Whether you set up your djembe yourself, or have it done by a professional tech, a good set-up is crucial to achieving not only optimum playability but maximum tone too.

By "set-up," we usually mean a combination of things that all work toward keeping your djembe in good condition, somewhat like the full tune-up you occasionally give your car.

The X8 Drums full djembe set-up includes priming and conditioning your drum head by shaving and sanding to make sure it has a silky smooth playing surface. A smooth playing surface helps to ensure that your hands will not risk injury from excess goat hair and rough surfaces that could lead to cuts.

In addition your djembe will be tuned and tested for optimal tones based on the build of the shell, ring placement and skin quality.

As a top-off, your drum head will be conditioned using a light, natural oil. If needed, the drum shell will also get a fresh application of Teak Oil for a rich, and protected glossy finish.

All work performed on your djembe is done by experienced djembe techs that are also active, performing hand percussionists. We understand what tones can be produced by our X8 djembes and we'll make sure that your drum is ready to sing as soon as you pull it out of the box.

As you get to know your drum, most players will learn to tune and maintain its playability. Every new X8 Djembe comes with a Djembe Care and Maintenance Guide that will help you learn how to rope tune and provide you with tips on keeping your drum in excellent condition for years to come.

Note: Drum pitch and tones can be very subjective. We will tune your djembe to a level that we personally feel is outstanding. You may need to make adjustments based on your particular taste. This typically only applies to advanced players looking for a very specific tone.

X8 Professional Djembes Qualify for a Free Djembe Set-up:
Ruby Pro Djembe, 13-14"
Ruby Pro Djembe, 10-11"
Stallion Pro Djembe, 13-14"
Stallion Pro Djembe, 10-11"
Matahari Pro Djembe, 13-14"
Matahari Pro Djembe, 10-11"
Waring Ridge Pro Djembe, 13-14"
Waring Ridge Pro Djembe, 10-11"

X8 Drums unveils a new multi-media online shopping experience for percussionists. X8djembe.com offers high definition video and audio samples of every djembe drum in stock, plus free djembe instruction videos, audio rhythm samples and a top-quality djembe repair service center.

Jersey City, NJ (PRWEB) November 28, 2007 -- Hand drum specialty store X8 Drums announced today their new multi-media e-commerce website: X8Djembe.com. The new site showcases their full line of hand carved African djembe drums and djembe accessories in a cutting edge multi-media format that's drawing rave reviews from djembe buyers and players. The first in the industry to incorporate full video and audio, X8djembe.com offers high definition video and audio samples of every djembe drum in stock. "Creating a personalized buying experience was at the center of developing x8djembe.com," noted musician and shop owner Mark Stancato. "We want every online visitor to experience how amazing these drums sound as well as look. Performed by New York City percussionist, Raphael Torn, the X8 line of custom djembe drums are already becoming widely know for their superior sound quality and aesth etic beauty.

Customers are not only benefiting from being able to watch and listen to each djembe being played; they are able to watch the djembe performer for proper playing technique and, through the videos, have been able to better acquaint themselves with finding the right size djembe. "Since we launched the site we've been receiving e-mails every day from people thanking us for providing them with high quality video and audio samples on all our djembe drums", added Stancato. "Having the ability to watch and listen to the djembes before buying has truly helped our customers make a better buying decision."

In addition to offering the entire line of X8 custom djembe drums and accessories on their multi-media website: X8djembe.com, X8 Drums also offers a free rope-tuning video session, drum-circle video and audio rhythm samples, educational articles on all things djembe, a djembe blog, and a top-quality djembe repair service center.

At X8 Drums we take great pride in the fact that our entire line of X8 djembe drums are produced using legal wood that is environmentally sustainable. Unfortunately we're in the minority as there are many more companies importing wood that is illegally harvested. A big incentive is cost. It's much cheaper to go into the world's forests and rip down trees illegally. It's actually about three times more expensive to secure wood that is legally harvested than wood that is taken illegally. To make matters worse there are no laws in this country that prevent importers from bringing in illegal wood. And many consumers are not educated on knowing the difference and demanding legal wood.

There are essentially two ways to help combat this worldwide epidemic. One is through education. We're trying to do our part by educating djembe buyers on the differences between legal and illegal timber through articles and blogs on the topic and making references to our sustainable djembe drums all throughout the product pages. The other and quicker way to help combat illegal logging is through Governmental policy. Setting laws in place that prevent companies from importing wood that is harvested illegally will swiftly help curb this major epidemic. We're definitely fans of policy that will help end deforestation through illegal logging.

You can image my surprise when today I received an e-mail from the Petition site discussing this very subject. Not only that but there's currently a bill on the Senate floor that will put an end to illegal logging. The Combat Illegal Logging Act of 2007 (S.1930), legislation would make it a crime in America to knowingly import, sell, buy or transport illegally sourced wood and wood products. Illegal logging makes life more difficult for millions who depend upon forests for meeting their most basic needs. Environmental degradation including soil erosion, desertification, and reduced agricultural productivity, and the ongoing struggle for resources all contribute to an unsound policy of allowing illegal wood to be brought into this country.

Please help fight illegal logging by sending a message to your Senators today to support the Combat Illegal Logging Act of 2007 (S.1930)!

When shopping for wooden based products it's important, as a consumer, to know the source of the wood so you can make a more educated decision. By only purchasing wooden products that can prove a Government certification process and are made using legally certified sustainable timber can we together help protect our world's forests, assist in preserving and maintaining a well-balanced eco-system and help support local economies. Get the facts before buying and ask questions. It's your buying decision that helps shape the world in which we live!!

Link to the petition form: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/536283881

Thanks,

-mark (signature #1787)

When shopping for a djembe drum please understand that these musical instruments are hand made and will at times show natural imperfections.

Here's a brief note on what not to worry about:

Most African djembe drums are hand carved in Indonesia or other parts in Asia from a single piece of wood (ex: mahogany). As such, many djembe drums are not going to be perfectly symmetrical or evenly built. It's just a natural part of the process. After all djembes are made with hand tools from skilled craftsman. In some cases the djembe drum will even be lopsided as it rests on the floor.

It's important to understand the fundamentals of playing the djembe when you're first beginning. In fact even if you've been playing for years, it never hurts to go back to reviewing the basics. Too many times players have jumped into playing their instrument without properly understanding correct body positioning and playing technique. And when it comes to playing hand drums this can surely lead to sore hands and painful joints.

Playing Positions

I would venture to say that the sitting position is probably the most common position when playing the djembe. For more on selecting the right size drum click here. Sit on the front edge of a chair and place the djembe drum between your legs gripping each side with your knees. Tilt the djembe away from you so that the base of the drum is open. This is important as the bottom hole must be exposed in order to obtain a proper sound when playing. Some players will choose to hold the base of the drum with their feet for overall instrument control. Please remember not to lift the drum completely off the floor. If the drum is lifted off the floor when striking the head, it could slip and the base could hit the floor causing damage to your djembe.



It's vital that you keep correct posture when playing. Remember to keep your back straight so as to keep from slouching. Correct posture will ensure a longer playing time without the aches and pains associated with improper playing technique.

Basic Playing Strokes

The bass stroke is played with a hand at the center of the drum. The right hand bass note is called 'GUN', and the left is called 'DUN'. Essentially your goal is to bounce your whole hand off the skin without too much slapping sound. When struck correctly the tone will resonate out from the bottom of your drum. Take note that you don't have to hit the skin very hard. Your entire hand should be inside the rim of the drum, and should have a degree of firmness to it - not so firm that your hand is rigid, however not to loose either. Practice a few times so you can figure out what works for you. Remember, only one hand should be on the skin at a time.

Next is what's called as "edge tones". Edge tones are played at the edge of the drum where your hands are lined up at the rim of the djembe closest towards your body. Move your hands towards you until your knuckles have just come off the drum. The remaining pads of your fingers should be held over the drumhead. Striking the drumhead at the edge with the pads of your fingers will produce a type of ringing tone. The right hand stroke is called 'GO', and the left hand stroke is called 'DO'. You can play these tones by making your finger pads hit the skin very evenly or by striking the skin on more of an angle.

Lastly, there are the "slap tones". The slap tones have characteristics of both the bass and edge tones. The slap tones produce more of a 'crack' and bright sound, however they also have a little bass resonance. The slap tones are played near the edge of the drum, with your knuckle line over the rim of the djembe falling onto the playing surface. Relax your hand so that there is a little pocket of space between the drumhead and your hand. From here your fingertips should almost reach the middle of the drum and your palms should fall over the rim of the djembe. Your hand should bounce off the drumhead so that the fingertip pads flick quite sharply on and off the surface with a slap. The pocket of space under the palm gives the tone a hollow sound, and the flicking action produces a sharp sounding tone. As with the bass tones the reach of the fingertips towards the center of the djembe provide the lower tones. The right hand stroke is called 'PA', and the left hand stroke is called 'TA'.

Learning to play the djembe takes time, dedication, and a personal commitment of continuing at it until you get it right. Just like learning to play any other instrument practice is the main ingredient and perseverance is at the heart of improving your skills. But above all else remember to have fun and enjoy the process. After all, you're making music - what a treat!

Use the djembe rhythm audio tracks below to practice your hand drumming skills before your next performance. All rhythm samples are free, courtesy of X8 Drums. Each track is performed by pro djembe player and instructor, Raphael Torn.

TRACK 1: Sounds from a Drum Circle.
Play along and find your own rhythm to add to this session or mimic one of the patterns in the circle. Either way, you'll have new grooves to play at your next performance.

The instruments included in this drum circle track are:
1. 13" Pro Djembe, Waring Ridge (foundation rhythm)	2. 10" Ruby Pro Djembe & 10" Matahari Pro Djembe (played together, one with left hand and one with right)
3. Cowbell / 4. Shakere	5. 13" Pro Djembe, Ruby (lead line)

TRACK 2: Sounds from drum circle without the Lead Line
After listening to Track 1, create your own lead line by playing along with the same groove, minus the recorded lead line.



TRACK 3: Djembe Solo
Join this track to create rhythm patterns to support a drum solo. The drum in this track is a Ruby Pro 13" Djembe.



More coming VERY soon! Bookmark this page.

We are currently in production of a series of djembe instructional videos that will be a favorite resource for all hand percussionists.

The series is set to include a rope tuning demonstration, how to replace a djembe head, djembe rhythm samples, djembe playing techniques and our special X8 drum circle (you'll have to wait for the scoop on that!).

Bookmark this page now. We'll be posting the full list of videos here the week of October 29th.

While you're waiting, let us know if there are any specific djembe videos you'd like to see as part of the djembe video instruction guide. The segment topics above are based on customer requests, so we're definitely listening!

Some entertainment while you wait...