Low tuned djembes

[Carl]

I hear you on the "stage performance pitch" thing, and tend to feel that many super-cranked djembes actually lose a lot of their range and depth. To my ears, many of them sound "flat" (meaning that there's just no real depth to the sound, that they're limited - not that they're tuned to a flat pitch in some scale or other).

I think that each drum has it's own "range" of sounding good. One of the guy's in my band has a Ivory Coast drum that "Chokes Off", well below the range of my Mali shell when it's sounding it's best. I think that the density of the wood has a huge impact on the tuning range.

A thick, low density drum does not support the higher frequencies of a high tuned skin, where as a denser wood (even if it is thinner, or maybe especially if it is thinner...) can handle being tuned higher.

One thing that I've done on snare drums and drumset drums is to find the pitch of the shell.

Take the heads off, then suspend the shell in one hand and hit it will a rubber mallet (like one used on a xylophone or marimba) and see what pitch the shell wants to ring to. When you put the heads back on, tune them to that pitch (or some harmonic of that pitch).

What you get from this is a drum that will ring for a LONG time. Not really ideal, but then you can de-tune one of the heads (usually the bottom) so that it is not so pure. You can really control the decay this way (without attaching anything to the heads!)

I have yet to try this technique on a djembe or dunun, but it would be interesting to try.

C

[Dugafola]

I think that each drum has it's own "range" of sounding good. One of the guy's in my band has a Ivory Coast drum that "Chokes Off", well below the range of my Mali shell when it's sounding it's best. I think that the density of the wood has a huge impact on the tuning range.

A thick, low density drum does not support the higher frequencies of a high tuned skin, where as a denser wood (even if it is thinner, or maybe especially if it is thinner...) can handle being tuned higher.

i don't think that's entirely true. i've heard iroko wood drums super cranked and they sound incredible. iroko, by the numbers, is less dense then the rest of the hardwoods used for jembe.

check out fode seydou bangoura's disc Fakoly, Yelemba d'Abidjan's Hommage, Harouna Dembele's Landa or pretty much any recording of Boka. ask Mahiri too...alot of Farafina are rocking Iroko shells. i know Fode has been playing Iroko exclusively for the past 3-4 years now.

[Carl]

I think that each drum has it's own "range" of sounding good. One of the guy's in my band has a Ivory Coast drum that "Chokes Off", well below the range of my Mali shell when it's sounding it's best. I think that the density of the wood has a huge impact on the tuning range.

A thick, low density drum does not support the higher frequencies of a high tuned skin, where as a denser wood (even if it is thinner, or maybe especially if it is thinner...) can handle being tuned higher.

i don't think that's entirely true. i've heard iroko wood drums super cranked and they sound incredible. iroko, by the numbers, is less dense then the rest of the hardwoods used for jembe.

check out fode seydou bangoura's disc Fakoly, Yelemba d'Abidjan's Hommage, Harouna Dembele's Landa or pretty much any recording of Boka. ask Mahiri too...alot of Farafina are rocking Iroko shells. i know Fode has been playing Iroko exclusively for the past 3-4 years now.

I'm still trying to figure this out. Mahiri's drum looks like iroko (I'm still learning to identify the woods...) But is it smokin' hot, high and loud. Obviously there is more going on here than the density of the wood. I wonder if part of what I'm hearing is that there are more "poorly made" drums made out of soft woods? Or is there something about how they are carved? denser woods should be carved one way and less dense should be carved another? All I know is that on a drum by drum case I've liked denser woods just about every time. I guess the next thing for me is to start looking at the exceptions, and see what else they have going for them...

C

[Dugafola]

I'm still trying to figure this out. Mahiri's drum looks like iroko (I'm still learning to identify the woods...) But is it smokin' hot, high and loud. Obviously there is more going on here than the density of the wood. I wonder if part of what I'm hearing is that there are more "poorly made" drums made out of soft woods? Or is there something about how they are carved? denser woods should be carved one way and less dense should be carved another? All I know is that on a drum by drum case I've liked denser woods just about every time. I guess the next thing for me is to start looking at the exceptions, and see what else they have going for them...

C

Mah's big big drum is definitely iroko from the ivory coast.

woods like iroko will be carved thicker than lenke, hare, djalla, bele etc...they also have a higher moisture content and will shrink a bit more than the other woods too.

my main beaters right now are hare and djalla but i do have an iroko shell (gonna sell it but that's a different story).

in my experience, irokos sound best with medium to thick skins at high tension. they play very fast with a piercing slap and great overall sound distinction/separation b/w bass, tones and slaps. the tones are on the shorter side, not as short as a hare tone in my opinion though.

the ultimate X factor though is who's playing it

[Carl]

This discussion and the "good wood" discussion reminds me of one of my dreams...

I'd love to be a drum dealer... if for no other reason than to "support my habit". I had a wonderful opportunity when I was teaching at a world music store that imported a bunch of drums. I advised, but didn't have to shell out the cash to purchase the drums. Of course, if I knew then what I know now, I'd have advised differently.

In any case, I would love to be able to get some of these shells /woods /skins under my hands to play, hear, feel the differences!

When my dad buy's guitars, he goes to the shop and will literally play every guitar in the store to make sure he's getting the right one. There is a lot to be said for comparison shopping. Which isn't easy to do when you have to mail-order each drum!

Damn it... I'm starting to get "that itch..."
Time to teach some extra classes!!!

C

[Dugafola]

carl,

when you go to africa, you'll be able to work with carvers directly and have them carve drums to your exact specification: height, width, thickness, wood, dimensions, decoration ....the whole 9 yards.

that's what I did.

so get your research on!!

[Dennis103]

I'm still trying to figure this out. Mahiri's drum looks like iroko (I'm still learning to identify the woods...) But is it smokin' hot, high and loud. Obviously there is more going on here than the density of the wood.

My current viewpoint on the matter: 60% of the sound is due to playing technique (your hands), 30% is due to the skin, and 10% is due to the wood density, shape of the bowl etc.
My main reason for this conclusion is that a few africans that have played my djembe sound different on my djembe. Some play a higher slap, a lower slap, a louder tone and so on. The only variant here is playing technique, and the physics of the hand, such as size of hand, positioning, bone density, finger weight, muscular input such as stiffening of parts of the fingers, and so on.

Anybody have other experiences?

[the kid]

I'd say 60 wood and carve, 20 hands, 20 skin.

[Carl]

I'd say 60 wood and carve, 20 hands, 20 skin.

My thought... When you are purchasing a djembe, what you are buying is carved wood. Everything else could be changed (in fact, the carving could even be changed if you are daring and have the skills).

With that as a starting point, when you are shopping for a drum, you would look at the wood type and how it was carved. Be careful of what the drum sounds like in the shop, especially if it is tuned low. While it is not likely that a drum that sounds good in the shop will not sound good later (though it is possible) you could easily overlook a great drum that has a bad skin or is poorly tuned.

On the other hand, the better the quality of the wood and carving, the more likely the seller will put time and skill into the skin and tuning...

After that, I would probably say that a drums sound is 30% technique 30% shell (wood and carving) 40% skin. One caveat would be that very bad technique, or very bad skin (tuning or condition) can undercut the other two elements. A bad shell can be made to sound "better" with good skin/tuning/technique, but it will never sound "great".

Next?
C

[e2c]

I think a lot depends on what you want to use a drum for (solo, accompaniment, bass, etc.). Most serious players have a range of drums to choose from - just like most other instruments (guitars and basses, for example).

Duga's right; all the Farafina Kan djembe players have great sound, projection and range re. their stage drums.

And we can all argue percentages (etc.) until the cows come home, but there's no single "right" answer.

[bubudi]

i've noticed that other west african drumming traditions (e.g. akan, ewe & yoruba) have a lower tuned drum playing the lead. the higher drums in these traditions tend to be the 'child' drums. that also reminds me that the lead djembes in the forest region of guinea/liberia/sierra leone/ivory coast were tuned low.

[Dugafola]

i've noticed that other west african drumming traditions (e.g. akan, ewe & yoruba) have a lower tuned drum playing the lead. the higher drums in these traditions tend to be the 'child' drums. that also reminds me that the lead djembes in the forest region of guinea/liberia/sierra leone/ivory coast were tuned low.

yea bubs...
i recorded a traditional Manian/Maoka group in 2005 over in guinea. the lead djembe was very low but the guy was crushing. i'll try to upload a sample at some point.

[e2c]

Looking forward to a sample, Duga...

[Bulletinyourdjembe]

I use two traditionel djembe's with rope-tuning and i tune them Really high;) and i have one Remo Djembe that i tune low, and the skin never breakes i have had the remo djembe for 3 years now

[nkolisnyk]

Once again, looks like Remo killed the party!