Members flip333 Posted November 17, 2005 Members Share Posted November 17, 2005 I have seen those djembe drums a couple of times. Once, an acoustice guitar player had someone playing one unmiced. It really had lots of bass. Sometimes it even almost sounded like a bass guitar. It also can be spanked on the edges of the drum skin to get different higher pitched tones. It seems like a simple and effective alternative to more complicated and heavy conga type drums. Maybe I'll get one for Christmas. I like'm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zookie Posted November 17, 2005 Members Share Posted November 17, 2005 I played a small one about 10 years ago. It is a neat sound; deeper than bongos and without as much...popping sound. If you have a small acoustic act they can really add a nice texture. I play a bodhran these days. There I said it. And I'm glad I said. I am a bodhran player. I feel like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders. I'll still have to tell me ma I play piano in a brothel though, so she won't be too ashamed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members caveman Posted November 17, 2005 Members Share Posted November 17, 2005 Yep, they do sound pretty good. The local mom & pop has a couple of them that I've tried and liked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted November 18, 2005 Members Share Posted November 18, 2005 We use a doumbek (a brass bodied cousin to the d'jembe from Pakistan) in my trio, "Too Hot For Snakes", along with the congas and bongos...gives a cool sound for some of my tunes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flip333 Posted December 21, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 21, 2006 Anymore dejembe people? I'm looking at this again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members germanicus2112 Posted December 21, 2006 Members Share Posted December 21, 2006 I use to study djembe, in college I took a course in it with the late Djimo Kouyate (his son now teaches Djembe at University of Maryland). He was very impressive. Djimo also was a master at Kora, an absolutely beautiful instrument. He was someone who really loved the music and traditions, I remember after a class one day I inquired about the kora, and he did a little solo performance for me on it, it was pretty inspiring. He could have easily blown me off and went on his way. As for a djembe, I recommend you pick up a decent imported handmade one. Not some gimmicky one manufactured by Remo. You really should find a teacher who is trained in the arts, there are intricacies to proper playing and tuning of the instrument. Preferably someone who studied in Senegal. There are three main types of strikes.One is a deep center hit which gives the low booming bass.Another is a more muted strike for a passing type percussive effect.Another is a strike using the upper portion of your hand to the outer edge of the rim of the Djembe, this producing a ringing higher pitched tone. Expect to have very red hands for awhile. Also if you stick with it you will build up massive callouses. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted December 21, 2006 Members Share Posted December 21, 2006 If you're using one in a small room like a pub or coffee shop, and whoever is playing it han't played one much, they can overwhelm an acoustic show pretty quickly. Those things can be loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SunRaFan Posted December 21, 2006 Members Share Posted December 21, 2006 I went to see a friend play one time who said he'd be using one of these. I got confused and thought he meant a digeridoo. Wow was I disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhat Posted December 21, 2006 Members Share Posted December 21, 2006 I have a couple of friends that do a duo acoustic act. Lead singer on 12 string and a sideman playing a stand up conga and bongo rig wiht a cymbol and a various percussion do dads. He also plays harp and steel drum. They perform with no backtracks and do a completely live show. Its a very good act. PM me if you are interested in hearing a track or two . They do covers. rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarmonster Posted December 21, 2006 Members Share Posted December 21, 2006 I LOVE the djembe. I have a huge one my girl got me for like 300 bucks and it sounds awsome. Very versatile. My friend used to do a ballad with his old band and he'd just put a mike on it, right in the middle of a rock show, he'd just sit down in the middle of the stage and jam out on my djembe - and it was thier best song. Highly recommended. Get one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members light_without_heat Posted December 23, 2006 Members Share Posted December 23, 2006 we just did a show last night and my drummer used a djembe on some of the intros and stuff. He had it worked out to where he could do kick drum accompanying his djembe work. It was very cool and the crowd got a kick out of it. It's always good to have variety too. YOu don't want to a do an acoustic or laid back gig without some interesting percussion to break it up once in a while. -light Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted December 23, 2006 Members Share Posted December 23, 2006 Originally posted by light_without_heat YOu don't want to a do an acoustic or laid back gig without some interesting percussion to break it up once in a while. -light Yes, I do. (unless they'll play for free) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members light_without_heat Posted December 23, 2006 Members Share Posted December 23, 2006 Originally posted by BlueStrat Yes, I do. (unless they'll play for free) Haha I forgot about the solo artist dilemma of percussion. But let's not forget there is always the ol' footstomp on the stage or mad stop where you just keep singing and bring the guitar back after some percussive string noise. Even these little things will add alot. -light Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cooterbrown Posted December 23, 2006 Members Share Posted December 23, 2006 Originally posted by light_without_heat Haha I forgot about the solo artist dilemma of percussion. But let's not forget there is always the ol' footstomp on the stage or mad stop where you just keep singing and bring the guitar back after some percussive string noise. Even these little things will add alot. -light A friend of mine uses one of these at his solo gigs...the effect is great and adds a lot to his sound. http://www.porchboard.com/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted December 23, 2006 Members Share Posted December 23, 2006 I love djembe - I have a really cool one myself. As mentioned, great for acoustic acts and you can get a range of sounds out of them some of which can approximate a kick, snare or toms without sounding overbearing. Another great percussion option for acoustic acts is the Cajon, which I believe orginated in Cuba. It's a hollow wooden box, usually with a snare in the top surface and perhaps another playing surface without a snare, and another surface that produces a very deep bass tone. Check one out if you get the chance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted December 23, 2006 Members Share Posted December 23, 2006 Originally posted by cooterbrown A friend of mine uses one of these at his solo gigs...the effect is great and adds a lot to his sound. http://www.porchboard.com/index.html How the hell do you play a djimbe if you're doing a solo gig? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cooterbrown Posted December 24, 2006 Members Share Posted December 24, 2006 Originally posted by BlueStrat How the hell do you play a djimbe if you're doing a solo gig? Admit it, Patrick...you didn't click the link, did ya? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John Ellis Posted December 24, 2006 Members Share Posted December 24, 2006 Originally posted by cooterbrown A friend of mine uses one of these at his solo gigs...the effect is great and adds a lot to his sound.http://www.porchboard.com/index.html I've had one for about a year. My ten yo started playing along with me recently and now the setup is bongo's and the poarchboard. Way cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted December 24, 2006 Members Share Posted December 24, 2006 Originally posted by cooterbrown Admit it, Patrick...you didn't click the link, did ya? I did, but I misunderstood it the first time...I thought it was a bass thingy.. I just looked at it again. My bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flip333 Posted December 25, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 25, 2006 I watched a few youtubes with djembe.... some real neat talent and some lesser talent too. I watched a guy at Navy Pier in Chicago sit down and play one once. Its amazing how those things can hold your attention for just a hand slapped drum. I swear the djembe matched the guitar tones once. Kinda like that floorboard claims to do. Very much like a percussive bass guitar. Of course my solo gig would turn into a duo, but that's OK. Its better than a backing track for authenticity. I'll watch for the Cajon. Thanks Lee. Merry Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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