| |
 Drums have played the 'mother beat' since celebrations originated. So beautifully different in different cultures, the drums have names as lovely as the places they come from: conga, tom-tom, ashiko, and djembe (gem-bay). Not all drums are made with an animal skin, but the Jamtown drum is goat skin from the distant land of Pakistan, stretched over a wooden frame. The Native American belief is that the spirit of an animal is still present in a skin, and playing it during ceremonies honors that spirit. Place the drum near a heat source if the skin tension naturally becomes 'low' or loose due to humidity.
How to Play: Strolling gypsy bands in Morocco hold the frame in one hand using the thumb hole. Slapping the fingers of the free hand just inside the rim produces a 'tone' beat and slapping the whole palm in the middle creates a 'base' sound. Pressing the skin with the fingers of the first hand ÔchokesÕ the beats for alternative sounds. The rounded ball striker pounds out a more western-type pulse. |
