Djembes

Djembe Drums for Authentic African Sounds

If you want to recreate the sounds of the African savannah in your own home, you might want to purchase one of the djembes in this collection. It's easy to find the authentic ethnic drums that you need on eBay, and this collection contains many different styles from which you can choose. To help you figure out which African percussion instrument to choose, check out these answers to frequently asked customer questions as it will help take the mystery out of how these drums make their wonderful sound.

These types of percussion instruments are most commonly used as part of a percussion ensemble. In this type of ensemble, musicians use many different types of drums and other similar instruments to create a rich sound. Also, it's possible to recreate authentic African drumbeats that you can often find in music books, and you can team up with other djembe players to create a rich, ethnic sound.

These are two ways that these drums are usually decorated:

• Paint: Some djembes may be covered with intricate geometric designs, or they might have depictions of animals or people on them. The colors used when painting djembes are usually very bright.
• Carvings: In some cases, makers of djembes may have carved designs into them. These designs often feature the images of animals or geometric forms that have a specific meaning for those who carved them, and these carvings are often accompanied by painted designs.

The djembes in this collection are composed of a variety of different materials, which are explained below:

• Wood: The bodies of djembes are invariably made from wood. The type of wood that is used varies from drum to drum, but this wood is always carved into a distinctive shape that tapers at the bottom and widens at the top.
• Skin: The tops of djembes are made from animal skins. Various types of animal skins are used to make these drums, and the skin is carefully stretched across the body of the drum to create a certain tone.
• Rope: Djembe drums have many different strands of rope that span from the top of the drum to the midsection. This rope holds the skin top of the drum in place, and it also provides a place where the player can grasp on while they play. Some djembes may have handles that are made from rope as well.

The main accessory type that you'll see for this type of drum is cases. Since these types of drums are played by hand, they don't have mallets, and they usually come tuned, which eliminates the need for a tuner. Cases for djembes are usually called bags, and these bags have zippers on the top to allow the entry and exit of the drum.

Selecting the right drum is largely a matter of style. Most djembes feature unique designs, which means that you can own many different djembes without having two look exactly alike. The type of wood used may also figure into your calculations.