West African
West African
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 REMO 25 x 14 Green Kinte Key Tuned Skyndeep Head West African Djembe Drum  US $367.90
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 REMO 14 x 25 Earth Design Key Tuned FiberSkyn 3 Head West African Djembe Drum US $350.55
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 REMO 14 x 25 Multi Mask Key Tuned Skyndeep Head West African Djembe Drum US $350.55
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 REMO 14 x 25 Kinte Kloth Key Tuned Skyndeep Head West African Djembe Drum US $350.55
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 REMO 12 x 24 Kinte Kloth Key Tuned FiberSkyn 3 Head West African Djembe Drum US $307.80
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 REMO 12 x 24 Earth Design Key Tuned FiberSkyn 3 Head West African Djembe Drum US $307.80
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 REMO 12 x 24 Multi Mask Key Tuned FiberSkyn 3 Head West African Djembe Drum US $307.80
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 West African Talking Drum percussion NEW US $94.95
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African Percussion Instruments And Beating Drums
Even in the 21st century, African Drum music is one of the most energetic and emotional forms of percussion. We can hear its influence, not just in alternative and world music, but also in modern mainstream music genres like hip hop, pop and dance.
And why wouldn’t it still be popular? African drum music isn’t only a pleasure to listen to, it seems to plug directly into your spinal cord via your gut and just makes you move. You may not be surprised to know that African drumming was initially used as a type of communication, as well as playing an integral role in African lives. It could embody a whole field of human emotion, which made it fitting for each tradition and celebration.
Unfortunately, the power of African drumming music was recognized by early slave owners, both as symbolism and a way of communicating, and automatically forbade the use or possession of drums in slave camps. Thanks to the indomitable spirits and perspicacity of the African people, this type of communication continued—they simply resorted to tapping out a rhythm on their chest, arms, thighs, and other surfaces available to keep the music alive.
The diversity of cadence and sound that has grown from African drum music is matched only by the diversity of the African instruments that have travelled around the world.
Djembe Rhythms & Drumming
The Djembe Drum is one of the most well-known African percussion instruments and is extremely adaptable. Even an entire room full of dancers can’t help but move to the djembe beats of a skilled djembefola (djembe master).
Djembe techniques are quite a talent on their own and a djembe player usually spends many years learning from a djembe master before becoming a djembefola in their own right.
Kpanlogo Drums
Communly used as a ceremonial drum, the kpanlogo drum originates from the Greater Accra Region in West Africa. As a result of its outstanding ability to create sounds that carry over long distances, kpanlogo drumming rhythms were regularly used as a way to communicate between tribes and family groups.
African Talking Drums
Constructed from wood and rawhide, African Talking Drums take the shape of an hourglass with the rawhide stretched across both ends, creating two drumming surfaces. These particular drums are most usually used with a stick on one side and with the hand and fingers on the other. As the name suggests, they were also broadly used in communication.
African Bongos
Now here’s a drum we’ve all heard of! Commonly used in Cuban drum music – and dance music throughout the world - it’s said that the African bongo became well-known to Cubans as a result of the slave trade. It generates a beat with a moderately high pitch and is usually rather squat.
Dun Dun Drums
Dun Dun drums, which are also identified as dundun drums and dun dun duuun, are believed to originate from the Malinke area of Mali. Dun Duns come in three sizes: Kenkeni, Sangban and Dununba (ranging from smallest to largest respectively). They can be played separately or played strapped together in groups of 2 or 3.
Ngoma Drums
These drums have a meaningful correlation to certain peoples in Uganda as ceremonial instruments. Clearly describing what is or is not an ngoma drum is a bit difficult, because the word ‘ngoma’ is Swahili for ‘drums’. The term is mostly used for an group of six or seven drums of various sizes connected together and played as a group.
Itotele
The Itotele is a mid-sized, goblet-shaped drum that has become very well-known in Cuba. Sometimes a waxy material is used to coat the drumhead to make a duller sound.
As can be seen from the variety of African percussion instruments that we’ve mentioned – and the dozens more that we haven’t talked about – African drum music is diverse and is a fantastic style of artistic expression. It’s a joy to create, and a joy to listen to!
Ocean Equities looks at East African vs West African gold stocks
