How to hold your djembe

Sitting down

Sit down on a chair without arms and cross you ankles. You should put the drum between your knees and tilt away from you. The drumhead should be a couple of inches above the top of your legs. You should be able to play comfortably without lifting your shoulders, if it is the correct height. This is the most common way of playing in a drum circle.

Standing Up

When standing up, use a strap to support the djembe (Click here to see our strap...). You need to be able to comfortably reach the head of the drum without moving the shoulders, when you decide how to position the strap. It is worth considering that the larger the djembe, the heavier it will be if you are playing standing up. However, many expert African drummers find that the bass sound of the djembe drum is improved when it is played standing up, particularly on grass or outdoors.