Djembe Playing Techniques for Beginners
The djembe, which is one of West Africa’s most popular musical exports, comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Though playing the drum is about passion and expression, novice players should master technique before improvising with their instrument.
Get comfortable before you begin practicing the djembe. Take a walk or do some stretching - anything that gets your body warmed up for your practice. You can play the djembe either sitting or standing, so experiment. Find what feels right for you.
Sitting on a stool or a chair may be more comfortable for longer practices; in which case, tilt your drum slightly away from your body. Then position your arms so that your forearms make a right angle with your upper arms. Your hands should lay flat on your drum head.
If you choose to play while standing up, find a comfortable drum strap. You can choose a strap that hangs over your shoulders or one that attaches to your waist, so long as you can hang the djembe between your legs comfortably. Always be sure that you keep your arms from your elbows down straight.
The three techniques for playing the djembe are called the bass, tone and slap. The different strokes create different sounds and effects, and need to be played accordingly. Basses bounce, tones pull back sharply and slaps snap.
The bass is a low pitch on the djembe. In order to play bass, play the middle of the drum with your fingers together. Your fingertips should hit the drum gently but with intention. Be sure not to tense your fingers, or the bass will end up sounding like a slap. Your hand should be relaxed when playing the bass sound. Simply drop your hand directly onto the drum head to make the desired sound.
The tone is the pitch between the slap and the bass. Keep your fingers to your elbow tightly connected, but don’t be worried if the configuration changes slightly. Lift your thumbs away from your other fingers at a ninety degree angle, in order to prevent them from hitting the drum head. Play slightly further out on the drum head than you did with the bass, with your fingers on the drum head but your palms pulled back off the drum. You should play this tone sharply, by pulling your hand away from the drum quickly, like you’ve just been shocked on contact.
The slap is the high-pitched tone played on the djembe. The configuration of your hands is similar in the slap to that of the tone, but with relaxed wrists rather than rigid wrists. You should flick your hand toward the drum as a result of the relaxation in the wrists. Your fingertips should hit the rim of the drumhead, slightly rolling from your pinky in towards your index finger very quickly. Your fingers should whip back away from the drum at the end of the stroke.
Some djembe players use a variation on the slap, called the muffled slap. With one hand, perform the slap, while steadying your other hand on the drum head of the djembe, muffling the effect. are called the bass, tone and slap. The different strokes create different sounds and effects, and need to be played accordingly. Basses bounce, tones pull back sharply and slaps snap.
The bass is a low pitch on the djembe. In order to play bass, play the middle of the drum with your fingers together. Your fingertips should hit the drum gently but with intention. Be sure not to tense your fingers, or the bass will end up sounding like a slap. Your hand should be relaxed when playing the bass sound. Simply drop your hand directly onto the drum head to make the desired sound.
The tone is the pitch between the slap and the bass. Keep your fingers to your elbow tightly connected, but don’t be worried if the configuration changes slightly. Lift your thumbs away from your other fingers at a ninety degree angle, in order to prevent them from hitting the drum head. Play slightly further out on the drum head than you did with the bass, with your fingers on the drum head but your palms pulled back off the drum. You should play this tone sharply, by pulling your hand away from the drum quickly, like you’ve just been shocked on contact.
The slap is the high-pitched tone played on the djembe. The configuration of your hands is similar in the slap to that of the tone, but with relaxed wrists rather than rigid wrists. You should flick your hand toward the drum as a result of the relaxation in the wrists. Your fingertips should hit the rim of the drumhead, slightly rolling from your pinky in towards your index finger very quickly. Your fingers should whip back away from the drum at the end of the stroke.
Some djembe players use a variation on the slap, called the muffled slap. With one hand, perform the slap, while steadying your other hand on the drum head of the djembe, muffling the effect.
Tags: how to play djembe | how to play djembe | djembe technique | djembe technique | african drum | african drum | percussion | percussion | hand drum | hand drum | drumhead | drumhead