Djembe

A djembe (also djimbe, jembe, jenbe, yembe, sanbanyi in Susu; pronounced "JEM-bay") is a skin covered drum shaped like a large goblet and meant to be played with bare hands. It is a member of the membranophone family of musical instruments. The djembe originated in West Africa, where it became an integral part of the area's music and tradition.

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As a result of the goblet shape, the density of the wood, the internal carvings, and the skin, there is a wide range of tones that can be produced by the djembe. Striking the skin near the center produces a bass note; striking the skin near the rim can produce either a tone or slap note, depending on the technique used. The slap has a higher pitch than the tone. Other notes exist, but only advanced drummers can consistently create sound distinct from the others.

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Traditionally, djembes are about 12"(30cm) in diameter, varying an inch or two, but can be found in sizes from 5"(12.7cm) up to 18"(45.72cm) depending on the size of the player. Smaller djembes can be seen in the pictures on the right.

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Drum: For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation)....

Membranophone: A membranophone is any musical instrument which produces sound primarily by way of a vibrating stretched membrane. It is one of the four main divisions of instruments in the original Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, the other three being idiophone, chordophone and aerop...

West Africa: West Africa is the region of western Africa that is generally considered to include the countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, C?te d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. In addition, the region is sometimes consider...