Drums not tables: Djembe and other african drums are crafted in away that people are tempted to think they are table and rest things on them like cigarettes, cups of tea, plates and so on. Look after your drum dont rest objects on top of it
Don’t put hear heaters. Many people warm the drum skins thinking they are tunning them. This can be a method used to dry and tighten the skin your drum will break very easily if you do this repeatedly.
Don’t oil the skin. People destroy their drums by putting oil and other leather treatments.
Buy a djembe bag or cover. I have lost allot of drums during transportation, a good bag with good padding to cover the head will keep it safe.Bags will also keep the dum safe when weather changes like winter and rainny seasons.
Stand the drum upright or Lie the drum on its side in storage. This reduces stress on the drum head
Caring For Your Hand
Playing African drums is physical and can be very painful to the hands. This gets easier if you play regularly as the hands become accustomed to it and as you master the techiniques, but even regular hand drummers will have soft hands after long drumming sessions and if you play alot you could get painful crack and blisters on your hands.
Here are some ways to lok after your hands:
- Remove rings, watch and any jewellery before for play your djembe or any other African hand drum.
- Somesort of tenderness is to be expected on your hands even if you are a regular drummer. You need to rest them once you start to feel the pressure on them
- If you need more protection, wrap porous plaster around the tips of the fingers to absorb some of the impact. This can also prevent them from drying out and can be used to protect any cracks or wounds.
- Drink water regularly ! this will help keep yourself hydrated to assist your kidneys in repairing damage caused to the hands as you play.
- Use a moisturising cream and oils to soothe and repair hands these can be bought form phermercies like boots the chemist in UK.
- Try to play regular but short sessions instead of infrequent and long non stop ones so as to save your hands from damage.
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