Djembe. Authentic hand-carved African Drums!

Djembe and African Drums ; How Authentic Drums Are Designed By Master Artisans

Creating traditional hand-crafted Djembe and African drums is not always easy. The construction is filled with emotional significance, and also the components included have huge effects on the tones the drum creates when played.

The shape of an African Drum holds enormous significance. Some are shaped like a goblet or mortar bowl and are taller than they are wide. The deeper sounds, and echo effect with certain techniques, spring from its shaping by the craftsman. The average sized drum is approximately 2 feet in height and 1 ft. wide.

Authentic hard wood, such as mahogany is the preferred material for making a drum The body of djembes are usually carved from a solitary piece of wood.  An important feature is the spiral ridge that's created throughout the inner surface on the drum body, helping to improve the tone for the drum. No splinters should be left in the bowl, because this degrades from the sound.

Remember that some African drums are actually produced from much softer woods, rather than the traditional hardwood. However, due to needing a thicker body construction, these synthetic drums have a less desirable musical tone that is somewhat muddy and non-distinct. Of course, they are still pretty popular because of the cost, even though it has been proven that over time the somewhat higher cost for an African drum of hard wood will render an better playing experience.  

Due to the elevated interest in African drums here in the United States, drum companies are generating drums made from plastic and resin. On a synthetic djembe drum the tuning is done with mechanical keys and rods instead of ropes. Some percussionists have found that having a drum that weighs less and is more resistant to weather conditions is definitely an appropriate trade off for using a musical instrument of a little less high quality.

Actual goatskin is the material of choice for African drums. There might be other animal skins used as available, but goat is the preference of any master builder and serious percussionists. The standard goatskin from Africa is easily the most used kind of drum head. It is known how the African goatskin is tougher and stronger than United States goatskin. It would seem that the rough life of African goats is a good thing as far as drum heads are concerned.