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Tuesday, 27 March 2012

Guide to African Percussion and Drums

By Ruth Williams


Currently many drums and musical instruments come from Africa. It has been the tradition that African instruments, including percussion instruments and drums are part of the communication system along with celebrations. Several types of drums and percussion instruments remain prevalent in Africa, with a few styles more common than others. There are many drum styles available, plus unique drum decorations, so you can customize your instrument.

The Djembe Drums

Traditionally djembe drums are carved from one hollowed block of wood. The basic shape of the drum is similar to an hourglass, and it has a head that is often made of goat skin. Djembe drums are traditionally tuned by braiding a rope around the shell of the drum, though modern styles use synthetic materials. This drum has a lot of versatility, with many sounds coming from a drum with one single head.

Dundun Drums Explained

In terms of their configuration, dundun drums resemble a hollowed-out cylindrical shape. They use double heads and are tuned via rope. The drum's tonal qualities are governed by the thickness, length, and diameter of the walls of the drum. The material used to make the heads and the density also influence the drum's voice. Bare hands or a stick can be used to play dunduns. Quite often, a bell is attached to the side of the drum. Traditionally, it is played sideways; one hand plays the head while the other hand plays the bell.

An Overview of Kpanlogo Drums

Kpanlogo drums, whose origins trace to Ghana, are outwardly distinct in appearance from different African drums. The body of the drum is like that of contemporary conga drums, but it also has pegs to secure the ropes. Rope lining the instrument from its top to its pegs makes this drum distinctive in appearance. In its dimensions and tone, variations in the drum are possible; bigger drums yield lower tones. One individual in a group can play up to four separate kpanlogo drums at the same time.

An Overview of Hand Percussion Instruments

There is quite a bit of variation when it comes to smaller percussion or drum instruments played by hand. Agogo bells, wood blocks, shakers of various styles, cabassas and even maracas all originated from Africa. These unique instruments add flavor and a variety of voices when played in a group, taking any ensemble to the next level. Hand percussion is also very useful for including others in playing music. Children, seniors and those with disabilities can all use this auxiliary percussion to join in with drum circles, performances and celebrations.




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