How to Play the Djembe Drum : Choosing a Djembe Drum

[OneDrumBum]

Expert village is really uninformative. This video basically tells you nothing you couldn't find out in ten seconds by going to a music shop. Thumbs down.

[Nebrox]

You people are speaking rubbish.

Scott is one of the leading djembe masters on the planet. He is every bit as good as Mamady Keita and other african masters.

[UsernameSasanRad]

either its the video clip quality or it just simply bad drumming !

[jagurex]

that small one is not a Doumbek ...... it is a pre-tuned Djembe made by Remo percussion ....... guys grow up ...!!!

[9ScubaSteve1]

@jagurex You are right there! He even says (prior to playing it) "You can even play this one like a doumbek" then shows how to play it like a doumbek. That is a Remo Djembe there. I hate expert village, but this guy at least knows something. A lot more than most expert village idiots.

[jagurex]

@9ScubaSteve1 It is true ...... !!!

[heliazbat]

Americans dont have swing, they are like robots playing rhythmic patterns.

[MrKodyska]

This guy is an idiot

[Ainngai]

Dude, what the fuck is wrong with your feet? It's like you killed a black guy and wore his feet like socks.

[Valthepixie]

What an idiot, that is a type of goblet drum from the middle east, not a toy.

[jimbe1969]

drum screws...sweet

[superpwned80]

"expert"village 

[SAHBfan]

Ate least I heard a synthetic and a traditional wooden drum side by side - and since I am looking to buy, I am grateful for that...

[jessiethe3rd]

Blah... PLASTIC DRUMS SUCK! 

[punktsup]

wow,everybody here is jealous, do your own gimik...

[glorplaxy]

his naked legs and feet are really quite distracting.

[santisimos]

lol so cute :(

[tamaduni]

i need a Djembe --now!

[diceman2004]

polyrhythm , dats whatchu get when you play a plastic drum mon .

Lets hear some goatrhythm mon .

[Zlandicar]

While holding the doumbek, he says "You can play it like a doumbek"... ahahahaha

[jhpable]

He is either extremly untalented or has not bothered about learning anything about African rythms and Djembe techniques. If this is representative for the general level on Expertvillage, it is a rip off if they charge money for any of their lessons.

[unbeatableenergy]

Have you ever tried playing those remos with the keys digging into your bare legs like he is. i wonder if he's got caluses on his thighs. (Ooo matron!)still they make a wonderful pang which is of course just what a djembe should sound like.Besides you can't play pang pang p-p-p-p-pang pang pang with one of those African ones.Also there's really nice new age designs on the shell so even if you don't know how to play you can look good playing it. Yep its got to be fibre glass or plastic.

[vivitar45]

i have a remo but i prefer it over the other one at least i can leave it in the car and its grate for drum jams and campping and its more durable then the wood drum

[1viva]

very informative!!

[talamasca1113]

You don't know shit from shit. Remove your videos!

[jimbe1969]

Yes...the only real drum I see is here quite out of tune...I get the feeling this guy goes to a lot of drum circles with other 'experts'.

In my opinion, if you want a light and inexpensive beginner drum, the synthetic Toca djembe style drums sound far better than any remo ever could.

They also sound great with a new, high quality goatskin head.

[MrSpliffjones]

i just get a feeling from this video that he doesnt respect the drums like they should be. Its like he said, i bet he bought that drum because it looked nice on his wood floors. and the 3rd one is a Doumbek i believe

[DanielKonate]

reno djembes aren't djembes d;-)

[analwartz4u]

Wonderful...got a gift 4 u

[nerdOland]

Another "expert" from expertvillage

[eruanion]

Don't trust this man he doesn't know much more than any other beginner would! For one he can't tell where his drum is from, it's obviously a cheap import from Ghana. And he should know that it's poorly out of tune. Yes, a Djembe can be out of tune! It is a soloist instrument and should pop and sing out over the deeper drums, with a very crisp high pitch. Smaller headed remo Djembes sound the best with a more authentic sound.They are good for practice, traveling, and simple drum circle use. FYI=)

[haendelyayo]

puta That value!!!

[nonattitude]

Remo tunable Djembe are made with Acoustican (100% recycled wood fiber) made in usa since 1983. Just received a 14" and included with the tuning wrench was a bunch of their Remo Eco friendly stuff and awards.

[nonattitude]

jeez some harsh critics, I didn't have the chance to hear any Djembe's in a store so I rely on user submitted vids and appreciate those who upload theirs/

[vivitar45]

remo are a good choise if your at a tam tam they handle the weather well if its damp or hot the animal skin gos out of tune and and the camp fire its youshely damp my remo still hold a good tune then the other drums

[jimbe1969]

Animal skin isn't out of tune if you TUNE it...

[DarkShroom]

you don't have drums that are "out of tune", they might create a dissonance with one another but they're not a pitched instrument, not when they're just playing with other drums anyway like most tribal music

[jimbe1969]

You definitely have drums that are out of tune...absolutely, positively, and without a doubt. This one is 100 percent wrong...period.

[Kevinblackwood2]

Ok, most of all these comments are from ignorant people who have nothing better to do. the man wasn't teaching djembe, just showing some different selections on the market. maybe his drums weren't tuned perfectly but there are many sizes and sounds so who cares. come on people, if your going to speak then back it up with your own stuff and show us how to do it right with all of your knowledge. Why cut people down, show us all you brilliant djembe players that aren't from Texas.....

[casketcrewchick]

OMG terrible

[eyeneyelife]

clueless

[housemusicjunky]

Anyone notice this dude only has 4 toes?? Ha!

[jesamani75]

wooden djembe is not tuned right.

[jsinger101]

how about just never move to texas.

[nonidentity]

this is guy is the furthest thing from an expert

[toddgee01]

never move to texas and learn anything form this man!!! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT DJEMBE

[jimbe1969]

this freakin moron doesn't represent texas...believe me

[DjKiba]

this is such bullshit

First off, depending on how you tune it can change the sound

His drums were not tuned in any proper fashion, thus the sound was irregular

Secondly, that small drum is a child size darabuka not a "toy drum"

[prosenko]

these djembes are not tuned, are not well played and not well respected...

im sorry dude, watch some of my videos to know how the djembe is really played...

[barun187]

come off your high horse.

[ShawnBecker1]

That guy has absolutley no clue or respect for those djembes. I agree with prosenko.

[jimbe1969]

prosenko can play

[prosenko]

tnx everybody im playing djembe for almost six years, and i will keep on jamming with the west african coulture, i love the music the coulture and the woman!!!

[beatry94]

what the fuck man take ur life and give me that djembe

[tamborsagrado78]

????????????????????????????

[RastamanuPL]

Fool.

[wajdi00]

what is the size of this remo? 16" ???

[MichiHenning]

This guy is so completely clueless about the djembe, playing technique, history, and culture, it's not funny. Don't listen to this rubbish. If you want good instruction, check out Mamady Keita's or Mohamed Bangoura's instructional DVDs. There, you get the real thing, and you won't be picking up terrible technique that will take years (if not forever) to unlearn.

[Crazypanda1209]

stop advertising.

[kamilkauz]

I am relly sad to see that please respecte the

reel cultur of that instrument this is maybe the last authentic sound we can easily ear

[Heath75032]

That third drum as a dhoumbek, not a djembe. and it's not a toy. Also, take your wedding band off before playing.

[MPedroful]

@Heath75032 I have one of those, it is not a toy.

[supermangdp7]

wow... what a dumbfuck. they need a true djembe player from AFRICA who aactually knows what he's talking about not some stupid ass poser white boy who probably learned this info from wikipedia

[lelandky]

This guy is a poser. He doesn't know about djembes. All real djembes are from West Africa. He even shows a Doumbek when talking about djembes. He should re-title this "how to chose a hand drum". There are lots specifics to choosing a djembe that he doesn't mention.

[catmari1963]

ok.. this is the fourth video i've wathched of this guy, and by now i'm starting to get convinced this is some hoax. no one is such an idiot to make this many so called expert video's, being so totally ignorant about the subject.. come on.. this must be some joke!!

[ragevigs]

not rehead but tune these beautiful son of bia's are extremely hard for me and can take massive hours , I love the goatskin deep tone , I own a plastic shell Toca cannon but the goatskin is top line and sounds amazing for the $107.00 tag its light and durable in all weather not key tuned, but must sleep in good weather yah know. Toca baby Remo cool

[tailwagging]

It can take hours to rehead an authentic djembe or it'll cost you at least $100.00 to have it done. The weather will always affect your tone. There is no comparison, but if you gigg alot and need something reliable Remo does the job. I'd go with a Remo, especially if you teach and need about 15 djembes. Help save our natural resources as well. In some African schools they can only afford Remo drums.

[PrismConcept]

It's unfair to compare an poorly tuned African drum with a Remo. The ringy sound of the is't appreciably better than the Remo.Properly tuned, there is no comparison. The design indicates an Ivory Coast origin. Such djembes can be obtained from drum builders in the USA for far less than a Remo of like size. The Remo is of pressed and embedded wood fibers w/a plastic head. Goatskins are far less expensive than Remo heads but are humidity sensitive.One can easily learn to rehead an African drum.

[restirador]

sorry for mi ignorance but does a djembe drum has some similarities whit the darbuka?

[PrismConcept]

Apart from shape, no. There is some historical speculation about whether there was some influence from Arabs on the West African djembe, but the general consensus is that it developed separately. The sound from properly tuned djembes (which you could not possibly tell from this video) is very different from that of the darbouka, regardless of the material from which the latter is made, and they are played very differently and, for the most part, with different intent.

Beverly

[Rusvi1]

Tips On How to Play the Djembe Drum : Choosing a Djembe Drum : Tips for Beginners. this is the title. the only useful thing you said is that it will cost me less to exchange djembe skin if i buy manufactured djembe. you are a retard

[grub456]

im just about to get in the car and go and get a djembe.

=)

[Cdubb619]

I want a djembe drum so bad!!!!!!!!!!!

[temoniprince]

Hey man

thx

what should teh remo Djmbe be tuned the key one i have a 16 inch head one and i have no clue what itr suppost to be tunned .

thx sammy

[2ToneThomas27]

i really dont hear the difference :S

[ndnsurfer]

LOL, that's why becoming a music major is so difficult. Enroll in Aural Training.

[linDiwise]

Hello there!

I mast say that i loved your vid.. more facinated on seen you playing reather than teaching though.. I am a reggee singer can always use a good Djembe Drumer.

I live in chicago for the moment. would like o talk to you for more. Pls..contact me my message.

thank you,

lindi wise

[nativeops]

expert village is all half ass. yuknow.

[jqpublicky]

How can you claim to be presenting a whole village of experts when you can't tell good quality from bad? Who hired this presenter? I'd never call myself an expert djembe player but I seriously could do a better job blind drunk.

Did anyone at 'expert village' do even a teeny tiny amount of research, or is this just another blatant attempt to make hoards of cash with badly-produced videos?

Please 'Expert Village', remove this video and pay more attention to what words like 'expert' mean.

[Laykey]

yup and his frikkin djembes sound like oil drums :P

[djembedrumming]

Good comparison of Remo and traditional

[Kulrok88]

Next, he will show us how to play the triangle ...they come in metal or shiny metal.

[dhollseed]

I don't know why people are criticising without giving reasons...typical youtube nonsense.

The mount is a great idea, and it was interesting to have the side-by-side tone test.

Nice one.

[jqpublicky]

1) Djembe is badly out of tune for a soloist's drum.

2) Saying that the wood drum is 'from the west coast maybe' is ridiculous, the west coast of Africa is where the djembe originated. It's like saying 'this banjo was maybe made in the United States.'

3)Noting the 'hand made marks' on the djembe suggests he doesn't know how they are made.

4)When he plays, it is badly, flat and with none of the inflection a master would give.

5)Stands suck.

I could seriously do a better job blind drunk.

Enough?

[maksenDK]

MOOOONKAY!... i mean... guys.. djembe is somthing u play if god gave u the hands to it.. (obviuously not gave him a pair).. FACT!: dont buy wanker drums, buy african djembes.. and.. if u cant play.. dont play.. this is for people gifted

[me11oyell0w]

wow this actually made me stop and comment... your right not everyone is going to have the gift to be a djembe drum god, but saying if you don't have the gift don't pick one up is BS. The whole point of drumming is to have fun with it. even if all you can do is bust out a basic bass rhythm thats what having a drum circle is for.I have had a better time listening to 4 newbs and one good drummer than I've had listening to one drummer who considered himself too good to play with beginners.

[thetinkerer]

I disagree. He obviously showed us which is the best drum to buy. An authentic, handmade djembe drum from Africa.

[BlackratGti]

twat, my deaf granny can play better than that!!

[ridingtwo]

Please remove alls videos.

this guys doesn't know playing and speaking about drum.

In my opinion is very bad master.

He's must be review his informations.

[jteskie]

This guy has no clue.

[jppercu]

ZERO, Tres mauvaise vidéo.

[AMAZINGPROSTATE]

Great side by side contrast of skin vs. plastic......

[deccbi]

djembes may not be just for african rythms but they are meant for good rythms ..ardvark r u wyte or african if u not african i suggest u leave it to us and espesahlly people dat come from the areas and know what they are talking about

[richardolatunde]

please, remove this video

[meskoonah]

yes please

[ardvarkfred]

This guy is a drummer, not an african rythem zealot. The djembe can actually play rythems that are not African traditional. I personally love the sound of a great hand carved djembe tuned for solo so I would agree that he should tune his drum

[ardvarkfred]

In africa drums are tuned to different pitches. Each of these pitches plays a different part of the song.  Tuning is a very personal thing. If you read the people below saying this guy knows nothing, you are making a mistake.

[ardvarkfred]

I also hate the sound of a remo... But. They play well, are waterproof, and nearly indistructable. You can even use sticks on them. Quit being such premadonnas, and accept the fact that everything evolves. Djembes don't have to play only african rythems, and they don't have to have extremely high slaps and tones. It takes all kinds

[t1hundred]

booo.

[fredoceanie]

Expert IDIOT village !

They must be laughing out loud in Africa....

Beginners DON'T listen to this load of crap !

[roberini]

en een zelfbedachte

[sfdjembeman]

Another guy giving out bad info for the newbie and misleading people -- first of all your drums are NOT tuned and the Remo is not a djembe, It is a goblet shaped drum made out of plastic. Dumbek, Zarb, Klon Yaw are also goblet shaped drums. Djembes come from AFRICA -- and a certain part of Africa - Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Gambia and Burkina Faso.

[ardvarkfred]

no where did he try to convince you to buy a Remo.. or suggest that they had as good a sound as a hand carved djembe. Incidentally, even though cars were first made in Detroit, Toyotas are still cars. A djembe doesn't have to made on the ivory coast to be a djembe

[whois666]

i know this guy ive been to drum circles with him.

hes a fucking dumbass

disregard this video.

[Aetherus7]

this guy should NOT be giving lessons, he should be TAKING them! Bad information, unless you want to sound like a person with no clue, avoid this guys stuff...

[DRUMDRUE]

Very bad Video Remo Drums do not sound the same as Animal Skin Heads, Their are Djembes forsale made by Meinl, LP & Other companies with natural heads that have a bolt tuning system as oppossed to ropes, getting a case & hat that is waterproof is very important as this will protect your drums lifespan & help to keep it in tune, it is always best to pack up whenever you stop playing, especially if you live in a colder or humid climate.

[robinbuisman]

ook al bezig het slechtste filmpje op aarde te maken ???? nouja de prof ziet ook zo lekker afrikaans uit

[roberini]

lol djembe spelen is vet ik kan alleen het liedje ik-speel-de-djembe en nog een

[justgottalaugh]

scott, please tune your drums. they're all too low, too twangy, too much sustain. viewers need to know djembes can sound so much better than this.

[funninvestments]

This person is far from ask an expert. I have been playing for 15 years. I took the drummer path and carved my 1st djembe the 21 days of the path. I also play congas. As soon as you see him talk about the djembe and you can hear the muffled base,tone, slap. If you want to get the cluture go get it from someone real. Invest in a hand carved drum and know what region of african it comes from. Gunine, Mali or Cote Ivorie.. The wood and type of skin all come into play. .

[alantauber]

Hello? The Remo drum is NOT a djembe. Playing a djembe is not without history, culture and tradition. This is a sad commentary.

[MercysHollow]

As soon as I saw a Remo I knew this video would be a waste! WOOOOOOD!

[deccbi]

das nt da point dey r not proper players

[MystickPhoenix]

First off, remos never EVER sound as good as natural djembes. Second, it's not that hard to find someone that can re-head a drum. Just ask someone at your local drum circle if they know who the local "drum guy/girl" is. And third, if you're stuck with a remo and want it to sound halfway decent, take a piece of gorilla tape maybe 4in. long and stick it on the INSIDE of the head. This creates a dampening effect on the head so you don't get the twangy sound anymore.

[deccbi]

ur bof shit

[deccbi]

amen

[Mirber]

i hear that

[deccbi]

ur djembes r shit tho n get rid of da plastic wun im a west african and descend from a line of griots ur drums need proper furnishin by africans not sum factory ting