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Introduction

Playing the djembe may look easy, and of course it is possible for a beginner to just sit behind the drum and play. But playing properly is certainly as difficult as mastering any other more well known instrument: it will take years of study, practice and dedication!

Contrary to most western musical instruments like the guitar, the violin or piano, there is no (western style) teaching method for djembe that I know of. The most common way of teaching is that the teacher will show you how the bass, tone and slap are produced by playing these sounds, and letting you hear what they are supposed to sound like. It is up to the student to start praticing and experimenting in order to try and create the same sound. Without any help in the form of theory or precise instructions, it is extremely difficult to figure out what you are supposed to do! Or worse, when you happen to make a proper tone or slap, knowing why it was correct, and why the next time it doesn't seem to work anymore!

To me, a teaching method consists a series of concepts and exercises that will gradually lead the student towards developing the motoric, muscular and musical skills necessary to become a proficient player. A gradual increase in the difficulty of the actual music that is being played is only one aspect of such a teaching method. The djembe is notoriously hard to master if you want to produce the three sounds, bass, tone and slap, properly. So a teaching method should also contain experiments, exercises, theory and practices that will clearly outline to the student what they must practice in order to take the next step towards producing a clear tone, or a clear slap.

I have been down that path myself. However, I am used to learning a new instrument by myself, so I may have been more methodical than others. I have had lessons, attended workshops and weekends, but I also have read as much as I could find about djembe acoustics, drum acoustics and skin behaviour, and I tried to develop exercises which would lead to the muscle power and dexterity that should produce the desired sounds. I then practiced my own exercises, in order to try and find out if I was right. In some cases I was, in other cases I wasn't. I have had the opportunity to teach a few beginners during drum circles, and I have observed both students, teachers and good players.

Over the years I have developed a few concepts, and related exercises, that may help others in learning to play the djembe. I present them here. But please remember that I myself am not a djembe master, but just another student amongst the many. So as with all djembe information the usual caveat applies: if you have a teacher, then by all means follow his or her advice! However, I hope that people will find the explanations, concepts and exercises helpful, and that they will actually aid them in learning to play properly.


 

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