How Do You Make a Djembe Drum?

The Djembe drum originated in Africa, where it is still used today. Originally, it was produced and used by a class of blacksmiths known as Numu. For some 2,000 years, they migrated around the continent, so the djembe is now found all over Africa. A true handmade djembe is believed to contain three spirits inside it. One belongs to the maker, one to the tree from which the drum is made, and the third to the animal whose skin forms the drum head. Also called a "jembe," these drums are now produced commercially and can be purchased at just about any music store. However, the original drums were crafted by hand, and you can make one of your own if you have a little time and effort to put into it.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wooden drum shell Goatskin drum head White glue Small brad nails Small hammer Metal ring in the dimension of the lower edge of the drum shell Rawhide lacing or cording

How Do You Make a Djembe Drum?

1. Soak the drum head. The goatskin drum head is like rawhide and has to be softened before it will be pliable enough to stretch over the shell of the drum. Place it flat in a tub of warm water for two hours, or until it is soft.

2. Put a thin line of glue along the top of the drum shell. Place the wet goatskin head on top of the glue and press it firmly in place, stretching it as you do so. Put glue on the outside of the shell, going down far enough that the goatskin will be anchored in place along the sides.

3. Attach the goatskin drum head to the top of the drum shell. Do this by stretching it tightly across the opening. Secure it in place using the hammer and small brad nails, tapping them into place. As you tap each nail into the drum, pull the goatskin head taut. As the goatskin dries, it will tighten, but you should leave the brad nails where they are. You may need to tap them in a little bit more so they are flush with the goatskin after it is dry.

4. Punch holes around the edge of the goatskin while it is still wet. Make the holes about an inch or two from the edge. Place the metal ring inside the bottom of the drum shell, and tape it down to hold it in place.

5. Attach the lacing. This will keep the drum head tightly in place. Run the cording or rawhide lacing through a hole in the drumhead, down to the bottom of the drum, and inside the metal ring. Then bring it around the metal ring, back up to the drum head, and through the next hole. Repeat until every hole has a piece of lacing going through it.

6. Tie a knot in the end. When you get to the end, tie a knot so that your lacing doesn't come undone. You will need to be able to untie this at some point, to adjust the tone of the drum or to replace the drum head if something happens to it, so make sure you make a knot that you can loosen again later. Sit down, relax, and play your drum.

Tips & Warnings

• To find a good drum shell and goatskin drum head, check with your local music store. If they don't have any in stock, they can typically order them for you. If you wear rings, remove them before playing your djembe. Jewelry can damage the goatskin when you strike the head of the drum with your hand.

[butcherman1970]

on 10/6/2009 not good instructions... makes no mention of the top rings which are crucial to getting proper tension on the head. all in all... two thumbs down for this article.

[butcherman1970]

on 10/6/2009 glueing your head is not appropriate for djembes... you will want the head to ride freely over the lip as you tune,and you will have to tune (tighten or loosen) the head depending upon temp, altitude and humidity. glueing the head to the body prevents you from doing this...
what you should do instead is wax the lip with beeswax or parafin so that it will not chatter or catch when you tune it.