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Saturday, September 3, 2011

Age Old Attraction of African Drums

By Claudia Kasen


The rhythm of African drums actually gets to you "you can't ignore it: it will get your toes tapping and you're feeling drawn in by the intense, resonating beat and distinctive sound of these ancient instruments that have endured for many years and are still popular the world over. Their influence has spread to many countries, most noticeably the Caribbean, the West Indies and South 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 several corporations which specialise in the creation and distribution of these amazing instruments and you will have no Problems in finding a source for them. Among the leading brands are Remo, Tiger, Kambala, Toca and Meinl. Some African drums are now made in artificial materials, but if you can get your hands on an authentic drum, made in Africa, even though it is quite old, don't hesitate to get it, as you will 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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