New to Djembes- help

[rsdrumz]

I want to purchase djembe but I know absolutely NOTHING about them. Can someone give me some info about what I should look for. ANY tips would be helpful.

[snizare]

just look around and find which ones you like the sound of. i highly reccomend any LP product, and i actually really like the Remo djembes as well. i haven't had any experiance with Pearl hand percussion.

EDIT - make sure you get wood, not fiberglass.

[zaragemca]

The djembe is a widely known African Drum and the most used in the U.S..Culturalized in West-African Countries,the design help to reach a variety of African-Drumming-Patterns for which is highly used in Drum-Circles.Reaching differents pitches(sounds) will depent in the skill of players,diameter of the drum,and the thickness of the drumhead which is used.

[famous drummer]

I personally would sugest REMO djembes (paulo matoli and leon mobley signiture series) they have a great sound and performance ability.


Side note- pick a djembe best for your style first you will want to decide between rope tuned, cable tuned and key tuned then you should pick a good size for your musical style if you like lots of bass pick a 16/18 inch but if you want a great high end you should pick a 12/13 and if you want an average level of both pick a 14 last of all if you buy from some companies(such as REMO) you should pick your finish

[MPCman]

I've got a 14" remo and I'm pretty happy with it. The 12" is great as well, but I like the low end.. perhaps some day I'll get a 12" as well :)

[MusicMan]

Hi -

I use the Pearl Elite 14" djembe in my own set-up, and I would highly recommend it! It has great bass tones, as well as nice high end slap tones! The fiberglass shell is durable and adds a little extra volume.

I would also recommend purchasing the 14" Remo NuSkyn head for it so that you don't have to worry about detuning the Pearl stock head all the time. The NuSkyn head sounds great and stays in tune regardless of the elements.

I would also recommend getting the 14" size since it does give the most useful range between low and high tones. It's also easier to find heads and accessories that fit the 14" drum.

[rsdrumz]

thanks guys,

I'm looking for something to use with acoustic guitars while I'm off at school (no space for my kit... as well the obvious volume issues.) It sounds like 14" is what I'm looking for- possibly a 12."

What are the advantages/disadvantages of the different tuning systems?

[echoofformless]

Rope tuning is much more difficult, but the drum has less weight and less shell restriction, so it will sound a little better and be lighter between your legs. The lug tuning is much quicker and more accurate however,


Personally, I think the best djembe is the LP djembe. It's basically the same as their congas, wrench tunable with siam oak shell. It just sounds and looks so beautiful. A truly professional instrument.

But more practically, the remo djembes are relatively inexpensive, far more durable than a real djembe or an lp djembe, and lightweight. I just feel that the sound quality isn't all that warm; they sound somewhat synthetic and higher pitched.

So it really depends on what you are doing. For serious percussion setups and the like, I would suggest the Pearl or LP djembe. For portability and ease of use, I suggest the Remo.

My only question for Remo: when are they going to lose those ridiculous looking finishes?

[MusicMan]

Hi -

If you're looking for something to use with "acoustic guitars" that's easy to store and transport, I would go with Pearl's Elite Box Cajon! You can play it like a whole drumset, rather than limiting yourself to the sound of a djembe.

[afrobeat]

Hi,
There are a couple of tips you can follow to choose a right djembe drum.
- The drum should not be too small, the head should have enough diameter to accomodate the open hand!
- Original djembes (string tuned) are difficult to tune,and to re-tune, you better go for the lug tuned djembes.
- Don't go for the 100 U$ price range,these are usually beginner djembes, a good drum will start at 200 to 400 U$ and up.
- Some brands, try :
- Lp classic model
- meinl djembes
- toca
- remo
- pearl has new models, the "pearl elite series wood model pjw-340".