Gembe

I have just started to play the djembe, and its not as easy as it looks. Being a beginner I chose a synthetic head, since the cold wet British weather tends to play havoc with natural skin heads. The two djembe I own I purchased from ebay. They were bargains, however it is worth remembering that these drums are heavy so the postage costs can be very high. Drums are often available second-hand, and I do recommend you chose a synthetic head if you are a beginner like me. In particular I recommend the Remo range of drums (www.remo.com). This company makes drums that are designed for use in schools so they are tough and durable. They come in a variety of patterns, my ...  Read the complete review

The djembe is a drum which is played all over Africa. It come in many guises dependant on which part of Africa that it was made, or the nationality of the maker. Drum origins can include Ghana and Senegal but generally they all look similar- like a large egg cup. The base is made of hollowed out wood and the head,which is generally made of goat skin is tightly stretched across by strong twine. It is placed at an angle to play and it is generally held between the knees. The reason for keeping it at an angle is because the sound comes out the bottom. Playing it straight down results in a muffled sound, if you get any sound at ...  Read the complete review

decision making tips: 1)Its a djembe (pronounced jembé) not a gembe! 2) buy one! - Advantages: greatest sounding drum in da world! - Disadvantages: british weather