Jeanne's 21F830 Final Project: Drum Making

The Making of a Djembe

(Refer to diagram for help)

Parts: wood carcass, goat skin, wire, cloth, rope.

Skin is soaked.

Three wire circles are prepared:

Two circles for top (top blue band), one for middle.

Middle wire is looped around the drum. (middle blue band)

Cloth is wrapped around the circles. (cloth is blue)

Rope is tied around extreme top and bottom bands, forming ~20 small loops.

(white rope)

Carcass is placed in upright position. Skin is placed on top with fur facing out.

Untied band is placed on top, surrounding the skin and the mouth of the djembe.

Excess skin is flipped on top of drum, no longer hanging down.

Remaining band is placed on top, with loops hanging down.

Rope is looped vertically up and down through loops, surrounding width of djembe.

(vertical black rope)

Rope is tightened, and fur is shaved off.

Excess skin is cut off.

Rope is tightened, and skin is leveled so perfectly horizontal on the djembe.

After skin has dried, rope is pulled through horizontally once so that vertical ropes criss cross.

This is the first accord. Sequenticial accords occur after djembe has been played,

and skin has adjusted. (note black criss crosses)