Saturday, September 3, 2011

African Drums - Rhythm You Can Feel!

By Claudia Kasen


The rhythm of African drums truly gets to you "you cannot ignore it: it can get your toes drumming and you feel drawn in by the strong, resonating beat and characteristic sound of these traditional instruments that have endured for centuries and are still well-liked internationally. Their influence has spread to several nations, most clearly the Caribbean, the West Indies and Latin America.

Perhaps one of the reasons they are so amazingly hot is that they do not require you to be well placed to read music or have great musical talent: if you have got a sense of rhythm you can love playing these drums for ages. In spite of their primitive simplicity: they're so basic; goblet formed, made generally of hardwood with goatskin stretched OTT; they have an enduring appeal and are played widely even today.

There are a few companies which specialize in the manufacture and distribution of these dazzling instruments and you'll have absolutely no issues in finding a source for them. Among the number one brands are Remo, Tiger, Kambala, Toca and Meinl. Some African drums are now manufactured in synthetic materials, but if you can get your hands on a genuine drum, made in Africa, although it is reasonably old, do not hesitate to buy it, as you'll have a treasure in your possession.

Go to almost any African town and you are probably going to hear somebody playing African drums, usually with an audience of a few kids gathered around, with some listening and others dancing coolly to the powerful rhythm. There are genuine videos posted on You Tube, showing just such scenes. You will hear them being played in bars in Jamaica or in cities and villages in Nicaragua or Brazil. After you have the drum in your possession, it is prepared to be played and the more that you play it, the more at ease you'll be with the instrument. Play a piece of acceptable music on a CD and accompany the music with the drum. You'll find limitless methods of easy entertainment for some time.

The most widely known African drums are the djembe drum, djun djun, bougarabou, gadzo, conga and kpanlogo but there are others and they have all played an important role in African culture and faith for decades. They're used at weddings, funerals, to celebrate births, in ritual dances, at the installation of chiefs and in many ceremonies. To Africans they are an essential part of life and an irreplaceable accompaniment in the numerous events associated with African culture. Check out the many sites dedicated to these drums and consider purchasing one or more for yourself: you'll own history and be linked to the oldest customs in the world.




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