Are you interested in playing a percussion instrument but don’t know where to get started? If so, you might want to check out African drums, particularly djembe drums. They come in many sizes and types, they are relatively easy to play, and they can produce a fantastic variety of tones.
That said, finding one that won’t cost you a fortune is not easily done. This article reviews one such high-quality yet affordable djembe drum.
Africa Heartwood Project Djembe Drum
The Africa Heartwood Project Djembe Drum is a real and genuine djembe made of natural materials by African cultural experts.
It comes in a medium-size, it looks very nice, and considering that this is an original item crafted by hand, it is surprisingly affordable. It’s one of the nicer-looking djembes that you can buy for this price point.
Who is This Product For?
The Africa Heartwood Project Djembe Drum is a suitable option for many people. It’s the kind of drum that you can easily keep in your home as nothing more than a decoration.
It also serves as a great beginner instrument for anybody looking to learn percussion and interested in African cultural aspects.
Moreover, this is also the kind of drum that can be used for spiritual purposes and drum circles. It also makes for a good beginner option due to its relatively low cost.
What’s Included?
When you purchase the Africa Heartwood Project Djembe Drum, you get a wooden drum that is 16 inches tall with African-style painting on the base, a natural goatskin drumhead, and the classic ropes that make the djembe what it is.
Overview of Features
One of the things that stands out about the Africa Heartwood Project Djembe Drum is its natural materials. This drum’s body and base are made of wood, which is not only good-looking but very durable too; it’s capable of producing a lot of vibrations and reverb to ensure great volume.
Moreover, this drum’s head is made of genuine goatskin. There aren’t many materials better in tone, volume, and durability when it comes to drumheads.
This drum is handcrafted in Africa by musical and cultural experts. It is also worth mentioning that each drum is individually tuned in Africa; it comes to you tuned and ready to play right out of the box.
Due to the high-quality build of the Africa Heartwood Project Djembe Drum and the large, 16-inch size (with an 8-inch drumhead), this drum can produce a lot of volume, as well as a wide variety of tones.
We like this Africa Heartwood Project drum because it is more than large enough to produce good volume and many tones, so it can be used for large gatherings such as drum circles, yet is still small and lightweight enough to be considered portable.
Considering the price, we would say that it is one of the best available options.
Tutorial
Playing a djembe drum is not that hard, which is why many beginners choose it as a beginning instrument to learn percussion on. That said, if you expect your djembe to produce all the tones that it is capable of making, you need to use the proper technique.
We have found a good tutorial on how to make the different tones on a djembe drum.
Pros
- Handcrafted
- Made in Africa
- Made by cultural experts
- Genuine materials
- Durable
- Authentic appearance
- Good volume and tone
Cons
- May have minor flaws due to the handcrafting process
- Difficult to tune
Alternatives
In case the Africa Heartwood Project Djembe Drum is a bit too large for you, there are other good options to consider. A smaller and more affordable djembe drum to consider is the Jerusalem Imports Djembe Drum that comes is 7 inches tall.
If you would prefer something other than a djembe drum, the Regis Steel Tongue Drum might be the right option for you.
Conclusion
As you can see, if you are looking for a beautiful looking and authentic handmade djembe drum, the Africa Heartwood Project Djembe Drum is a good one.
It’s not too large or too small; it’s durable and made of natural materials; it’s made by real African cultural and musical experts, and it doesn’t cost too much. It’s a djembe drum we would recommend over most others.