How hard do you hit?

[the kid]

As well as astro-physics I'm sure there's some chi energy thrown in there some where too.

Any body doin the Bruce lee workout with mini electronic sensors working those muscles when you listen back to your recordings.

I'm still trying to perfect the one inch slap

Wax on wax off

[Djembe-nerd]

e2c

just wondering: did you study any other instruments before starting with djembe?

I played dholak before, here is a pic of it

[James]

As well as astro-physics I'm sure there's some chi energy thrown in there some where too.

Any body doin the Bruce lee workout with mini electronic sensors working those muscles when you listen back to your recordings.

I'm still trying to perfect the one inch slap

Wax on wax off

[e2c]

e2c

just wondering: did you study any other instruments before starting with djembe?

I played dholak before, here is a pic of it

Ah! Very different technique, then...

I want a good dholak, but as far as learning to play properly... not sure if I could find a teacher where I now live.

[Djembe-nerd]

Yes, technique quite different, but music has similarities . no one teached dholak like I am learning djembe. It was like just get one and start playing with people/gigs/parties/singers. When you start getting better in the rhythyms and technique you start getting more and more chances to play at better places. Important is to follow the singer, his breaks and enchauffement. So Soloing for me is easy in djembe, cos thats what you have to do with a singer, improvise.

A good dholak player can teach you a lot (I don;t know if you will find one where you live) and there are some things in you tube too.

[e2c]

I hear you, .d-n.

Any suggestions on where to get a high-quality instrument? (That seems to be a real problem with Indian percussion, and likely other Indian instruments as well.)

[Djembe-nerd]

I will get informed about this. I see a lot of sub-standard dholak's online. I will ask a person I know who plays here.

[e2c]

Thanks in advance!

yes, there are all kinds of sub-standard Indian and Arabic drums online - and in stores, too. the worst company for this is Mid-East Manufacturing, which is located in Florida, but I'm very suspicious of most other online retailers as well. (Indian and Indian but based in the US, Canada and the UK.)

I worked in 2 different places that sold many substandard "ethnic" instruments (along with a handful of really good ones), so I have seen and heard the difference! (and in the case of percussion, have occasionally been able to play things and check them out for myself... though i don't know enough to be able to tell really good Indian drums from the cheaper, poorly made ones in many cases.)