Djembe facts for kids
The djembe (pronounced ZHEM-bey) is one of the best-known African drums. It originally came from West Africa. It is shaped like a large goblet and played with the bare hands. The drum's body is carved from a hollowed trunk. The drum head is made of goatskin.
Images for kids
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Mali Empire c. 1350 AD
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Djembefola DVD cover
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Khassonka player in Mali
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Spiral pattern on the inside of a well-carved djembe (djalla wood). The spine of the skin is clearly visible through the hole in the waist.
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Traditional djembe used by the Kono people from the Nzérékoré region in Forest Guinea. (From the collection of Musée de l'Homme, Paris, added to the collection in 1938.)
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Djembe with modern two-ring mounting system
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Fibreglass djembe with synthetic skin and lug tuning system
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Three completed rows of Mali weave
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Djembe decorated with folded-over skin, sege sege, rope wrap, and metalwork
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Djembe decorated with extensive carvings on the stem and bowl, with folded-over skin
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Cowrie shell and tire decoration on the foot of a djembe
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Timing belt decoration on the foot of a djembe (purchased in Conakry in 2001)
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Rhythmen Der Malinke CD cover
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(0,1) vibrational mode created by a bass or tone
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(1,1) vibrational mode created by a tonpalo
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(2,1) vibrational mode created by a slap
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(0,2) vibrational mode created by a slap
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(1,2) vibrational mode created by a slap
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(0,3) vibrational mode created by a slap
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Spectrum analysis of a bass. The big hump is the Helmholtz resonance.
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Spectrum analysis of a tone. The pair of spikes at 343 Hz and 401 Hz are the (0,1) mode.
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Spectrum analysis of a tonpalo (third slap). The tallest spike is the (1,1) mode.
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Spectrum analysis of a slap. The spike at 812 Hz is the (2,1) mode, followed by higher-order modes.
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Schematic of two-ring skin mounting
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Schematic of three-ring skin mounting
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1st and 2nd row of twists on a djembe
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3rd and 4th row of twists on a djembe
See also
In Spanish: Yembé para niños
