Guide to African Percussion and Drums
Many of today's drums and percussion instruments originated from Africa. It is a custom to use African instruments like drums as well as percussion for communication and celebration. A number of kinds of percussion instruments and drums are still in widespread use across the African continent, while some versions are more popular than others. In addition to the array of styles, a variety of decorations are available for instrument personalization.
The Djembe Drums
The tradition calls for djembe drums to be crafted out of one hollowed-out section of wood. The basic shape of the drum is similar to an hourglass, and it has a head that is often made of goat skin. The tuning of authentic djembe drums is done with braided roping that encircles the instruments' shells, and modern versions incorporate man-made material. This drum is very versatile, with a wide range of sounds produced from a single-headed drum.
Dundun Drums
The shape of the dundun drums is that of a hollowed out cylinder. The Dundun drum has two heads, and is rope tuned. The drum's tonal qualities are governed by the thickness, length, and diameter of the walls of the drum. The sound of the drum is also impacted by the head's thickness and material. Dunduns are played with either a stick or bare hands. Quite often, a bell is attached to the side of the drum. This drum is traditionally played sideways with one hand playing the head and the other playing the bell.
The Kpanlogo Drum
Kpanlogo drums, whose origins trace to Ghana, are outwardly distinct in appearance from different African drums. The body of the drum is like that of contemporary conga drums, but it also has pegs to secure the ropes. This drum is distinctive in appearance, due to the ropes lining it from the drum head to its pegs. The drum size can vary, as does the tone; the larger the drum, the lower the tone it produces. In groups, a single player can play as many as three or four kpanlogo drums at a single time.
Hand Percussion
Small hand percussion instruments have a great deal of variability. Agogo bells, wood blocks, shakers of various styles, cabassas and even maracas all originated from Africa. These unique instruments add flavor and a variety of voices when played in a group, taking any ensemble to the next level. Hand percussion is also very useful for including others in playing music. Children, seniors and those with disabilities can all use this auxiliary percussion to join in with drum circles, performances and celebrations.
The Djembe Drums
The tradition calls for djembe drums to be crafted out of one hollowed-out section of wood. The basic shape of the drum is similar to an hourglass, and it has a head that is often made of goat skin. The tuning of authentic djembe drums is done with braided roping that encircles the instruments' shells, and modern versions incorporate man-made material. This drum is very versatile, with a wide range of sounds produced from a single-headed drum.
Dundun Drums
The shape of the dundun drums is that of a hollowed out cylinder. The Dundun drum has two heads, and is rope tuned. The drum's tonal qualities are governed by the thickness, length, and diameter of the walls of the drum. The sound of the drum is also impacted by the head's thickness and material. Dunduns are played with either a stick or bare hands. Quite often, a bell is attached to the side of the drum. This drum is traditionally played sideways with one hand playing the head and the other playing the bell.
The Kpanlogo Drum
Kpanlogo drums, whose origins trace to Ghana, are outwardly distinct in appearance from different African drums. The body of the drum is like that of contemporary conga drums, but it also has pegs to secure the ropes. This drum is distinctive in appearance, due to the ropes lining it from the drum head to its pegs. The drum size can vary, as does the tone; the larger the drum, the lower the tone it produces. In groups, a single player can play as many as three or four kpanlogo drums at a single time.
Hand Percussion
Small hand percussion instruments have a great deal of variability. Agogo bells, wood blocks, shakers of various styles, cabassas and even maracas all originated from Africa. These unique instruments add flavor and a variety of voices when played in a group, taking any ensemble to the next level. Hand percussion is also very useful for including others in playing music. Children, seniors and those with disabilities can all use this auxiliary percussion to join in with drum circles, performances and celebrations.
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Looking to purchase a djembe drum and unsure of which size to go for? The Djembe Drum Shop has a range of Djembe drums for sale in all sizes and styles visit the Djembe Drum Shop.
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