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DJEMBE-L FAQ
Djembe-Odd Overtones

Reutlingen/GermanyAccra/Ghana

Hi, for the meantime warmhearted greetings straigt from Germany. Just let me introduce myself just a little.

I am Frank, from -.DAFIRI.DRUMS.- Accra/Ghana. We are producing traditionally West African Drums for the export. There are for instance Kpanlogo, Oprente, Bougarabou, Afro-Conga in our sales-program. Of course we are also doing in Djembe-drums, too, as well.    

Here we are in expericenes with the European market, too. There is a phenomenon, that sometimes the typically "dry" Djembe sound-characteristic will not come very clearly . Overtones are growing, clinking, disturbing too much.

Can you imagine, to where I am pointing to? - On the open tones, while beating, there are these overtones arising, zooming on a unpleasant high pitch.

These overtones are making the open stroke somehow becoming blurred*. We all are just chaseing for a short dry rich tone. That's what most of the clientel likes. 

In Africa, there we usually  have about 80 or more percent humidity, and in Europe or the States even less, let me say about 60-70 per-cent humidity. Skins are very hyroscopically, and so as less humidity as  less water-share in the skins. Finally, skins will have less substance.

While using giraffe-goatskins (goats with long legs and necks) for Djembes, generally we are using female skins. Certainlys some are thinner - some thicker. So lets talk about the medium-thickness in the average. OK. - While using medium-quality 0.5mm (measured at the neck cross to the backbone) this unpleasant sound will come, sometimes more or less. - We know about that it will be also depending on the characteristic of each skin, anyway. Some skins are harder some are softer. A hard skin is not stretching so much, and the unpleasant overtones will come much earlier, very pushy and aggessive. As higher the meassure of pressure on the skin will be while the attunings, as viciously the soundcharacteristic will be. It's somehow like a ridge-hike, I hope you are understanding. Certainly as higher the messure of pressere - overtones are reducing, but the color of the tone will also turning on a higher pitch.

Any skin, of course will get its own sound-characteristic, and not every shell is cut out off the same wooden log. That's makes the differences, too, as well.

We in Ghana, we are using Cheneboa, the typycally type of wood, over there, and when the shells will be in a good proportion, including the right neck-diameter, a Ghanaian Djembe will be completely alright. - I just guess, that this phenomenon is hanging more on the nature of the skins. That's what I am supposing.

Well, you know that a lot of Djembe-nuts and drummers are searching just for the perfect sound. Even totally newcomers and beginners, when they have got the chance to say anything about the tone they like. - By 100%, they all will prefer a short dry and rich tone. - It's just the very same, we all like, isn't it?

But there is still the good question, in how to eliminate such a unpleasant intrusive sound, when there will be the need. Goatskins are not all the same,  equally. 

For example, may be there could be just a simple 'overtone-absorber' attached from the left side of the skin. Even a short part of simple strong adhesive tape attached from the down will do something good, but won't be  much professionally. 

The Indian and Pakistani, they are using on the top of their drums a black rubber-cement to prevent those unpleasant tones. -

Have you seen or heard anything else, what some Djembe-nuts ar doing?

We have been studying Ben Sibsons Djembe Research from the University of Tasmania, too, yet unfortunately, his thesis did not say much about.   

In any case I think, that communication, sharing ideas and experiences will be always the key for a much better understanding world-wide. 

So if you like I would be very pleased about any comment of you.  

Thank you very much

yours .frank.    dafiridrums.fs@t-online.de

How are you acting in such a case in the States? - What have been your experiences? May we ask you, if you please?

I will go back to Ghana mid of July 99. So it would be very nice, if you could make it possible, contacting me here in Germany, by e-m@ail. - Thank you very much! -   For the meanwhile  all the best