African Drum and Percussion Guide

A lot of percussion instruments and drums have their roots in Africa. It has been the tradition that African instruments, including percussion instruments and drums are part of the communication system along with celebrations. Many kinds of percussion instruments, including drums, are widely used in Africa, some styles being more common among the people than others. In addition to the array of styles, a variety of decorations are available for instrument personalization.

Djembe Drums

Djembe drums are traditionally carved from a single hollowed piece of wood. The basic shape of the drum is similar to an hourglass, and it has a head that is often made of goat skin. Traditional djembe drums are tuned using a rope braided around the drum shell, while more contemporary styles are made from synthetic materials. This drum has a lot of versatility, with many sounds coming from a drum with one single head.

Dundun Drums Explained

The shape of the dundun drums is that of a hollowed out cylinder. They are rope tuned and use two heads. The drum’s tonal qualities are governed by the thickness, length, and diameter of the walls of the drum. The material and thickness of the heads also have an impact on the voice of this drum. Dunduns are played with either a stick or bare hands. Quite often, a bell is attached to the side of the drum. This drum is traditionally played sideways with one hand playing the head and the other playing the bell.

The Kpanlogo Drum

Tracing back to Ghana in Africa, kpanlogo drums are distinguished in appearance from the rest of the drums originating on the continent. The body of the drum is like that of contemporary conga drums, but it also has pegs to secure the ropes. The look of the drum is unique thanks to its ropes that line the drum from the head to the pegs. The drum size can vary, as does the tone; the larger the drum, the lower the tone it produces. In groups, a single player can play as many as three or four kpanlogo drums at a single time.

Hand Drums

Small hand percussion instruments have a great deal of variability. Agogo bells, wood blocks, shakers of various styles, cabassas and even maracas all originated from Africa. The unique flavors of these instruments add colorful voices and allow ensembles to reach new, unexpected horizons. Hand percussion is also very useful for including others in playing music. Children, seniors and those with disabilities can all use this auxiliary percussion to join in with drum circles, performances and celebrations.