming pulses throughout their collective unconscious.

Hear this out loudPauseThe djembe drum has unique and distinctive appearance. It features an hourglass body carved out of a single piece of hardwood, such as lenke, djalla, or dougouba. The drum's body is hollowed out and covered with a drumhead made of goat or cow skin, which is secured to the body with a system of ropes or cords.

Hear this out loudPauseThe goblet shape of the Djembe is a common symbol in cultures across the world, representing love, emotion, spirituality and life.

Hear this out loudPauseThus, in different cultures the drum is a sacred tool connecting heaven and earth, and for maintaining the rhythm of the world order. And when drummers practice their art, it's as if they too are changing the world and touching the human spirit through the rhythm of the drum.

Hear this out loudPauseThe djembe has been an integral part of spiritual and ritualistic life in West Africa for many generations. It was traditionally only played by griots, well respected high-class court musicians, who used it for story-telling: passing on important historical, religious and cultural information to future generations.

Hear this out loudPauseIt is widely believed that the Djembe (pronounced JEM – Beh) has its origins with the "numu", a social class of professional blacksmiths from the Mandinka (Maninke) people of western Africa in around 1300 AD. It is believed that they were the first to carve this wooden instrument.

Hear this out loudPauseThe djembe has been an integral part of spiritual and ritualistic life in West Africa for many generations. It was traditionally only played by griots, well respected high-class court musicians, who used it for story-telling: passing on important historical, religious and cultural information to future generations.

Hear this out loudPauseTraditionally, the djembe was used as a form of communication between tribes as its resonance could reach long distances. 5. The djembe is said to consist of three spirits: the spirit of the tree from which it was made, the spirit of the animal whose skin covers the head, and the spirit of the drum maker.

Hear this out loudPauseIt is versatile and can produce a range of different sounds: bass, tone and slap. The djembe drum has a flared body and looks like a goblet. Its particular shape helps to make its unique sound. The djembe drum can feature hand carved patterns or designs around the body - these don't affect the sound.