Because synthesizers are hard to plug in way out in a field somewhere around a bonfire.

If you ever make it to forks we can run a long extension cord from the house ... bring extra.

how do you pronounce this? duh-jem-bee?

d' jem beh

(shorten the emphasis on the "D" sound, slide it into the jem a bit more)

Virtually no "d" sound at all...most of the drummers I know say it like "gem bay".

the d makes it clear that it's really not quite the same sound as our g, though. there's a roughening of it and the dj kind of makes that clearer ... ah, we're never gonna agree on it exactly, and it's very hard to have such a discussion in text. AND i'm not going to record my version and post it, either.

thanks!

I noticed the tone was way too flat when I tried it, so I had my first attempt at tuning. I haven't replaced anything yet, so I unwrapped the ropes to the point where the rope was threaded through the diamonds and PULLED. It reminded me of those Victorian movies where the maid was tying a corset. I didn't have a broom handle and I was afraid to crack the wood, so I think I held back a bit.

The tone seems much better and the center has a deep bass. I don't know if I want to replace the head, but I do want to untie the ropes and clean the wood.

If I do decide to reskin it, should I get a 14" or 16" goat skin? The head measures a little over 10.5 inches. Should I get a medium or thick skin? I would assume a thick skin would give me a deeper note.

So far the three suppliers for goat skins I found are Mid-East Manufacturing, Columbia Music , and SunReed Instruments . The spirit in the woods shop Wolf recommended mentions new skins but doesn't list them on their page.

I'm going to Home Depot this weekend for rope and something to refinish and clean the wood. I'm looking forward to this project.

Rich,
I don't know drums and I don't know wood for drums , but that rope ain't to be found at Home depot . Go to a climbing shop , any rope head can identefy it for you and you can get MANY different colors , i am thinking it looks like a 8mm rope . Good luck , and post pics as you fix it up .

I would recommend stretching the existing one flat and measuring it, and then try to match it as closely as possible in size. I mean, it apparently worked once, right?

When tying the diamonds, it is good to have a pencil or stout stick to pull the rope first, through tightly, then *down* tightly. It is the downward pull that you make that actually puts the tension on the drumhead.

Obviously, you've already improved it, as that size drum should theoretically have three tones. (1) bass note produced by open handed center hit, (2) mid tone halfway from the center produced by using your whole fingers and upper part of the palm, and (3) a "rim shot", high tone produced by striking the head at the very edge with the end two joints of the fingers only.

I'm excited for you, Rich. Nothing better than a drum for trancing and practicing not being quite so Caucasian. Hell, if it weren't for drumming, I'd still be eating Velveeta and white bread sandwiches with mayo...

I'll just park a lot of batteries in my trunk and play from my laptop.

goddamn hippies...

128 steps does not a clean filter sweep make!

Finished Drum
 

I lost my last poist in the Cellar crash. I finished the Ashiko 2 weeks ago. I sanded it and put on 3 coats of Tung oil. I restrung it with 5mm climbing rope and 2.75 mm climbing rope on the crown. I had to unwind the crown and flesh rings, which are coiled steel ribbons, because the crown ring would not go over the top of the drum with the heavy skin I used. I used black electrical tape on the flesh ring and red electrical tape and Martha Stewarts holiday ribbon on the crown and bottom rings.

Last week before my surgery I tightened it. Tonight I put aloe lotion on the head to soften it and it loosened it. I will have to re-tighten it next month when my carpal tunnel surgery heals. Since I can't use the drum until then, this is no loss.

Nice job Rich, now beat it. :biggrin:

Cool! I wondered into an import shop last year and picked this up

http://img48.exs.cx/img48/3366/Djembe.th.jpg

[Come to think about it, I shoulda picked up the hippy chick that sold it to me aswell]
:heartpump :doit: :heartpump