Just like every other musical instrument, a djembe (and the doundouns) require regular tuning and maintenance to ensure you are getting the best possible sound. At the very least, we would recommend a yearly drum tuning to get produce an acceptable result. A good sounding instrument will greatly enhance the enjoyment of playing the drums, and will be a big factor in keeping the player interested.
The skin on a djembe will lose tension over time, and this represents the basic tuning requirement of the instrument. Tuning will involve special weaving techniques, which can be easily learnt, but just how much tuning will give the drum a good sounding result needs the experience of someone who has tuned drums many hundreds of times. Sean at Djembemoves has an abundance of this experience, as he professionally assembles, repairs and tunes drums, and has done so intensively for over 10 years.
The prices for drum tuning are below. These prices are based on the tuning of one of our own instruments, as only then are we able to guarantee the quality of all the parts and materials used, and the initial skinning of the drum.
Drum head 12” and above $33
Drum head less than 12” $27.50
Prices are incl. GST, but travel costs are extra, at $00.60 per kilometre travelled (from Bridgetown, WA).
We are happy to discuss your particular requirements, and we can assess your drum(s) if they were not purchased from us before the tuning process to agree a fixed cost.
Tuning Training
For an individual drum we are happy to train you to tune your own drum. This will cost $66 per hour and includes of course the actual tuning of the instrument, and the process will hopefully allow you to then continue to tune the instrument. Please note that the tuning process requires a certain amount of effort, and places quite a strain on your back.
We can also train a member or members of a group to tune all the drums used by that group. The cost will be $60 an hour, and our aim is to give the participants the chance to learn how to look after the instruments they use.
