Djembe and water don’t mix

On the subject of water – it’s never a good idea to expose your djembe to extreme temperatures – hot or cold – and definitely not to water. That’s why we never drum in the rain unless we are under cover!

If you do play outside and the drum head gets wet, it will permanently modify the sound of your drum… so be careful. With the unpredictable summer weather of storms and humidity, it may be a great time for you to consider getting a drum bag or at least a head cover for your djembe. We always have a selection for sale!

Regular playing is an integral part of taking care of your djembe, as the natural oils on the palms of your hands will help keep the djembe’s skin pliable. But just like the strings on a guitar or violin, the djembe head will eventually break, go out of tune and will need to be changed. If your drum just doesn’t ‘sound right’ or like it did when you first started playing, you notice cracks in the skin or at worse, the skin has ‘popped’ (the skin has split), talk to Nat about reskinning and tuning your drum.

And remember … don’t rub anything into your djembe head, like oils or creams… and for the love of the mighty djembe Gods, do not put anything weighty on your drum – like books!