How to Use Individual Fingers to Play the Djembe

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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The African djembe drum is one of the easiest percussion instruments to play. It's fun to play alone or with a group of friends in a drum circle. While generally played with the flat of the hand or the palm, you can experiment and make a totally new sound on the djembe by using the tips of your fingers. Read on to learn how to use individual fingers to play the djembe.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Drum with your fingers on the djembe just as if you were nervously drumming your fingers waiting for important news. It gives a pleasing rat-a-tat sound that adds some variety to your rhythms.
Step 2

Notice the different sounds you can produce by using the fingertip method on different areas of the drum. The edge of the drum will produce a different sound than the middle of the drum head.
Step 3

Experiment with a different combination of fingers. You can use three or four fingers to produce two slightly different rhythms.
Step 4

Keep your fingers drumming in contact with the drum head for a more muffled sound, or rebound your fingers off the drum head for a crisper tone.
Step 5

Try different speeds of the finger-drumming or a combination of finger-drumming with one hand and drumming with the palm of the other hand.

Tips & Warnings

Make sure you remove any jewelry from your hands before drumming with a djembe. Rings and other jewelry can scratch or tear the skin of the drum head. Consider keeping your fingernails short for the same reason.

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