How to Play the Djembe : Jim Donovan's Rhythmic Foundation

[trancebynature2]

very helpfull tips

[harrydfrisch]

Root, DUDE!!  I recorded at Mr Smalls a long time ago...

[willtopper]

I have gone to 5 of his workshops... GREAT TEACHER!!!!!! He makes it make sense. He makes it build on itself. He works on relaxing and breathing with you. an Incredible experience as much fun as education. And he is a really a nice guy. If you get a change to go GO TO ONE OF HIS WORKSHOPS

[FortissimoMusic]

me pops just got one! there awesome!

[Nigriff]

You are a true gift Jim !

[Izzy94bg]

djembe!

[sheliaann1969]

Thank you fo rthis, it is indeed helpful adn appreciated.

[XXmikeypaulXX]

this guy is so good on explaining things that i got my new djembe with me practicing

[XXmikeypaulXX]

this is excellent! the lesson is easy to follow which is good for me because my head isnt on straight sometimes if u get my meaning. im getting my djembe today or tomorrow and have been looking up lessons and i think this is the best.

[happyslap300]

please make sure when you are playing that you keep breathing Lol

[islandmamma]

hey thats good advice I was holding my breath!

[maximon72]

i think you also need to mention the way the base of the drum rests on the ground because for a beginner it may be overlooked that if the base opening is resting completely flat on the ground it will muffled the sound and you wont get the basic sounds you are demonstrating n your clip.

[stratosphy]

I do forgot to breathe.. :)

[RumTumYummy]

awesome tips

[annlandau]

I am new to djembe playing...just bought my drum today. I particularly like that he plays the same visual perspective so I can imitate more easily. Other videos I have to remember which hand to use as the instructor faces me. Excellent instruction! I also wasn't breathing when he made that comment :-))

[MsSmorgan]

Very helpful thank you.

[TheBassHeavy]

I need to get one

[flashkwf]

i personally love how after he warns us not to hit the edge of the drum on open tones the second thing he does is miss the head completely and hits the rim

[MapleLeafTourmaline]

Just bought a djembe and this video was very encouraging. I will be buying the DVD. Thank you!

[00red00baron]

Thanks for this video, i am completly new to drumming,non- musician, love drum circle and this is just what I needed. People are very nice and show you things but not all are can teach the specifics this way. Thanks!

[TheOwenmatthess]

very helpfull, thankyou very much

[TuckmanJiggityJones]

Haha, wow... I've never felt so musically competent.

[antsavastano]

i just want to make a note that his shirt is pretty much awesome, heh, looks like wood grain. Also, he is a great teacher:)

[Violation1]

"please make sure as you play that you are still breathing"

that made me giggle

[rmbarata]

Yeah me too but it's true... sometimes i find myself holding my breath when playing !! hehe

[DFunk216]

This is a wonderful lesson, and by far the #1 thing he says is take your jewelery off first. As crazy as it sounds, sometimes you can forget. He knows whats hes talking about.

[SmokieMac]

Lots of beginners Djembe videos on YouTube. Yours is the first I've seen with someone who actually knows how to teach. Great job!

[bPofDuluth]

Excellent teaching.  Very clear.

[poetmaa]

thank you so much for your masterful guidance, jim ...

I very much appreciated the time you took to elaborate on the correct way of holding the hands and of the eventual danger of injury in case of a faulty technique ...

my thumb-knuckles have already experienced the painful result of meeting with the rim - and thanks to your assistance, they will be able to recover now ... :o)

blessings

marion

[luciefeenstra]

i've a callus on both my thumbs from wacking them when i play. i should really stop doing that but old habbits die hard

[Lauranyyfan]

Thank you for making it easy to learn the basics. Should you expect your fingers to swell or am I not striking properly? (mainly my Left index finger, middle)

Thank you.

[amordemadre]

I agree whit catmari1963 , great job!

[captainobvious9999]

Added to favorites. Excellent video friend. I look forward to watching your other ones now. I am learning traditional acoustic drums and have been wanting to pick up a Djembe and now I think I will. Thanks for the excellent instruction. You have a talent for teaching.

[meerkatzzz]

Thank you. I'm a beginner, I found your videos easy to understand and really enjoyable to learn.thanks again!!

[badgextc]

i definitely learned something..

thank you

(beginner)

[thoushallrockhard]

groovy video thanks,very helpful

[totemdrum777]

...very cool,man...what happened with Rusted Root anyways?....you are the man...Back to the Earth !!

[hoprehopre]

thanks - very helpfull. Here is a comment from a beginner: if you start and end with nice (for us difficult) playing this would motivate the beginners...

[bren79ren]

Really really helpfull. thanks

[ShawnBecker1]

Can someone reccomend me a nice djembe that's around 150-250 dollars?

[Avacadoshavepits]

buy it from Woodstock Music Shop. They have hand crafted Djembes made in the CAtskill. Beautiful sound. Or you can look for a TimeKeeper Drum.

[crazytrain456]

I bought one for 195(w/o tax) its a Toca brand Drum 14 inches and has a killer bass sound. check your local music shop and ask for it

[jsdevinc]

Hi Jim,

Thanks so much for the lesson in proper technique. It really beats learning something improperly and having to start from scratch (not to mention seriously cuts down on the risk of injury)!

[pauploves]

as a beginner i find you such a good teacher thank you SO MUCH!

[abbyhopson]

Thank you!

[DrumWarfare]

Jim,

Thank you for taking the time to post this video. It is nice to see videos which show proper technique getting posted. My heart cries for the beginners who see other videos, that do not show proper technique. It is extremely difficult to unlearn some of the things that are being shown out there. Keep it up!

To beginners watching this video: This is the proper way to strike the Djembe. Learn it this way and the Djembe will become the most powerful instrument you have ever picked up.

[catmari1963]

finally someone who actually knows what he's doing. very usefull video for beginners. clearly explained and shown. good for you!!

[FallOutAtTheDiscoPMS]

hi jd its hailey. just saying hi

[Kosmosmuppen]

Love u.. Youre so helpful I got a drum at home so u really helping me.. Thanks! / Nathalie

[jmdbird]

Hope you're feeling better!

[bellybabe1]

thanks i'm just learning djembe and i caught the nerve in my thumb the other day and now i'm wearing a splint as the doctor says i need to rest it , but boy does it hurt.

[jmdbird]

Hope you're feeling better!

[hiragabaka]

got me on the breathing part, lol.

great vid.

[centenarydruncircle]

Great vid for beginners ..... all drum circle newbies should watch.....correct technique right from the start.

Well done Jim D.

[senselab]

"you will feel it in the most, terrible of ways."

cracked me up.

true, though!

[bPofDuluth]

Very helpful! Thanks.

[deccbi]

ha white man ....hehehehe not bad though

[ProDeoSolus]

very helpful, thank you.

[dinsdale1979]

great! thnx

[IRObot2113]

this is exactly the kind of instruction I am looking for on the internet for the Djembe. Great way to learn necesssary and proper technique.

[mp3cdripper]

Best Djembe "how to" I've seen so far. Thanks for posting.

[televizoriukas]

he's a good teacher

[zygot27]

I'm not an ameteur,yet your video is interesting.Cheers

[koejoe101]

very informative well detailed

[hippichic101]

killer help anyone learning to play djembe