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Drum Circle Instruments
	Bells are an important addition to any drum circle, large or small. They are very portable, relatively cheap, and provide a higher level vibration which rises above the denser sound of the drums. Bells provide an essential timekeeping function and are usally played with a light stick. Therefore, while it is not so important to play a complex rhythm on a bell (although possible and cool), it is important that if a bell is played, it is done so with as steady a pulse as possible. Playing a bell out of time can easily throw other players out of the rhythm. Simply playing a steady quarter note on a bell can help provide a valuable musical reference point for others. A traditional bell from Ghana is called a gankogui (gan-koh-guee) and has a low and a high tone. The two tones allows for a greater variation in rhythm. Often the low bell is sounded on the first down beat with the remaining pattern played on the high bell. The lower bell may also be dampened against your body for many interesting timbre effects. Another variation of a double bell is called the agogo which also has two tones (and 3 or more in more modern versions) and is commonly used in latin rhythms. And of course there is also the modern cowbell which is in a single bell form. Another tradition bell is the toke (toh-kay) or banana bell, which is played with a metal striker. This bell is traditionally found attached to a dunun drum (bass drum), or substituted with another bell form, in African style rhythms.
	Traditional shakers from Africa called shekere or axatse (ah-hatch-ee) are gourds covered with a netting of either beads or shells. The distinctive shaking sound can add a powerful "driving" energy to any rhythm. They come in various sizes with the larger ones being the loudest. Traditionally the axatse is played between the thigh and palm of the hand. In rhythms you may think of the thigh strike as "pa" and the hand strike as "ti" (eg. pa ti pa - pa ti pa). Another method is to hold the shaker by it's netting and shaking the handle. Larger gourds without handles are played away from the body by shaking with hands only.
	Almost everywhere you look in a drum circle you will see someone playing a djembe. This drum owes it's popularity to it's booming bass, ringing tones and crisp slaps, combined with it's moderately light weight. Traditionally the shell is carved from one piece of wood. In more modern variations the shell is usually constructed by laminating sections of wood together. Djembes with manafactured shells and synthetic skins may also be found which offer some advantages in durability and weather resistance. The skin is usually from a goat and tends to be fairly thin. One should never play a djembe with sticks for that reason. The drum is usually tunable by a rope system using what is called the mali weave. Changing the pitch involves a process referred to as "pulling diamonds". In some modern djembes you may also find a conga like tuning mechanism. Rhythms typically involve two or three different djembe parts. Each part consists of a pattern involving two or three basic tones which are: bass, open tone, slap. The bass is played by bouncing the hand off the center, or near center. The open tone is the voice of the drum and is played by bouncing the hand off the edge of the drum head. The slap is the most difficult tone to master and there are different approaches as to how to create a good slap tone. I recommend finding a good drum teacher for players who want to develop their technique.
	An ashiko is a popular alternative to the djembe in drum circles. Although carved African ashikos can be found, by far the most common type seen in drum circles is one constructed out of laminated wood staves. In general, ashikos tend to be both lighter and relatively cheaper than a comparable sized djembe due to its simpler form. It is also common to find ashikos made with dyed skins and custom finishes which no doubt heightens the appeal for some players. Tuning and playing the drum is otherwise the same as for a djembe. The tonal quality also tends to be a bit warmer than for a djembe and depends to a large extent on the dimensions of the ashiko.
	Traditional double sided bass drums are known as dununs (doo-noons). There are three different sizes; kenkeni (smallest), sangban (middle), and dununba (largest). In a drum circle any size used can provide a very valuable musical reference point in the rhythm, but sangban and especially dununba will lend the most power. They may be played with heavy wooden sticks or padded mallets. There are two basic tones which may be played; an open tone which is bass, or a closed tone which provides an accent and time marker. In some traditional rhythms two or three of these drums may all be played with a different part assigned to each (see Kuku on the rhythms page). Also, traditionally a bell is tied to the drum with one hand playing the bell and the other playing the drum. Tuning is accomplished in the same fashion as for djembes using the mali weave technique. Shells for dununs may be carved out of one piece of wood, but in modern dununs they are more likely to be constructed out of sections of wood. The skin is typically cow hide, but you may also find deer or moose used in North America.
	Congas are a very popular drum used typically in latin based music and many performance groups of all musical gendres. With it's roots in Cuban and originally African culture, the modern day conga is usually manafactured with a wood or fiberglass shell. They are available in different sizes (tumbadora-largest, conga-middle, quinto-smallest) and are usually wrench tunable. Conga skins are commonly made with cow hide and are only played by hand, though a stick is sometimes tapped on the shell of the drum. In a drum circle, congas are a wonderful sonic compliment to the popular djembe and tend to have a warmer sound. One disadvantage though is their relatively heavy weight for transporting. Congas may be played while seated or at a standing height while fixed to a stand. The basic conga tones played in a drum circle are the same as for a djembe with bass, open and slap. In addition, "experienced" conga players may use a rocking hand technique known as heel-toe (eg. tumbao pattern).
	These traditional drums from Ghana are more likely to be found in a performance group, but may occasionally find their way into a drum circle. The kpanlogo (pan-logo) drum (right) is from the Ga tribe. It is carved from a solid piece of wood and usually has an antelope skin. It is usually played with hands but may also be played with sticks. Tuning is accomplished by the amount of tension applied to wooden pegs. The sound of a kpanlogo is warmer (more conga like), slightly quieter, and more organic sounding relative to a djembe. I often prefer the sound of a kpanlogo when playing alone or with a small group. (See Kpanlogo on the rhythms page). The drum pictured on the left is a kidi (ki-dee) which is a main support drum of the ewe (a-way) family of drums from Ghana. Ewe drums are always played with sticks and also include the sogo, kagan, kroboto, totodzi, boba and atsimevu drums (see Ewe photos for examples of each). These drums may be carved from a single piece of wood or constructed with staves and hoops in barrel fashion. (See Gahu on the rhythms page).
	The above instruments described are all African based and reflect typical instruments seen in a drum circle. However, by its very nature a community drum circle invites all to participate with whatever percussive instrument is available. Virtually any type of drum or percussion instrument may be played including homemade ones. So by all means do not hesitate to play any instrument you have available such as a doumbek, bongos, frame drum, clave, triangle, rattle, water bottle, pail, pot, homemade shaker, tambourine, etc. Sometimes non-percussion instruments such as flutes or didjeridus are allowed. Keep in mind though that most drum circles will exclude drum kits and melodic instruments such as guitars. And if you have no instrument to play at all, then by all means clap your hands or dance. In my opinion dancers can heighten the energy and purpose of a circle immeasurably. And above all else, DO enjoy yourself!

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