Djembe drum, 'Gye Nyame and Nyame Biribi Wo Sor' Musical Instruments View by Region West Africa 
Religious energy flourishes with subtle elegance
on this djembe drum by Ernestina Oppong. Gye nyame, a
symbol meaning "I am afraid of none but God," rotates
like a sleek scythe, while the Nyame biribi wo sor
design suggests that good things come from above. Djembes originated
in the country of Benin, but the instrument has since
been incorporated into the music of neighboring lands. Oppong combines
a passion for carving with music, resulting in traditional instruments
with contemporary flair. Tweneboa, a kind of hardwood, provides the
body for the drum; its golden tone highlighting the engaging
designs. Oppong applies shoe and mansion polish to enhance the
wood's smooth, radiant appearance. Iron rod rings are attached to
the mouth of the drum and wrapped with cotton to
prevent rusting. Through these rings nylon ropes are double-woven, securely
fastening the goatskin to the wood. To play, sit
on the edge of a chair with ankles crossed, the
top of the drum fitting neatly between the knees as
the base of the drum rests behind the heels. This
way the drum is angled away from the player. Sitting
up straight with hands resting on the drum's playing surface,
the wrists should become flat and this is the position
to create the standard djembe sounds. Djembes produce three basic
sounds: bass, tone, and slap. BASS: With the hand
flat and fingers together, place the hand at the dimension
of two fists above the center of the playing surface.
Allow the hand to strike and bounce back to the
original position above the center. TONE: This is the
high-pitched sound produced by striking the top surface nearest the
edge with firmly placed fingers. SLAP: Strike the playing
surface's edge first with the heel of the hand, and
then allow the fingers to naturally bounce down towards the
drum's center.
Price: $219.95 |
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