Remo djembe
A few years ago Remo, the drum makers started producing, what they call a djembe.
So what's the deal with Remo djembe's?
Those you like them are as passionate about them as those who don't.
The shell is made of fibreglass and it has a synthetic skin which is attached by adjustable lugs, like those found on a conga.
They have become quite popular among people at drum circles for one reason or another. I would like to talk about the pros and cons from where I'm standing.
The pros of Remo djembe
They're light weight and hence more portable.
The are waterproof, due to their synthetic skin.
Their sound is more consistent because it isn't affected by moisture and temperature.
They are easily tuned with a little spanner.
They are beer proof, which as we'll see below is a good thing.
The cons of Remo djembes
The sound. They ring and their voice doesn't have the warmth or depth of a traditional skin.
They're not really a djembe.
It uses the name djembe without any acknowledgement to the traditions or it's origins.
Remo give very little acknowlegement to the history and culture behind this music.
By buying a real djembe as least some of the money goes to the people from whom the music originates and let's face it, they probably need the money more.
The steel lugs penetrate to the inside of the drum and this makes it difficult to use to sneak beer into a festival as they have a tendancy to pierce the beer cans.
Bad reasons to buy a remo djembe
Easy tuning - a traditional djembe is easy to tune once you know how.
Sound consitency - a traditional djembe's sound is more consistant than some would have you believe.
They're beer proof.
There is no getting away from the fact that the Remo djembe is here to stay (here being outside Africa of course).
It is definitely not traditional djembe lover's choice but does have it's merits. Viewed outside of a traditional Mande music setup they seem to have a place.
If you're thinking about buying a Remo, amazon have the best prices I've found on the internet.