Alright, i'm ready to get into some percussion. I realize you may have had a subject like this before, but I have some more specific questions.

My first question is simple: Should I keep with name brand company products (Like LP) when I go to buy some percussion instruments, or is it better to branch out into smaller brands?

Another question I have is, which do you guys think is the best percussion instrument to start out with? Or in other words, what will I be using the most? I would guess instruments like bongos, congas, djembes, ones like that, but let me know if I'm wrong.

Please bare in mind, i'm not looking for beginner percussion products that I'll have to get rid of as I get better. I'm out to get some good quality percussion stuff that will last a long while.

I would appreciate any recommendations for what brands you like the best and why, what instrument you think I should go for first, and where to look to get it for the best price.

Thanks in advance!

yeah, acro's right.  i dont any latin percussion because its not a part of what i do (though i will be getting congas before long just for fun) but i own more arabic percussion than a lot of folks.  

as for brands, LP, Toca, and Remo all make fine stuff (and ive heard good things about Meinl and Pearl as well).  but there will always be specialists that can do "better".   in latin stuff the old Gon Bops and current Sol are some of the nicest ive ever heard.  

this also brings up the notion of traditional vs modern stuff.  like rope and goat djembe's vs bolt and synthetic.   in my opinion though thats all a matter of taste and use.  for me, bolt and synthetic makes more sense and i like the sound just fine.  for others its a hanging offense

I have had some experience within the last couple of years turning experienced drumset players over to hand drums and other auxiliary percussion.  When we've played around together, I make sure to have them try out:  bongos, djembe and congas.  In ALL cases, the drummers have favored the djembe.  It also makes logical sense if you consider that a drumset player is coming from a "beat" oriented mind frame which usually consists of a kick/snare/hat base.  When they play djembe, they discover they can quickly adapt to playing beats since a djembe has such a predominant low end sound and high end sound that are fairly easy to achieve which simulates a kick/snare concept they can relate to from their drumset experience.  So, it's no wonder why in my experience, most drumset players gravitate toward the djembe.  

In general, I believe that when a player is ready conceptually for a more color-based approach, then they may be ready to tackle congas and bongos.  

In ALL cases, just like with drumset or any other instrument, I'd recommend you/the player get with a good instructor to at least learn the basic and proper technique.  

There are other hand drums on the market as well, some of which you can also adapt to a kit and even play with sticks (i.e. Remo tombek, etc.).  But since we seem to be talking more specifically about hand drumming, I'll stick to that.  

Anyway, as far as brands, etc., well, it's time to go shopping!  Just like with drumset or any other instrument, you generally choose the one that sounds the best.  What are some of your criteria and constraints (budget, size, playing situation/style of music, etc.)?  Like 563 mentioned, all the major percussion brands make excellent stuff so it just comes down to personal preference.  

No problem!  I think going with a djembe is an excellent choice for a first hand drum!  The versatility of a djembe will more than satisfy all the playing situations you listed.

You're correct on the size issue.  But again, best thing to do would be to go around and play a few and compare the sounds.  Per your many possible applications, I might recommend a 14" or a 16" but possibly no bigger than a 16" since portability will probably be an issue considering you'd like to use it in many different situations.  You can start with those two sizes and listen to the tone differences between the two.  

On brand, it depends.  From the major brands, I personally have a lot of experience with Remo and LP.  The Remo are workhorses and they also come standard with a rope handle and strap, which have been lifesavers in my experience.  That way, you've got playing situations covered where you're sitting or standing and you'll have an easy way to carry it as well.  In addition, you may want to consider a djembe stand.  Gibraltar makes affordable and nice stands.  That way, you've got another way to play the drum that might work well for playing in church, in a drumset setup or in an auxiliary percussion setup.  In addition, the Remo and LP djembes are tunable with a standard drumkey or similar tool which is another advantage for the player looking to use one drum in multiple situations because you will no doubt want to consider your tuning based on the playing situation.  

For prices, google away!  

Thanks a lot for the suggestion on the Remo djembes Mr. A. I was just comparing both LP and Remo's djembes, and I must say that I think Remo makes the djembe that's right for me. And like you said, they look awesome! I'm going to be going up to some music shops and check out their prices on their djembes, I'll let you guys know.

Well, hang on a second here.  

To clarify, I didn't say I personally PREFER 'synthetic' djembes, I simply recommended them to Relient.  Why?  For all the reasons I mentioned in the above post, mainly versatility.

I absolutely agree that one should check out the hand carved drums.  I actually own two!  But, based on my personal experience and Relient's needs, I would still recommend the 'synthetic' ones.

Besides, I don't feel your analogy/comparison using the drum kit brands was valid or accurate.  First, how would a DW or Sonor kit be a better buy than a "good sounding Mapex"?  Secondly, comparing drumsets to djembes is an apples and oranges scenario.  Thrid, in my opinion, some of the 'synthetic' djembes are far superior in certain areas than the hand carved.  Some most certainly cost more.  Does that mean they are 'better'?  Of course not.

I am glad you brought them up because I forgot to mention them in my post as another option.  They most definitely are that.  

Bottom line, just like any other time:  choose the one that sounds best to YOU and fits YOUR needs the best.      

highly recommend the 'earth' finish.  simple, natural, goes with anything

Definitely what I was thinking, good reasoning for it too.

I know what you mean. I think on a few of them, they go a little or a lot over the top trying to make them look "realistic". But in the process, it makes it look like one of the children's percussion ones.

How is "djembe" pronounced?  (Remember, I'm in Texas... )

--David

I've always heard and said it as "jem-bay", and I always thought that was right.

The djembe will be easy to quickly set down the sticks and play in a mounted position right with your kit.

But, if you're looking for something cool sounding, light, and perhaps an alternative that provides a nice solo opportunity when things settle and get mellow.. - how about an UDU?

I just played one at performance at John's Barn in MD and people loved it! Just used the basic hand technique from conga and Djembe and it was incredibly easy! The change in tonal qualities of the instrument is fascinating when it's mic'd up well.

Dave

Yeah, that's a good point,, you'd probably want to have hand drumming fundamentals first..

Dave