Djembe

The djembe is a goblet drum einfellige from West Africa, whose body is made of a hollowed tree trunk.

The height of a Djembe is usually about 60 inches, the diameter of its woven mostly shaved goatskin about 30 centimeters. Djembes are struck with the bare hands and are characterized by a wide spectrum of sounds, whose deep bass the Djembe the special goblet- like shape of their body owes acting at Djembéspiel as a Helmholtz resonator.

Djembes be used both as a solo and as an ensemble instrument. The typical cast an ensemble consists of a usually slightly higher than the other tuned djembe solo, one to two accompanying djembes and one to three bass drums.

Designation

The name of the drum and its pronunciation may vary by region. The Malinke in Guinea, where the instrument is widespread, say dyenbe ( gespr " dyèmbe " or " Gembe ") the Fulbe dyimbe a modification of the Malinkewortes, the Susu, however sanbanyi. (: Dschembee say ) jenbe in Mali, Jembe (English), Yembe, Dyembe use, (Guinea), Djimbi or Djimbe (commonly West Africa) In the German -speaking spelling Djembe is. However, other terms such fanfare (Senegal) or Sanbanyi at the Susu be used. As both the plural word djembes as well originating from the English-speaking plural form Djembés are common in German.

The same applies to the naming of the different rhythms and striking techniques of Djembéspiels: Again, consistency of terms is difficult to reach, often involving different languages ​​and dialects (notably the French and various African ) used for the same object.

Distributional history

The djembe comes from the forges ( Numuns ) the ethnic group of Malinke in West Africa, in present-day territory of Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast. With the help of their metal tools they could erode logs and carve from the drum body. The shape was inspired by the African mortar, but has refined over time. The Malinke used preferably growing in their settlement area Lenke hardwood that is suitable for its particular strength for the high tension of the drum heads, and even today there are still the most sought after Djembes from the best of such special African tonewoods.

The first djembes reached the Western world 1940-1960 via Paris, on the one hand through films, on the other by the tours led by the Fodeba Keita from Guinea Les Ballets Africains with the then young dad Ladji Camara. The following adaptations of various Companien lived primarily by the charm of the West African Djembéklänge, and so the djembe became more popular - now you can find them in ensembles around the world.

Training

While for most Europeans the Djembéspiel remains a hobby, is a traditional African drummers professional musician who knows a large number of rhythms and dances and his instrument perfectly mastered. Drum students undergo years of training. Because many strains have originally no sound or musical notation, rhythms and techniques are not written down, but passed from generation to generation orally. Rhythms you learn by going there, among others, by imitation or repetition of syllables. For example, the bass beats are often associated with "u" ( bum / dum ), open strokes with "i" (bi / di ) and slaps with "a" ( ba / da) reproduced.

Construction

The wooden body of traditional djembe is made seamlessly and by hand from a tree trunk, so that each drum thus produced is unique. The body of the wall thickness is at its lower opening is about 25 millimeters at the top below the fur a little less.

Traditional and modern Djembe compared

Modern Djembe from plant fiber - resin mixture with shoulder strap

As fur for Djembes earlier antelope skin was used, today one uses mostly thin -cropped goatskin, which pulled in a traditional djembe with the help of two stoffumwickelter metal rings over the top opening of the timber body, and then by means of a cord system and a third to pulled the waist of the drum metal ring is clamped. This earlier, indigenous cords were used natural materials as tension line - today one finds instead usually a four to six millimeters thick, simple, pre-stretched for better Djembes polyester cord.

First and second clamping node number of a Djembe

3rd and 4th clamping node number of a Djembe

The traditional djembe is tuned with special clamping nodes that are linked by a simple pattern and starting orbit the Djembe from the lower metal ring in an ascending helix in the direction of fur. When tuning or re-tensioning of such traditional Djembe be using the rotating tensioning cable ( see illustration above) two adjacent longitudinal lines so drawn over one another such that the mesh around the upper part of the drum so that through each new node clamped on and so does the is drawn ever more tightly held by him fur. The final voltage of the coat and thereby the sound of the drum, however, depends not only on the voltage thus generated their cords, but also on temperature and humidity. So " tune " some djembe player their instruments before appearing again by ensuring that they, for example, the skin of the instrument the heat of a fire suspend, making it further tightens again, but finally he can also tear.

Sound

Each Djembe has a spectrum that is essentially influenced by the used sound wood, the body shape, the tympanic membrane and the head tension.

According to the hand tension and stop point distinguishes between three basic strokes: the deep bass beat ( bass) in the center of the head, the "open " impact on its edge (open / tone ) and the also the fur trim, but whip-like beaten slap. The entire sound spectrum of the djembe but is far more differentiated - good playing technique allows many more delicate shades such as light tap ( taps ) with the fingertips, trills with the index or middle fingers and double strokes ( flaps / flams ), where both hands come up immediately after each other almost simultaneously. Many players finally fix also special rattle plates ( Kessings ) on their instruments, which generate the drums another, metallic rattling sound ( snare ).

Game art

There are three ways to play a Djembe: Standing on a chair or on the Djembe even sitting. The soloist of the ensemble usually plays standing up, in order to follow the dancers and act directly on the dance course can. To this end, he hangs the drum by means of a belt or towel around neck and torso. On a chair, tilts to the drum slightly forward so that the bass from the lower drum opening can escape, the drum keeps himself between the legs or fixes it with a waist band or cloth. In the third posture, the instrument is located on the ground, and the musician sitting approximately waist height of the drum on the body.

The posture while playing should always be upright and relaxed, so that the arms can develop enough power and speed. The Djembe is Peeling it with their bare hands and the forearms when you put your hands flat on the center of the head should lie with the eardrum, in a plane. The individual beats to be played then from the arms out, usually with alternating right and left - in the best case scenario it may thereby flow into each other, so that eventually creates a kind of dance of the arms.

Interaction of accompanying and solo voices

The djembe music is a complex combination of several individual voices, which result in the actual rhythm only through the interaction.

At the beginning of a piece usually a signal sounds ( blocage ) of the soloist, then sets at a place specified by him pace the accompaniment to which one sings and dances.

Here are the musicians accompanying clearly demarcated from each other sounds first of all for a solid rhythmic foundation ( groove ) ensure, on the basis of which the soloist is then flowing move from one sound to another while using various variations and solo figures, to follow the dancers musical or to even suggest new twists. A Djembe can then be referred to as " solo djembe " if it clearly audible stands out for its sound qualities of the game the rest of the ensemble, including the fur of such solo djembe is usually tuned very high.

If you want to switch to a different dance moves, plays the soloist a reputation ( roulement ), which usually consists of a series of slap -open- combinations. To be followed by the blocage again. This sequence is repeated with various solo figures and tempos until the dance ends. The particular art is so fine-tune the individual rhythm patterns ( patterns ) on the dancers that the whole ensemble, so drummers and dancers who blocage can use as a common turning point (break ).

The bass drums ( Dunduns )

Your "heartbeat" and special character receive the Djembe rhythms of the melody to them the interplay of the three bass drums Dundun (low), Sangban or Sangba (medium ) and Kenkeni (high) highlighted, in traditional ensembles sometimes at the middle of them a wrought iron bell is attached called Kenken addition, in more modern ensembles also on all three bass drums.

As djembes are also manufactured the Dunduns from a tree trunk, but have - unlike the Djembes - a continuously cylindrical cross-section, the on both sides of a slightly thicker, will finish by a special cord system stretched cowhide. Dunduns are therefore not usually played with the hands, but with sticks, traditionally of three musicians who hertragen the drums to suit the occasion, either before him or leave on wooden crosses in front of him. It is also possible that only rests the Dundun the largest of the three drums on a wooden cross while Sangban and Kenkeni means of small metal hook on both sides of the Dundun at the upper clamping ring ( see illustration above) to be hung.

Dundun Sangban and can thereby also be active as a soloist, with the latter often takes a lead function and for example - are signals for switching the dance figures - like the solo djembe.

In some dances, finally, the high Kenkeni and the mean Sangban the female and the deep Dundun symbolize the male dancers. Combined with different bass figures of Dunduns one and the same receive basic rhythms of the Djembe not uncommon even different names, according to which they will be played on various occasions.