Most common Djembe tuning technique, shown here, going to the left side
IF YOU CAN BARELY SEE THE SKIN GOING DOWN WHILE GENTLY PRESSING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HEAD WITH 3 FINGERS, IT'S DEFINITELY TIME TO STOP!
WATCH THE SKIN - DO NOT EXCEED THE SKIN MAXIMUM RESISTANCE!
GETTING A HIGH SLAP IS ALSO A QUESTION OF STRIKING TECHNIQUE!
You can also tune down your Djembe
.. to get a lower deeper sound, by simply doing the reverse process.
THE SAME TUNING TECHNIQUE CAN BE APPLIED TO THE DOUNDOUMBA SET
Djembe tuning is a simple thing to do with a professional well mounted quality authentic Djembe.
North American Djembe-like hand drum manufacturers, often use Djembe tuning as one of the marketing tools to have novice players stay away from authentic Djembes.
The only thing you may need to do on a quality authentic Djembe, is the easy final tuning steps explained below.
Verticals tightening are only done once (If authentic quality Djembe), and should be done by the craftsmen/seller, since it is part of the Djembe original mounting steps.
Authentic Djembe drum care:
A Djembe is to be played with hands only. Beware of sharp objects like watches, rings, or bracelets that would damage the Djembe skin while playing.
Djembes do not like extreme temperature change. Please do not leave your Djembe in the trunk of your car overnight.
You absolutely need a Djembe bag when going outdoors. If you don’t have one, use an old blanket that you can wrap around the head to minimize the temperature change on the Djembe head. A Djembe bag also prevents the Djembe head from being damaged by banging the head on edges of door frames..etc.. Regardless of the quality of the Djembe bag you have, it is a good idea to cut a round piece of thick cardboard and place it between the Djembe head and the bag cover.
Please remember that your Djembe doesn’t like the rain. If you play outdoors and your Djembe head gets wet, the sound of that head will be permanently modified.
If you know you will not be drumming for months, do not leave your Djembe fully pulled. Furthermore, playing regularly is an integral part of taking care of your Djembe head, as the natural oil on the palm of your hands will help to keep the Djembe skin pliable. So play as often as you can! And do not put anything on your Djembe head (no weight / no lotion / nothing...).
When frequently drumming, it is recommended to use pure Shea butter (Eucarite) on the palm of your hands to protect them. Make sure you don’t put it on right before playing, as the Djembe skin will absorb it while playing, and become too greasy over time, permanently modifying the sharpness of the notes you play.
No care is required on the wood of an Authentic Djembe.
The Djembe head is like the strings of a guitar. Eventually, it will break and will have to be changed. This is a normal thing for any Djembe, similar to any other professional instrument. How long will you play before it happen depends on how well you will take care of your instrument (see advice explained above in this text).
How often you play your Djembe is the other factor that will affect how long the head will last.
99% porblems with authentic Djembe heads are due to misuse.
The most common mistake is to over pull the Djembe head to compensate for a lack of hand playing technique.
If you play your authentic Djembe once a week for a few hours, and follow the care tips included in this article, you could expect to enjoy your Djembe head for many years..
On the other hand, if you are a professional musician playing a couple of hours a day every other day, you might have to change the head after 18 months to 2 years.
...And don’t worry. If anything happens to your Djembe head, you can always have it re-skinned, and have a brand new Djembe!
Time to have fun!
