DRUMMER CAFE

Hi,

I'm new to the forum, I thought I'd finally get to know some people with musical knowledge. I just got a Djembe for Christmas, it's key tuned and the head is goat skin. I've been playing the bongos for a few years now, but I'm really still a beginner and this is my first crack at a djembe. I'm not really sure how high it should be tuned as I've only played one a couple of times before, that's my first question. My big question though, is about the ring. It does have a ring to it that I'd like to minimize. I've heard of putting weatherstriping on the inside somewhere, but is that the best thing to do?

Di

Key tuned djembes seem to have more of a ring problem than the traditional rope tuned variety.  You can muffle the head.  I like to  put a small piece of cloth close to the edge taped on one end only, so it can bounce on  the head.

On a traditional djembe, you tune very tight, so tight the head "chokes", reducing the ring.  You could try this, but of course there is a risk of splitting the head, and it may not work on a key tuned drum.

Also, be sure your head is goat.  Some key tuned drums have Mylar heads that look a lot like natural head.  Muffling is the only way to kill the ring on a plastic head.

I don't know why key tuned djembes have more of a ring problem.  Perhaps the ropes putting pressure on the drum shell has something to do with it.  It's really too bad.  Key tuning would be a lot more convenient, but key tuned djembes just seem to ring some, especially those with plastic heads.

I have found that when you are playing alone that sometimes the ring can be a little annoying. But when you play with other instruments, guitars and stuff not other drums, that the ring just adds to the sound and projection, like Bart said. Moongel is great as it is easy to put on and off depending on the sound you want for the situation, it just picks up dirt. You can wash them though.