Playing the Djembe

Contents

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Getting started ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Beginner ............................................................................................................................................................. 7 Advanced ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 Master ............................................................................................................................................................. 11 Rhythms to play together ................................................................................................................................. 12 Rhythms to play alone ...................................................................................................................................... 15 Playing Solo ...................................................................................................................................................... 25 Font Legend ..................................................................................................................................................... 26 Choosing a djemb ........................................................................................................................................... 27 Tuning a djemb ............................................................................................................................................... 28 Other instruments, often used next to a djemb ............................................................................................... 44

1. Getting started
1.1. Posture and arm movement
You may either let the drum rest on the floor or you may also support it with your feet allowing it to move along with your body. Keep the drum tilted or lift it off the floor, as it dampens the bass sounds coming from the tube. Keep your back slightly arched, push your chest forward, keep your neck upright and shoulders low and make sure that the drum is properly tilted away from you. Remind yourself of the good sitting posture every now and then by looking straight ahead, slightly upwards.

Image from http://etno.net/en/learning_material/online/basic_technique_for_djembe

Avoid tensing your arms so that your upper arms become rigid and only your forearms move vertically. Do not wear any jewelry on your hands or arms as this may hurt you or change the sound of the djembe. An economic way of playing is keeping your elbows clearly apart from your sides with the elbows and palms moving almost in opposite directions. When the palm moves up and down to the whole extent, the elbow moves in the opposite direction some 5 cm. The arm rotates around an imagined axle which starts from the shoulder and runs through the forearm at a point which is some 5 cm from the elbow towards the palm. In the opposite sides of the axle, the arm masses balance each other during the movement, which makes the movement lighter but maintains the speed of the palm movement.

1.2.

Playing while standing

While standing you are able to move with the drum more freely. Pass a wide strap (4.5 m in length) as illustrated in the picture. Find the right spot for the knot by experimenting.

Image from http://etno.net/en/learning_material/online/basic_technique_for_djembe

Image from http://etno.net/en/learning_material/online/basic_technique_for_djembe

1.3.

Playing a tone
The fingers meet the edge of the drumhead simultaneously covering as large an area as possible. The part of the fingers that touch the edge of the drum extend up to the bend at the root of the proximal phalanx (first finger bone) of the middle finger, but no further towards the palm.

Image from http://etno.net/en/learning_material/online/basic_technique_for_djembe

From the player's perspective the tone looks like this at the time when the hand hits the drumhead:

Image from http://etno.net/en/learning_material/online/basic_technique_for_djembe 5

1.4.

Playing a bass
The best sound is produced right in the centre, but it is often practical to hit where both hands have room for quick repetition of bass strokes. Keep your palm stiff and flat and try to make the entire drumhead vibrate so that even the lowest frequencies can be heard. Strike firmly but avoid overdoing it: the volume will not grow endlessly by increasing the striking power.

1.5.

Common mistakes
Sore thumbs - You may be play too far to the centre of the drum. There is also and element of your hand learning to keep the thumb out to the way. Playing with your hands too parallel instead of pointing somewhat inwards. This causes: 1) rotation of the wrist (causes sore wrists and forearm tendons, eventually leading to carpal tunnel syndrome) 2) moves the thumbs towards the rings so you're bound to hit them a lot of the time. Hitting harder to make slaps (see Advanced) - There is slightly more speed in a slap, but only because of your wrist whipping on the way down. You do not hit the drum harder for get a slap. The amount of force you use should be the same and the whipping occurs naturally.

2. Beginner
2.1. Writing down rhythms
With a djembe, you can do 4 things: 1. do nothing 2. hit it, producing a bass 3. hit it, producing a tone 4. hit it, producing a slap (see advanced) These four are seen here:

+bts
You can produce these three tones with your left or with your right hand:

()
When you look at one of the easiest rhythms, the Rumba 1, you get:

B+b+ttt+ ) ) )()
You read this as: y y y y y y y y play a bass with your right hand do nothing with your left hand play a bass with your right hand do nothing with your left hand play a tone with your right hand play a tone with your left hand play a tone with your right hand do nothing with your left hand

y and start over You ll notice that almost every rhythm has 8, 12 or 16 steps like this (counting the do nothing steps). You can download the Djembe Font from http://www.djembe.net. This allows you to simply keep your notes in a Word Document.

2.2.

The call
When a lot of people are playing together, it is impossible to tell them when you want to stop. You could tell them that we will play this rhythm 30 times , but then everybody would have to count them. That is why we agree on a certain rhythm that we use to start and stop. This is the call. After the call is played, everybody starts playing at the same time. While palying, listen carefully at the leader. When he plays the call, you have to stop at the last note of this call (although there are a few exceptions).

In the written out rhythms, the call is shown behind the exclamation mark:

!
2.3. Playing different parts or the same rhythm
Sometimes, players divide themselves in several groups, each playing a different rhythm. These rhythms obiously have the same length, and sound well together. In the written out rhythms, the various parts are numbered:

Q1 Q2
The above means that half the group will play the first line and the other half the second line.

3. Advanced
3.1. Playing a slap
In the slap, the hand hits the centre of the drumhead 1-1.5 cm closer than in the tone. The edge of the drum should be hit with the fleshy part of your palm which is on the same level as your knuckles on the other side of your palm. The bones in your hand arch just the opposite way than the edge of the drum, but try to do it so that as much of the fleshy part of your palm as possible can receive support from the rim. Fingers are free to move and whip the skin even when the palm movement stops.

Image from http://etno.net/en/learning_material/online/basic_technique_for_djembe

From the player's perspective the slap looks like this at the time when the hand hits the drumhead:

Image from http://etno.net/en/learning_material/online/basic_technique_for_djembe

Even though the slap sounds louder, the feel should be lighter than in producing the tone. Do not press your fingers together, but allow the fingers to relax into a slight curve. Do not spread your fingers too wide apart or straighten them because this makes them too tense. Keep your wrist in a slightly lower position than in the tone to allow a slightly wider angle where your fingers and the drumhead meet. Remember to keep your thumbs up. Take care that you do not draw your hand too far away from the drumhead, because doing this makes your hand land on the rim with the area between the knuckle and the first joint of your finger. Although you may find playing the slap easier when the fingertips hit nearer to the edge, it will hurt your hand and forces your hand and fingers to partially cancel out each other. The edge of the drum will force your finger upwards just when it should be moving downwards. Do not move your hand too far towards the centre of the drum. This focuses the weight on the fingertips and the slap loses sharpness. This also strains the last joints of your fingers. Avoid making an active movement with your fingers, in other words, snapping the drumhead surface. You should try to find an ideal tension: not too stiff which prevents the fingers from touching the drumhead, but not overly loose either.

3.2.

Playing a roll
A roll is a moment in the rhythm where you play at double speed. You could write it down as:

ttt+t+t+
But instead, because we want to see that this is very fast , and we don t want it to take up much space, we write:

rttt
When you play a roll, keep your hands low, and do not play hard. Keep your muscles relaxed (I know, it s easy to write that, but difficult to get used to). When you practice this, start at normal speed, and speed up to a roll. A continued roll should just sound like a drum roll (remember the last circus act you have seen )

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4. Master
A true master does not need much explanation.

4.1.

Playing solo
This is a part that can hardly be learned, but can only be felt . When you play solo, everyone in the room plays the same repeating rhythm, except you You talk to the rest, using your djemb as your voice, telling your own unique story.

How do you begin? Just listen to others playing solo, and steal their ideas. Start with just a few notes that you throw in. You can start with what the rest is playing, but with a bit of variation: change a tone to a slap from time to time, or switch a part to a roll. Tap your foot to the rhythm that the rest is playing, because whatever you do, you have to keep this pace. If something does not work, don t be shy. We all make mistakes. Just wait a few seconds, and try something else. Never play the whole time. Leave room for the rhythm that the others are playing. This also gives you time to think about what to play next.

4.2.

Playing a flam
A flam is simply 2 notes played almost at the same time. The key word here is almost ! They have to be very close together to sound almost as one. Try not to hit your own hands.

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5. Rhythms to play together

Name Rumba 1 Rhythm Remark

! Q1 Q2

Rumba 2

! Q1 Q2

Rumba 3

! Q1 Q2

Rumba 4

! Q1 Q2

Rumba 5

! Q1

Rumba 6

! Q1 Q2 Q3

Esokoto
12

++t+tt+t+tt+ttt+ ) )( ( () )() B+b+ttt+ ) ) )() ttt+btt+ )() )() ++ftt+ftt+ttt+++ [() [() )() B+ttb+t+b+ttb+t+ ) )() ) ) )() ) tt+ttt++tt+ttt++ () )() () )() tt+tt+tt+tt+ttt+ )( () )( () )() b+t+b+ttb+t+b+tt ) ) ) )() ) ) )( B+b+ttt+B+b+ttt+ ) ) )() ) ) )() ftt+ftt+ftt+ftt+ [() [() [() [() b++tb+t+b+ttb+t+ ) () ( ) )() ( tt+ttt++tt+ttt++ () )() () )() ++t+tt+t+tt+ttt+ ) )( ( () )() bt+tb+s+btttb+s+ )( () ( )()() ( ++t+tt+t+tt+ttt+ ) )( ( () )() t+stbbtt ) )()()( tt+tttt+ )( ()() tt+bttt+ )( ()() ttt+ttt+ttt+

last note not played last time join in

last note not played last time

join in

fast

Name

Rhythm

Remark

Q1
Fankani

! Q1 Q2

Momonge

Q1 Q2

Nameless 1

Q1 Q2

Nameless 2

Q1 Q2

Nameless 3

Q1 Q2

Nameless 4

Q1 Q2

Pianza

! Q1 Q2

)() )() )() b+t+s+bttts+ ) ) ) )()() +t+tt+t+tt+ttt++ ) )( ( () )() t++tt+b+t+ttt+b+ ) () ) ) )() ) tt+ttt++tt+ttt+b () )() () )() ) rttbttt+ [()()() rtt+rtt+ ])( ])( ttt+s+b+tbttb+b+ )() ) ) )()() ) ttt++tt+ttt++tt+ )() () )() () b++tt+s+b+ttt+s+ ) () ) ) )() ) tt+ttt++tt+ttt++ () )() () )() b+tbttb+ttt+ ) )()() )() t+stttt+tt++ ) )()() )( t++tt+b+b+ttt+b+ ) () ) ) )() ) tt+ttt++tt+ttt++ () )() () )() ++t+tt+t+tt+ttt+ ) )( ( () )() bt+t+tt+bt+t+tt+ () ) )( () ) )( tt+ttt++tt+ttt++ () )() () )()

last note not played last time join in

join in after 2nd s

fast

join in

13

Name Ritme Marocain

Rhythm

Remark

! Q1 Q2

Sakajonsa

! Q1

Shaba

Q1 Q2 Q3
Yekouma

! Q1 Q2

rtt+rtt+ttt+ [() [() )() ttJtt+ttJtt+ )())( )())( b++t++b++t++ ( ) ( ) tt+tt+tt+tt+ttt+ )( () )( () )() b+tt+sb+tttt ) )( () )()( ttbr++ttbr++> )()[ )()[ ttbr+tttttt+ )()[ ()()() t+t+b+t++tttb+t+ ) ) ) ) ()() ) ttttt+t+ttttt+t+ )()() ) )()() ) tt+tttt+tt+tttt+ )( ()() )( ()() ttt+ttt+ttt+ )() )() )() bbttt+btttt+ )()() )()() ttttt+ttttt+ )()() )()()

very fast

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6. Rhythms to play alone

No. 1. 2. Rhythm Measure 4 Remark

bsbt ()() rts+ [()

Measure 6

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

b+tbtt ) )()( bbt+ts )() )( bbttb+ )()() bbttbt )()()( bbsst+ )()() btbstt ()()() bt+bs+ )( () rr+bb+ [[ () stttt+ )()() tsttt+ )()()
Measure 8

fast

13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

b+b+tbtt ) ) )()( b+bt+btt ) )( ()( b+btb+tt ) )() )( b+t+bttt ) ) )()( b+tb+btt ) )( ()( b+tb+ttt ) )( ()( b+tbttt+ ) )()() b+tt+ttt ) )( ()(

15

No. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43.

Rhythm

bbtbbbtt )()()()( bbttb+s+ )()() ) bbttbbt+ )()()() bbtts+st )()() )( bbttsstt )()()()( bsbtbstt )()()()( bt+bst++ )( ()( bt+btts+ )( ()() bt+tbtt+ )( ()() bttbttbt )()()()( btttbtt+ )()()() rrtsbtts [[()()() rtsbtts+ [()()() rttttb++ ])()() stt+ts+b )() )( ( stttsbt+ )()()() stttstt+ )()()() sttttts+ )()()() tb+ttb++ () )() tbttb+b+ )()() ) tt+bstb+ )( ()() tt+btts+ )( ()() ttbbttb+ )()()()

Remark
fast, but controlled

16

No. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48.

Rhythm

tts+ttb+ )() )() ttsbttb+ )()()() ttsbtts+ )()()() ttsttsbb )()()()( tttb+tb+ ()() )(
Measure 12

Remark

49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65.

b+tb+tb+tttt ) )( () )()( b+tbstb+tts+ ) )()() )() b+tt+tt+tttt ) )( () )()( b+ttttb+tt+t ) )()() )( ( bs+tt+bsttt+ () )( ()()( bs+tttts+tt+ () )()() )( bt+stttt+st+ () )()() )( bt+tt+btttt+ () )( ()()( btbtttbttttt ()()()()()() btt+tt+tt+tt )() )( () )( bttbt+btttt+ )()() )()() ss+tt+ssttt+ )( () )()() t+tt+tt+tttt ) )( () )()( t+tts+bbtts+ ) )() )()() tbstb+ttstb+ )()() )()() tt+btt+ttts+ )( ()( ()() tt+tt+btttt+ )( () )()()

17

No. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82.

Rhythm

tt+tt+ttb+tb )( () )() )( tt+tt+ttbbt+ )( () )()() tt+tt+ttstt+ )( () )()() tt+tt+tttts+ )( () )()() tt+tt+ttttt+ )( () )()() tt+ttt++b+b+ )( ()( ) ) tt+ts+tttts+ )( () )()() tts+tt+tttb+ )() )( ()() tts+tts+rts+ )() )() [() ttstt+ttsbt+ )()() )()() ttt+s+ttb+tb )() ) )() )( ttt+ttts+bt+ ()( ()() )( ttttb+tbttb+ )()() )()() ttttsttttts+ )()()()()() ttttt+bbttb+ )()() )()() ttttt+ttttb+ )()() )()() ttttttt+ssbb )()()() )()(
Measure 16

Remark
fast

slow

83. 84. 85. 86. 87.

b+b+ttt+b+b+tt++ ) ) )() ) ) )( b+bttbttb+tttttt ) )()()() )()()( b+stts++ttttts++ ) )()( )()()( b+tbt+s+b+ttt+s+ ) )() ) ) )() ) b+tbttb+b+tttttt ) )()() ) )()()(

18

No. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109. 110.

Rhythm

b+tbttb+b+tttts+ ) )()() ) )()( b+tbttttb+tb+btt ) )()()() )( ()( bgttgtsgbbttgtsg )()()()()()()()( b+tt+bstb+ttt+st ) )( ()() )() )( b+tt++ttt+b+t+t+ ) )( )() ) ) ) B+tt+tt+b+ttt+t+ ) )( () ) )() ) b+tt+tttb+tttttt ) )( ()() )()()( b+ttb+s+b+ttt+s+ ) )() ) ) )() ) b+ttb+s+btttbts+ ) )() ) )()()() b+ttbtt+b+ttttt+ ) )()() ) )()() b+ttstttb+b+t+s+ ) )()()() ) ) ) b+ttt+s++t+tt+s+ ) )() ) ( () ) b+ttt+s++tttt+s+ ) )() ) ()() ) b+ttt+s+b+tttts+ ) )() ) ) )()() b+ttt+s+bttbtts+ ) )() ) )()()() b+ttt+s+tt+tt+s+ ) )() ) )( () ) b+ttt+ttb+tttttt ) )() )() )()()( bb++bb++bbssbb++ )( )( )()()( bb+tt+s+b++tt+s+ )( () ) ) () ) bb+tt+s+b+tttts+ )( () ) ) )()() bbt+tb++tt++tt++ )() )( )( )( bbttbtt+btttbtt+ )()()() )()()() bbttt+s+tt+tt+s+ )()() ) )( () )

Remark
slow, deliberate

19

No. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130. 131. 132. 133.

Rhythm

bbttt+stt+stt+s+ )()() )() )() ) bsbtbsbtbsbttttt )()()()()()()()( bstt+tt+bstt+st+ )()( () )()( () bt+bt+bt+bt+bbt+ )( () )( () )() bt+bt+s+tt+tt+s+ )( () ) )( () ) bt+bt+s+tt+ttts+ )( () ) )( ()() bt+bt+s+tt+tttt+ )( () ) )( ()() bt+bt+s+ttttt+s+ )( () ) )()() ) bt+tb+t+bt+tbtt+ )( () ) )( ()() bt+tb+t+bt+tt+t+ )( () ) )( () ) bt+tbbttbt+tb+s+ )( ()()()( () ) bt+tbts+btttnts+ )( ()() )()()() bt+tt+s+tt+tt+s+ )( () ) )( () ) bt+tt+s+ttttt+s+ )( () ) )()() ) bt+tt+s+tttttbs+ )( () ) )()()() bt+ttts+st+ttts+ )( ()() )( ()() btbsbtb+btttbtb+ ()()()( ()()()( btt++btt++bttttt )() ()( )()()( bttbttb+b+ttt+st )()()() ) )() )( bttt+tt+bttt+st+ ()() )( ()() )( btttttstbbttttst )()()()()()()()( r+ttts++b+tt+bs+ [ ()() ( () )( rtsrtstt+bs+tts+ [()[()() )( ()(

Remark
reasonably fast

very fast

deliberate, but calm

fast

fast

20

No. 134. 135. 136. 137. 138. 139. 140. 141. 142. 143. 144. 145. 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. 151. 152. 153. 154. 155. 156.

Rhythm

rttt+b++sttt+b++ [()( ( )()( ( stt+stb+ttt+stb+ )() )() )() )() stt+stt+stttstt+ )() )() )()()() sttts++tstttb+tt )()() ()()() )( stttstt+sbttstt+ )()( () )()()() t+tt+tttt+ttbbtt ) )( ()() )()()( t+ttbbttb+tbttb+ ) )()()() )()() tb+bttb+ttttstb+ )( ()() )()()() tt+bt+t+tt+btts+ )( () ) )( ()() tt+bttb+sttbttb+ )( ()() )()()() tt+bttb+tts+ttb+ )( ()() )() )() tt+btts+ttbbtts+ )( ()() )()()() tt+tb+b+ttt+s+b+ )( () ) )() ) ) tt+tsts+tt+ttts+ )( ()() )( ()() tt+tt+s+b+ttt+s+ )( () ) ) )() ) tt+tt+s+b+tttts+ )( () ) ) )()() tt+tt+s+ttttt+s+ )( () ) )()() ) tt+tt+tt+tt+ttb+ )( () )( () )() tt+ttt++tt+bbt++ () )() () )() tt+tttb+ttbtttb+ )( ()() )()()() tt+tttb+ttt+ttb+ )( ()() )() )() tt+ttts+bt+ttts+ )( ()() )( ()() tt+ttts+tt+tttn+ )( ()() )( ()()

Remark

21

No. 157. 158. 159. 160. 161. 162. 163. 164. 165. 166. 167. 168. 169. 170. 171. 172. 173. 174. 175. 176. 177. 178. 179.

Rhythm

tt+ttts+ttbbtts+ )( ()() )()()() ttb+tt+tttb+tts+ )() )( ()() )( tts+ttb+tbttb+b+ )() )() )()() ) tts+ttb+tt+bttb+ )() )() )( ()() tts+ttb+ttstttb+ )() )() )()()() tts+tts+ttbbttb+ )() )() )()()() ttsbtb+btt+btb+b )()()( ()( ()( ( ttsbttb+ttstttb+ )()()() )()()() ttsstts+tttttts+ )()()() )()()() ttst+b++tts+b+b+ )()( ( )() ) ) ttsttts+b+ttt+s+ )()()() ) )() ) ttt+st++ttt+s+b+ )() )( )() ) ) ttt+st+bttt+stb+ )() )( ()() )() ttt+stb+ts+tb+b+ )() )() )( () ) ttt+stbbttt+stb+ )() )()()() )() ttt+strttrttttb+ )() )(])(])()() ttt+sts+ttt+st+b )() )() )() )( ( ttt+t+t+ttt+b+b+ )() ) ) )() ) ) ttt+tt+tttt+s+b+ )() )( ()() ) ) ttt+ttb+tt+tttb+ )() )() )( ()() ttt+ttt++tt+b+b+ )() )() () ) ) ttt+ttt+st+b+tb+ )() )() )( ( () ttt+ttt+ttb+tb+t )() )() )() )( (

Remark
fast, lively

calm

very fast

22

No. 180. 181. 182. 183. 184. 185. 186. 187. 188. 189.

Rhythm

ttt+ttt+ttt+b+b+ )() )() )() ) ) ttt+ttt+tttbttt+ )() )() )()()() tttb+tb+tttt+s++ ()() )( ()() ) tttb+ttt+stb+tt+ ()() )() )() )( tttt+st+tttb+tb+ ()() )( ()() )( ttttgtsgbbttgtsg )()()()()()()()( tttts+b+t+tts+b+ )()() ) ) )() ) ttttttb+tttbttb+ )()()() )()()() tttttts+tt+tttt+ )()()() )( ()() ttttttt+tt+bt+s+ )()()() )( () )
Other measures

Remark
fast

190.

191.

192.

193.

194.

195.

bt+tt+btt+t+> () )( ()( ( bt+tt+bt+tt+ () )( () )( btb+bsb+btt+> ()( ()( ()( btb+btttttt+ ()( ()()()( tt+tt+ttttt+> )( () )()() tt+bt+ttttt+ )( () )()() tt+ttts+b+b+> )( ()() ) ) tttttts+b+b+ )()()() ) ) tts+tts+tts+> )() )() )() ttttt+ttttt+ )()() )()() b+ttt+s+b+ttt+s+> ) )() ) ) )() ) b+ttt+s+b+tbttb+ ) )() ) ) )()()

23

No. 196.

Rhythm

b+tt+s++b+ttt+s+>*3 ) )( ( ) )() ) b+tb+s++b+ttt+s+ *1 ) )( ( ) )() )

Remark
repeat this line 3 times repeat this line one time

24

7. Playing Solo
To be used as inspiration while playing solo No. Base 1. Rhythm Remark

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

b+b+ttt+b+b+ttt+ ) ) )() ) ) )() tt+tt+tt+tt+t+t+> )( () )( () ) ) tt+tt+tt+rrs++++ )( () )( ]]) t+t+s+s+t+t+s+++ ))))))) tttttts+tts+tts+ )()()() )() )() rttttts+rts+rts+ [()()() [() [() rrtttts+ ]])()() ttsstts+ ()()()( rts+rts+ [() [() ttF+ttF+ (){ (){ rtttts++ ])()() ttstttss )()()()(

25

8. Font Legend
Sign

Q W % ! ? ( ) [ ] { } _ 09 = > * | g T P G
Sign

Key Q W % ! ? ( ) [ ] { }

_ 0-9 = > * | g T P G Key sKH tSL bB + m w q R r m F f Z X : , ; . y h z l Y J N U

s t b m w q R r M F f Z X : , ; . y h z l Y J N U
26

Explanation Djembe Doundoun Bell Signal Shekere Left hand Right hand Roll staring left Roll staring right Flam starting left Flam starting right Note line Support bar Support Numbers Support Rest Notation line break Lead in break Blank / Non-breaking space Tap Bang Barless Bang Lineless Bang Djembe Doundoun Slap Kenkei Tone Sangban Bass Dundun Rest Rest Muffled Slap Kenkei Muffled Tone Sangban Muffled Bass Dundun Slap roll Tone roll Bass roll Slap Flam Tone Flam Bass Slap Bass Tone Slap Kenkei Tone Sangban Bass Dundun Any Any Slap Kenkei Tone Sangban Bass Dundun Muffled Slap Kenkei Tone Sangban Bass Dundun Muffled -

instruments

handing

notation line

loudness notes Bell High Low Rest High Low High Low Any High Low Muffled High Low Muffled

basic notes

muffled notes

roll notes

flam notes

Barless/Lineless

Shuffle notes 6 support bars

Shuffle notes 8 support bars

9. Choosing a djemb
12.1. Material
First you should check the skin: y y y y it should be clean shaven, and have no rough spots. when you hold the djemb upside down to the light, there should be no (small) holes visible, and no thin patches the edges of the skin should be cut straight. the spine of the goat should be visible as a straight line (almost) in the middle of the djemb.

Check the ropes and knots: y y y there should be at least 20 knots around the top ring. The more knots there are, the finer the tension on the skin can be set. there should not be many horizontal ropes. The more horizontal ropes there are, the less you can tune the djemb later on. there should be a long spare rope coiled around the foot of the djemb

The metal rings: y they should be perfectly horizontal, both above and below.

Then the woodwork: y y y y y there should be no rips or tears in the wood. the inside should be smooth and flat. the type of wood determines the sound: usually a heavier wood means older wood, and better quality. when the djemb is not in use, and just standing on the ground, it should not wobble: the underside should be flat. colouring and decorations are not very important. Look out for nails or shells that are driven into the wood: these are usually decorative djembs, not to be used for playing. Nails and shells may cause the wood to split.

Don t look for a djemb that scores 100%, unless you re willing to pay the price. The best djembs cost up to 400 EUR. A decent djemb costs between 150 and 200 EUR.

12.2.

Sound
The bass and tone should sound clean, with a quick "decay" (time it takes for the sound to disappear), and significant distinction in sound between the bass and tone. If the head is too loose there is usually an excessive amount of overtone (a higher pitch that accompanies the lower-pitched bass or tone), or "metal ringing". An in-tune djembe will have a crisp bass that can be easily heard, that doesn't linger too long, with minimal overtone. The tones will also have a clean sound and feel, with little overtone. The slaps should "pop" and not be too difficult to create in relation to the open tones. The better the djemb, the easier to play, and the more sound it creates without much effort.

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10.

Tuning a djemb
Source: http://www.djembedirect.com/about/tune_djembe.html

13.1.

Sound Indicators that your djembe needs tuning

Regarding sound, the bass and open tones should sound clean, with a quick "decay" (time it takes for the sound to disappear), and significant distinction in sound between the bass and tone. If the skin is too loose the sound could be described as wobbly, and the bass response will be somewhat weak or even non-existent. If the head is too loose there is usually an excessive amount of overtone (a higher pitch that accompanies the lower-pitched bass or tone), or "ringing". An in-tune djembe will have a crisp bass that can be easily heard, that doesn't linger too long, with minimal overtone. The tones will also have a clean sound and feel, with little overtone. The slaps should "pop" and not be too difficult to create in relation to the open tones. Even though a djembe may have enough tension, if that tension isn't applied evenly around the circumference of the head, the sound will be out of balance. When one side or section of the djembe head is tighter than another, different pitches are created, leaving the sound flat or muted. By having even tension the skin will vibrate at the same level all the way around the drum, creating a more full, resonant sound.

13.2.

Physical Indicators that your djembe needs tuning

Regarding sight and touch indicators, the feel of the skin, movement of the rope, and level of the rings can all help determine if the djembe should be tuned. The first way to test for proper head tension is by pressing the pad of the thumb into the center of the head. The amount of movement in the skin will tell you if the skin is too loose: If the skin can be depressed more than slightly, it probably should be tightened. A drum at proper tension should feel very solid, almost like pushing into the top of a magazine resting on a table. Bear in mind the thicker the skin the less movement there will be, even at similar tensions. The tighter the skin, the more localized the movement will be to the immediate space around the thumb (i.e. a loose skin will show movement of the skin from the edge to the center when pressed, and a taught skin will only move in slightly within about 2 cm from where your thumb is pressing into the skin). The vertical ropes on a loose djembe can be moved with the fingers, whereas on a tight djembe the ropes will feel stiff and immobile. The taller the drum the more movement will be found in the vertical ropes, but even so the movement should be limited to 0,5 cm maximum. If the top rings of the djembe (where the loops attach and which holds the skin in place) are not even, being dropped lower on one side or the other, this is an indication that the tension may not be even on the head. In this case the tension should be undone, and reapplied as evenly as possible, so the rings maintain a straight line horizontally.

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13.3. Phase 1: Pull the Verticals Tight

The first phase of tuning a djembe is to pull the vertical ropes as tight as possible; each downward-flowing vertical should be pulled - by hand, using a rope puller or dowel, or with a rope pulling machine - with the slack transferred around the drum, making the tail longer. The tension should then be tied off so the verticals don't loosen after you stop pulling on them. The excess vertical rope now becomes your tuning rope for pulling diamonds. Note: Don't proceed with weave tuning until the vertical ropes have all slack taken out. The tighter the vertical ropes are to start with the more effective the weave tuning will be.

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The best way to select which verticals will be used as tuning pairs is to determine where the greatest distance is between pairs near the bottom ring. These distances are determined by how many bottom loops there are, and the size of those loops. The tuning pairs will be those with the greatest distance between them. On most djembes the choice will be obvious, but if the distance appears to be more or less the same - as in the picture below - then choose for pairs those that don't share a loop. The white arrows indicate where the verticals extend upward out of different loops. The verticals either side of the arrow should be chosen as the tuning pairs.

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The picture below shows which verticals will be the tuning pairs, and gives an example of how to attach a separate tuning rope. Each pair consists of vertical #1 and vertical #2, which is highlighted in 3 pairs, red, blue, and green. This pattern will continue around the drum, with no verticals being skipped. If your drum has an odd number of verticals then the loops were not done correctly, and you can double up on one pair if needed. If your djembe doesn't have extra vertical rope that can be used as the tuning rope, you can attach an extra length of rope for tuning. It is a myth that the tuning rope has to be connected to the vertical rope in order to work. The only reason this would be true is if the vertical rope is not tied off with a knot, keeping the tension locked in. The length of tuning rope you'll need will depend on the size of your drum and how many rows of diamonds you'll have to have to achieve proper tension. In general it is a good idea to have enough tuning rope to go around at least twice. For a standard size djembe you'll want about 3' to 4' per row. To attach the rope, simply create a knot in one end and slip that underneath the vertical before the pair you want to use as the first tuning pair. Of course there are other ways to attach the vertical rope; this is just one example of a simple, effective, clean way to do it.

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13.4.

Phase 2: The first row weave

If your djembe still needs more tension after the verticals are pulled as tight as possible you'll need to increase tension by twisting pairs of verticals. As described above this process is known by many names, which all refer to the same weave tuning process. There are many different weave patterns, each of which is used to achieve different objectives. Again, for simplicity, we only teach the two most common - the S-Weave and the Under-Weave. Either version can be used at any time, but we'd recommend using one or the other, depending on the construction and tension of the drum. The S-Weave is self-locking so it is better suited for use when the vertical ropes are not touching the wood or when the verticals are spaced far apart.. Some prefer the finished look of the S-Weave over other patterns. The Under-Weave is an easier pattern to weave, and will sometimes allow the knot to be positioned closer to the bottom rings than other versions. This weave tends to come undone unless it is held in place by contact with the wood or by tucking the extra tuning rope under the next pair of verticals. For most djembes we'd recommend using the Under-Weave for the first row of diamonds, and the S-Weave for additional rows if needed. First Row - S-Weave (A) The S-Weave consists of five steps, each of which is explained below with the help of pictures. We've used a separate yellow tuning rope only to better illustrate the weave pattern, and to give an example of how to tie on an extra tuning rope if needed. After determining which verticals are best to use as your tuning pairs, and making mental note of which is #1 and #2, follow this pattern: over; between; under; slide down; twist. Step 1: Over - The tuning rope passes over #1 and #2. Position the tuning rope as low as possible on the tuning pair, close to the loops on the bottom ring. This will help maintain a straight line as the horizontal row progresses around the drum, which keeps the tension levels even.

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Step 2: Between - The tuning rope passes around and underneath #2, and feeds up between #1 and #2.

Step 3: Under - The tuning rope passes around and underneath #1 and #2, and feeds up to the side of #2. Be sure not to pass the tuning rope underneath additional verticals (potentially #1 and #2 of the next pair). After completing this step you can see the "S" shape created by the tuning rope as it weaves through the vertical tuning pair.

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Step 4: Slide Down - Pull the tuning rope downward, removing the slack and causing it to pass underneath itself, inverting the "S" shape. If #2 is too tight against the wood to allow the tuning rope to pass underneath it, use a screwdriver or other tool to gently lift #2 so that this step can be completed.

Step 5: Twist - Continue pulling the vertical rope downward until the ropes twist. The tighter the verticals the more force will be required to complete this step. If you don't want to wrap the tuning rope around your hand to get a solid grip, you may consider using a rope pulling tool, or wrapping the tuning rope around a hammer handle or thick wood dowel. Make sure you pull as much with the arms and legs as possible, and avoid pulling from the lower back alone. Continue to monitor the distance between the completed weave knot and the loops; keep that distance as narrow as possible (indicated by white double arrow).

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First Row - Under-Weave (B) The Under-Weave consists of three steps, each of which is explained below with the help of pictures. As with the S-Weave, we've used a separate yellow tuning rope only to better illustrate the weave pattern, and to give an example of how to tie on an extra tuning rope if needed. After determining which verticals are best to use as your tuning pairs, and making mental note of which is #1 and #2, follow this pattern: under; between; twist. Note that the pictures below show two completed knots using the S-Weave pattern, marked with a blue "A". The verticals to illustrate the Under-Weave are marked with a red numbers. Step 1: Under - The tuning rope passes under #1 and #2. Make sure that the line created is straight, and that it is positioned as close to the bottom loops as possible.

Step 2: Between - The tuning rope passes over #2 and under #1, or between the pair.

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Step 3: Twist - Pull the tuning rope downward and outward until #1 and #2 twist, creating a knot, or "diamond". This knot may have a tendency to undo itself because of the pressure on the verticals, so it may be necessary to pass the tuning rope underneath the next pair in order to keep it twisted, as indicated with the white arrow.

13.4.

Phase 3: The second row weave

Pick the Pairs - The selection of tuning pairs for the second row will depend on which vertical pairs were twisted on the first row. The method for selecting is easy: First, you won't be retwisting the same pair you did on the previous row. Second, Select the verticals that are closest to each other near the top loops. Depending on which verticals were the tuning pairs on the first row, you may find your drum looks like the one on the right, with plenty of space between the verticals. Otherwise, the verticals may already be very close together, which is no problem; just pick the two that are closest together using the top loops as a reference point. The color-coded number of tuning pairs in the photo should help solve the mystery.

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Decide Which Weave To Use - As explained above, the S-Weave and the Under-Weave each have different strengths. We recommend the Under-Weave be used for most djembes for the first row of diamonds, and the S-Weave be used for the second and subsequent rows. The reason for this is that the S-Weave is better at holding its twist than the Under-Weave; the ropes on most djembes tend to NOT be touching the wood by the time you get to the second or third row, which allows the Under-Weave to untwist itself easily. Decide in Which Direction to Weave - Many djembe tuners will recommend that the direction the weave travels around the drum should alternate from row to row. As long as the distance between verticals is similar, the tension on each vertical before weaving was similar, and the rings are positioned evenly horizontally, it shouldn't matter. However, if for some reason you find that the drum is higher on one side than the other, or that by continuing in one or the other direction would cause excess tension to one side, then make the rational choice to start the second row in the direction that would most likely keep tension or cause tension to become - even distributed around the drum head. Decide How Many Knots You'll Need - As the number of rows of diamonds increases, so does the amount of tension added per knot twisted. Bear in mind that you many not need to complete the entire second row, since the tension will begin to increase much more quickly on the second row than it did on the first row. If this applies to your djembe, rather than only complete a portion of the second row, which would leave one section tighter than another, do your best to guage how many knots you will need to achieve the desire tension, and apply that number of knots evenly around the drum. Yes, it is okay to skip tuning pairs, and only put in a knot every other, or every third, pair, as the case may be.
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Second Row - S-Weave (A) Step 1: Over - The tuning rope passes over #1 and #2. Position the tuning rope as low as possible on the tuning pair, close to the loops on the bottom ring. This will help maintain a straight line as the horizontal row progresses around the drum, which keeps the tension levels even.

Step 2: Between - The tuning rope passes around and underneath #2, and feeds up between #1 and #2.

Step 3: Under - The tuning rope passes around and underneath #1 and #2, and feeds up to the side of #2. Be sure not to pass the tuning rope underneath additional verticals (potentially #1 and #2 of the next pair). After completing this step you can see the "S" shape created by the tuning rope as it weaves through the vertical tuning pair.

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Step 4: Slide Down - Pull the tuning rope downward, removing the slack and causing it to pass underneath itself, inverting the "S" shape. If #2 is too tight against the wood to allow the tuning rope to pass underneath it, use a screwdriver or other tool to gently lift #2 so that this step can be completed.

Step 5: Twist - Continue pulling the vertical rope downward until the ropes twist. The tighter the verticals the more force will be required to complete this step. If you don't want to wrap the tuning rope around your hand to get a solid grip, you may consider using a rope pulling tool, or wrapping the tuning rope around a hammer handle or thick wood dowel.

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Second Row - Under-Weave (B) Step 1: Under - The tuning rope passes under #1 and #2. Make sure that the line created is straight, and that it is positioned as close to the bottom loops as possible. The photo below shows how to add a separate tuning rope as well, which passes under two pairs of verticals before starting the weave for the first knot.

Step 2: Between - The tuning rope passes over #2 and under #1, or between the pair. Be sure not to pass under verticals that are not part of the immediate tuning pair.

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Step 3: Twist - Pull the tuning rope downward and outward until #1 and #2 twist, creating a knot, or "diamond". This knot may have a tendency to undo itself because of the pressure on the verticals, so it may be necessary to pass the tuning rope underneath the next pair in order to keep it twisted..

Step 4: Admire and Play - The picture below shows an example of what the completed rows look like. Hopefully the rows are straight and the diamonds are clear, and your drum sounds better as a result.

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13.5. Fine tuning tips

Even Tension a Must - In order to achieve the best sound your drum is capable of producing (based on skin quality and thickness, wood type, shell thickness, body shape, etc...), the tension must be applied evenly around the head. When there is an imbalance of tension sound quality suffers. Throughout the tuning process you should be keenly aware of keeping the tension as even as possible. You can monitor the tension by listening to the pitch as it being adjusted, by looking at the level of the top rings and the taughness of the skin, and by touching the the ropes and skin to guage relative tension. The best way to tell of minor differences in pitch is to lightly tap the rim of the drum with your index finger (like a rim-shot) and listen for the actual pitch. Do this around the drum and find areas that are lower than others. It may be helpful to divide the head into quadrants, then tap the center of each quadrant. Opposite quadrants have a tendency to match in pitch. Tuning Can't Make Up for Poor Quality Craftsmanship - Some drums will not be capable of maintaing a good tune, for one of the following reasons: the rope is too stretchy, causing uneven loss of tension over time; the skin is slipping between the top two (or three) rings; the rings are incorrectly sized, thus allowing slipping of the skin or too much flexibility; the bearing edge is not even; the shape of the bowl highly irregular. In any case, you can help improve sound with a good tuning, but you may not be able to overcome these weaknesses simply by adjusting tension. If you feel your djembe isn't capable to sounding as good as you would like it too, consider upgrading to a higher quality instrument. Process vs. Event - Because wood and skin are materials that take up and release water, and because rope, metal, wood, and skin are malleable materials that can stretch and bend, the sound of your djembe is likely to change with variations in temperature and relative humidity, and as a result of being played or not played. Tuning a djembe is usually not a one time event, but is a process that requires reevaluation from time to time. Djembes with new skin or rope will certainly need more tuning than those that have had higher tension for longer. Having said this, if the drum is kept in an even climate and the stretch has been taken out of the skin and rope, you can and will reach a point where the drum is "maxed out" - tightened as much as it can be tightened without breaking. The djembe is then more or less in a stable state, and won't require additional weave tuning. Know When to Skip Knots - If your djembe already has a fair level of tension, but you want to bring it up just a little bit - or if the tension is a little out of balance and you need to bring up a certain section - then feel free
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to just weave knots in specific places where tension is required. The tuning rope between the knots can either be fed on the outside of the verticals, or fed underneath the verticals (recommended). Make Use of the Mallet - If the adjustment needed to achieve even tension is too small to make use of additional diamonds, using a mallet to tap the crown/loop ring will help. Be sure to use a rubber or leather mallet only (no metal hammers allowed!), make contact only with the ring, not the skin or the rim of the drum, and don't smack the ring with all your force. Start with light taps on the ring, and increase as needed. Test the pitch after each succession of hits with the mallet. You can use this method to increase ttension a little at a time, and to decrease tension by tapping the bottom of the rings, toward the top of the drum. Most professional djembe drummers carry a small rubber mallet with them in order to make fine adjustments on an ongoing basis. Avoid Twisted Tuning Rope - One problem many drummer have when tuning their djembe is the constant twisting of the tuning rope as it is pulled through the verticals. If you find yourself trying to untwist the tuning rope, try this tip: Feed the rope through starting at the closest point, rather than tip-first. Take a look at the pictures below to see examples of how this is done. You'll notice that as you pull the rope through, the twists in the rope unwind themselves, leaving you with a clean, straight weave!

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11.

Other instruments, often used next to a djemb

Left to right: Sangban, Dundun, Kenkeni

Kessing or Ears on a djembe

Bell Shekere

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