Field Guide To The Drums

Field Guide

to The Drums:

Hand Drums & Percussion Instruments from around the world (and the neighborhood.)

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African Djembe: (Jem-Bay) This goblet shaped drum is undoubtedly one of the most powerful drums in existence. It has been called "The healing drum" and dates back to the 12th Century great Mali empire of West Africa. A sacred drum, it was traditionally utilized in ceremonies such as healing, ancestral worship, rites of passage, warrior rituals, communication over distances and storytelling. It has an incredible tonal range from a deep thundering bass to a high pitch sharp slap.

African Djun-Djun: (June-June) This cylindrical drum is used in accompaniment to the Djembe in traditional African music. You could say it is related to the European Bass drum but since it is usually carved out of a log it is not something you would strap on and march around with! The Djun-Djun I play is much larger than most. I carved it myself out of a piece of Sycamore tree trunk. It was partially hollow to start with but all the same it took me almost a whole year to carve it. I use it for thundering, earthshaking sound effects in general. When played softly it also helps to set a scary, menacing mood. If it were turned with one of it’s heads up and suspended between four supports, it would be a fine native American council drum.

African Talking Drum: This hourglass shaped drum is loosely strung so that by squeezing it under the arm, the pitch gets higher, by letting go, the pitch gets lower. Traditionally it is from western Africa and is used in Ghana, especially by the Ashanti people. I made mine from a cast off piece of house column. It actually wasn’t supposed to be a talking drum but a small Djun-Djun style drum called a Songba. However I was never very good at measuring things and the rings came out way too big (ooops!) So even though my drum isn’t an hourglass shape, (it’s tubular) it still does the same thing, only it’s a lot bigger than most talking drums! Some people, particularly kids, play it with their legs or in teams! I call it my "Thighmaster Deluxe Talking Drum".

Siberian Shaman Drum: Actually, one sided frame drums are used in almost every culture from Central Asia to Siberia and Alaska, Greenland, Ireland, the Middle East, and Native America. Most traditional players use a stick in one hand while holding the drum in the other. Following the lead of several modern players such as Glen Velez of the Paul Winter Consort, I sue both my hands. The left hand which holds the frame, actually plays a counterpoint on the back of the drum while the right hand plays the main rhythm. In the Middle East, the drum is played with both hands on the front of the drum using the fingers. In addition, by wetting my finger and sliding it across the head, I can create a mysterious or spooky "Whoooooah" sound.

Irish Bodhran: (Bow-Ron or Boar-On) This traditional frame drum from Ireland is played with a double ended stick called a tipper. Because it is played partly muted (and therefore is not as loud as some drums) it is an ideal accompaniment for singing. I play this drum in a way that creates a similar effect to the African talking drum. By pushing my hand from the back, I can change the tightness of the drum head to make it "talk".

Khanjira: (Can-JEER-Ah or Con-JEER-Ah) A 6"-7" lizard skin tambourine from India with a single jingle. I don't know a lot more about this drum at the present time. But when I find out more, I'll definitely post it here.

Various Bells, Shakers: Some of the most important percussion instruments are the simplest: bells. Made of wood and metal Cowbells and Agogo Bells are used throughout African and Afro-Cuban music to provide a high sharp sound to balance the lower, boomier drums.


Cow bells	Nut-Hull Shaker	Wooden Agogo

Agogo Bell (ah-Go-G0)

	Wind Tubes: These are plain and simple Vacuum hose originally designed for swimming pools! When you twirl them around your head they make a cool singing noise.
Wind-Tube

Rain Stick: A South American instrument. Traditionally they are made out of the skeleton of a kind of cactus. The spines are broken off and hammered back into the stick (pointy side first of course!) then pebbles are put inside and the ends sealed. I make mine our of PVC pipe and bamboo barbecue skewers with unpopped popcorn, rice, beans, dried peas etc. falling through the inside. They can also be made out of cardboard tubes and small nails. Crossing cultural boundaries, I use them wherever appropriate to create the sound of rain or water in my songs and stories.

	Space Phone: This is not a traditional percussion instrument. But, Since you strike it to make it sound it qualifies to join the family right along with the guitar.
Space Phone

	The Guitar: Not everybody is aware of the fact the the guitar is in the percussion family. It is also in the stringed instrument family but, when you strike the stings with a guitar pick you have just joined the "rhythm" section.
Guitar (steel stringed)

All right! Now to see if you were paying attention, Here is a Question for you.

Question: Which of the above instruments is not in the percussion family?

Answer:

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