Djembe

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Djembe (pronounced "JEM-bay") is the French spelling of a Maninka word and is also known as djimbe, jembe, jenbe, yembe or sanbanyi. During the French colonization of western Africa, many native words were recorded using the French spellings. Interestingly, the term Djembe was not popularly used in France. There, the African Drum is known as the Tom-Tom.

Some consider the djembe female and the ashiko to be male. The djembe is actually much more closely related in tone and design to the family of drums known as sabar, which are played with one hand and one stick. To play the Djembe sit on the edge of a chair. Cross your ankles and tuck them slightly under you. Hold the Djembe between your knees or thighs so that the bottom of the drum rests behind your heels.

As a result of the goblet shape, the density of the wood, the internal carvings, and the skin, djembe players will find a wide range of sounds can be produced from this instrument. The rounded shape with the extended tube of the djembe body forms a resonate cavity giving the instrument a the deep bass note. The primary tones are generally referred to as "bass", "tone", and "slap".