little advice for tuning...

[eamon]

hello... im a beginner at djembe, and recently bought a fiberglass djembe, im finding it difficult to tune, as when i tighten up one side and then the opposite side, i find its nearly always off key,
i did take the skin off, to have a look at how it was made, im worried i have not replaced it correctly... is there an easy way of tuning up these fiberglass djembes, or am i just tone deaf........
any help really appreciated....
cheers
eamon

[James]

Hi Eamon,

Welcome to the site:

What do you mean by its out of tune? Is it ringing?

What make of drum is it? How mqny nuts does it have?

Is it possible to take it back to the shop?

So many questions

[eamon]

thanks for the reply...
yeah its ringing more than getting good slap and tone... its a pearl fiberglass djembe, just seems impossible to tune, i think since i removed the skin it hasnt sounded the same. its got four tuning heads, which you would think would be easy enough to tune but when i tune up from completely loose it never sounds fully tuned, maybe the skin is warped??

probably best to get a new skin but they cost nearly 70euro...
i have it over a year so not much point bringing it back to the shop,

if a skin gets a small bit wet can this effect tuning?

cheers
eamon

[James]

Hi Eamon.

Is is a synthetic skin? If so it should be ok with water. If it's goat it won't like getting wet but should cause it to ring.

Djembe's ring sometimes and I've never seen a satisfactorary explaination why. I suspect most explainations will be void with your drum anyway because some people would say it's not actually a djembe (very contrversial )

Make sure you're tightening the rungs equally.

Try this to get it to stop ringing:

Put tape on the inside of the drum about 20cm long about 2 inches from the end of the drum you don't play.

some people put tape on the outside rim of a drum but I don't know if that'll be possible with yours and i don't think it works as well anyway. Hi Eamon.

Is is a synthetic skin? If so it should be ok with water. If it's goat it won't like getting wet but should cause it to ring.

Djembe's ring sometimes and I've never seen a satisfactorary explaination why. I suspect most explainations will be void with your drum anyway because some people would say it's not actually a djembe (very contrversial )

Make sure you're tightening the rungs equally.

Try this to get it to stop ringing:

Put tape on the inside of the drum about 20cm long about 2 inches from the end of the drum you don't play.

some people put tape on the outside rim of a drum but I don't know if that'll be possible with yours and i don't think it works as well anyway.

[eamon]

hey thanks for that, will try it with the tape,

why do people think its not a djembe? i mean when it is in tune it gives off some off the best bass and slap, probably to do more with tradition than sound...??? i havnt been fortunate enough to get a good wooden djembe yet, but practicing on this one for now does me fine... would love to get a good wooden djembe, but before i invest the money in it, have to improve my playing first...
do the drum circles still take place near christ church on saturdays??
take it easy
eamon

[James]

Hey Eamon,

The drum cirlces should be happening as far as I know. I dont get down there much these days as I'm living in Navan.

Check the website at http://www.dublin.ie/drumcircle

People would argue it's a djembe shaped drum, but not a djembe. I don't know the arguments beyond that a person from the tradition from which the drum it comes would never play a synthetic one.

The sounds just aren't the same from what I can make out. I've never played a synth one though.

The same way a darbuka or conga has a base, tone and slap but itsn't a djembe I guess.

I don't feel too passionately on the subject myself beyond single mindedly loving the traiditonal sound.

There's few parades I've been in where I've wished for a synthetic head, that's for sure

If you decide you are looking for a "proper" djembe get in touch. I am going to the airport today to pick up some amazing lenke djembes from Guinea.

[eamon]

yeah... how much would one cost roughly?

[James]

Hey Eamon. PM on it's way.

[Andy_Nanu]

Yeah I think the Drum circle is probably starting up again with this lovely weather thats going on.
I havent been in ages too but once I finish college, I'll probably start going again.
Yeah James, must get alook at those djembes, see if theres a wee gem that grabs my fancy.