Experimenting with djembe.
I’m on an experiment and exploring sounds with instruments I own. We are headed to the studio in mid-August and I want it to be good. I also want it to be fresh. I feel good about where we’re at.
Since I’ve had a djembe drum, things have gotten weird. I have learned so much about styles of music I never would have noticed. My ears have become sensitive to where I could slide some djembe in something. I practice most days on djembe, usually recording. But not always.
Experiment with fretless bass.
The fretless bass is also recent. I find the trombone style of playing really suits my Funky side. Generally, once I have a few djembe jams, I’ll get on this bass and start its experiment. Bass for me is typically mapping out the melodies and writing. I listen to the djembe I made, find a 2-3 minute section I like. When I do that, I generally hear bass playing in my head. That is what attempt to play. It doesn’t always come out the way I hear it. It can cause happy accidents or additional changes. Bass is crucial to me for writing these days.
Experiment with the Les Paul.
The Les Paul electric guitar is one of my all-time favorite instruments. I blame Slash. I don’t like Guns and Roses that much. But Slash has some amazing rock and roll sounds. Since I was a kid and heard their first album, I’ve wanted a Les Paul and a Marshall. We do what we can. I wish Slash could get a do over and experiment with a better band. But whatever.
I also love rock guitar. A good chunk of my youth was learning to detect guitarists by their playing before the singer came in. I think with all the tonal options, scales, modes, voices, and phrases, we end up making a stamp on sound, if we do it right.
Experiment with genres.
What’s happening is fusion. Little bit of Africa, little bit American Funk, and some Guns and Roses. I’m not mad at it.
I hope when I do experimentation on arrangements, sound, mixing, or genre, it comes out like this. I just love it. Hear a theme song for a tv show in it, somehow.
I encourage folks to experiment if they are able. Not many people have as much time as I do for it, sadly. But my little experiments help greatly in finding stuff I like that is off the beaten path. I am learning stuff. Also rocking out. What more could ya’ want?
About the djembe, looking back.
The djembe drum, looking back, is a huge turning point and has changed me. It made think about the whole rhythm section differently. It puts me in a trance while playing it. I zone out and just play forever. It’s always best when I forget I’m recording or forget to hit record. If I forgot to record, I figure that one was just for myself. Haha. That’s a successful experiment, actually.
I found Fela Kuti and the Afrobeat realm because of djembe drum. Huge discovery. As is Drums of Passion. As many parts as there are to a standard drum set, the rhythms aren’t as varied and they may sound slow and simple compared to the rolling of djembe. Many drums sound like a metronome striking kick and snare on consecutive beats on every measure. The djembe doesn’t work that way at all for me. And I’m glad.
I hear horns too.. we’ll see.
I wish I played some kind of horn. I’ve tried several. They all hurt my jaw for some reason. Just the blowing. Balloons do too. Painful. Might have to do with an out of check wisdom teeth situation, not sure. But I hear sax on this. Maybe sax and trumpet. I suppose I could fake them. But I’m just not interested in that with the earthy mixture served up.
Take time to experiment.
I hope you get a chance to “play.” I feel it’s important to my development. When it’s serious all the time, it sounds it. I enjoy happy sounds. They happen most when I’m playing just to play, often with djembe. I love the thing. Hell, got two of them now!
Enjoy this jam built from a djembe improv. Other parts were made by improving a pass 2 or 3 times and putting them together. This didn’t take long, totally cool. 😎 The vibes hit me hard. What I hope for from an experiment. Take care.
Return to home.
