Recording A Djembe?

Bobalou · 10th August 2006

whats your technique and choice of mic(s).

James Lehmann · 10th August 2006

The search feature is a wonderful thing... Previous thead on recording Djembe

joeq · 10th August 2006

But if you spell it "Jembe", you will not find the "Djembe" thread in your search!

darkwater · 10th August 2006

I assume you are speaking of a Djembe, since I don't know what a Jembe is.

Try a large diaphragm condenser a couple of feet away from the drum.

beats workin' · 10th August 2006

1 mic won't do it. a lot of the sound comes from the bottom and needs distance to bloom. djembe is a tough one to really capture. you must have a great sounding room- everything else is secondary
david

rwhitney · 10th August 2006

As has lready been said, a LDC a couple feet away, and another one father off (3-10 ft depending) in a reverberent space. If the LDs are sensitive enough (M149 for instance), I don't think you need the bottom mic. But that depends on how much thump you want. Top=slap, bottom=thump, room=bloom, completeness, realism. The transients of drums, particularly, are too dramatic for the ear to comprehend at close proximity.

True North · 10th August 2006

Close mic top and bottom works well for me - I like a 421 underneath ('ooom' )and a 609 on top (captures more of the high end detail) . Watch your phasing, EQ and mix to taste and voila. If you really want to get fancy an extra room mic can work as well. You will get more 'ooom' as the mic gets closer to the ground. More 'pop' if the room the mic is positioned above the head. good luck

Bat Head Sound · 10th August 2006

I just tracked a djembe. I used an beta 57 on the top, and a home-made speaker mic on the bottom and got results that I was happy with.

joeq · 10th August 2006

Djembes and dumbeks and other 'hourglass' drums usually have a really nice bottom that comes out with a centered hit.

A bottom mic is a must for me- I use a kick mic like an ATM-25 or EV 868. Especially if it is an 'acoustic' sounding ensemble where the Djembe is the main drum. I like a LDC on top usually.

Typically these drums are used as an "instead of drum set" sound by bands going for an 'Unplugged' thing, so they want that high and low sound to mimic the kick and snare alternation. If that is the case, keep in mind that capturing that low sound takes on increasing importance.

Once I actually recorded a Djembe being used to play African music, but that was a while ago.

rwhitney · 10th August 2006

This is an unprocessed recording of Djembe and other things with mostly distant mics in an ambient space.

rwhitney · 10th August 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwhitney

This is an unprocessed recording of Djembe and other things with mostly distant mics in an ambient space.

oops. Here it is.

Pasta4lnch · 11th August 2006

I did one once really quickly w/ a 184 on the top and bottom and it came out pretty nice . . .

apdv1 · 11th August 2006

Last time I recorded one I used an SM 57 on the head and a U 87 in the room about 3 metres away. Its a big room!!

**TonyBelmont** · 11th August 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by apdv1

Last time I recorded one I used an SM 57 on the head and a U 87 in the room about 3 metres away. Its a big room!!

That's something I would try... I think a U87 is a good mic for this type of instrument. Well, what is a U87 not good on?

Jim vanBergen · 11th August 2006

Top for the attack is important. 57, 409, 504, 451, Sm81 etc.

Bottom IMPERATIVE: 421, 504, D112, RE20, M88 (my fave).

In the right room, a distant ribbon or LDC covers the bottom nicely.

JGP · 11th August 2006

An Audix D6 just inside the bottom opening pointing right up at the top can sound really nice as a single mic and get great isolation if you need that. Or use a darker mic in the bottom ( like Senn e602) and a SD mic for the top. The new AT250 would also make a nice bottom mic.
But the best I got was xy stereo Shure KSM-32's 9 ft above the drum in a good sounding room. But that only is good if the Djembe is solo, like for overdubbing.

JGP · 11th August 2006

An Audix D6 just inside the bottom opening pointing right up at the top can sound really nice as a single mic and get great isolation if you need that. Or use a darker mic in the bottom ( like Senn e602) and a SD mic for the top. The new AT250 would also make a nice bottom mic.
But the best I got was xy stereo Shure KSM-32's 9 ft above the drum in a good sounding room. But that only is good if the Djembe is solo, like for overdubbing.

JGP · 11th August 2006

An Audix D6 just inside the bottom opening pointing right up at the top can sound really nice as a single mic and get great isolation if you need that. Or use a darker mic in the bottom ( like Senn e602) and a SD mic for the top. The new AT250 would also make a nice bottom mic.
But the best I got was xy stereo Shure KSM-32's 9 ft above the drum in a good sounding room. But that only is good if the Djembe is solo, like for overdubbing.

mtstudios@charter · 12th August 2006

I use a Senn 421 on top and a EV RE20 on bottom. EQ and compress appropriately.

www.bluethumbproductions.com

Djembe · 13th August 2006

Note my user name

I have played Djembe seriously for 15 years and recorded 2 CDs of traditional music in Guinea, West Africa (the home of the djembe).

Mic-ing them really depends on the context. If they are filling the role of a drum kit, then a mic on the bottom is important (my favourite is also an M88), but if there is already a drum kit there or other low drums, the bass is not so important. If you ARE using 2 mics, place the top one at an angle more parallel with the skin so you don't pick up so much bass.

For the top, personally I tend to favour dynamics such as a SM57 or AKG 880 but LDCs such as a U87 can also work. One thing is not to get the mic too close - at least 12" away and also they don't sound good in small dead rooms.

A lot of people who play djembes don't have a good sound. Often they are dead sounding and badly tuned. Obviously then a brighter mic is needed. The traditional sound is high and crisp without being harsh.

The albums I recorded in Africa were recorded outdoors in a courtyard and they sounded great. In a traditional setting there are always Doun Doun (bass drums) filling the bottom end, so the bass of the djembe is not important.

RobR · 13th August 2006

I won't gurantee any "go to" mics.
But, yes, most times, you'll find a Djembe player with the drum hanging between
their thighs, at an off-axis, vertical angle; head pointing outward. Oftentimes, you'll find the drum hanging off one thigh, horizontally, with the head pointing, off-axis, towards the opposite knee.

In both cases; one close mic on top, one close mic on the bottom. Suits most nicely.

However, many accomplished hand drummers use muting tricks; stuffing their
entire arm up the open end of the instrument.

In that case, try to control their movement; back off a tad with the head mic; back
off one or two feet with the bottom mic.

Now, in the case that you have the kind of percussionist that is accustomed to moving their djembe around in every position imagineable; try out a stereo pair of "classical" mics in a very, very, very nice sounding room. As for the bottom end,
slap a boundary mic, nearby, and force them to stick their feet on some carpet.

Welcome to my world.

pan60 · 14th August 2006

sounds like fun.

10th August 2006	#1
Bobalou Gear addict Joined: May 2003 Location: socal Posts: 338 Thread Starter	Recording A Djembe? whats your technique and choice of mic(s).

10th August 2006	#4
darkwater Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Topanga, CA Posts: 1,384	I assume you are speaking of a Djembe, since I don't know what a Jembe is. Try a large diaphragm condenser a couple of feet away from the drum. __________________ "Influences are alarm clocks of talents you already have within you."- Juana Molina "Don't play everything. Let some things go by. Some music is just imagined" - Thelonius Monk

10th August 2006	#6
rwhitney Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2005 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 1,035	As has lready been said, a LDC a couple feet away, and another one father off (3-10 ft depending) in a reverberent space. If the LDs are sensitive enough (M149 for instance), I don't think you need the bottom mic. But that depends on how much thump you want. Top=slap, bottom=thump, room=bloom, completeness, realism. The transients of drums, particularly, are too dramatic for the ear to comprehend at close proximity. __________________ Ross Whitney (non-professional) rwhitney@uci.edu

10th August 2006	#7
True North Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2005 Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario (Canada) Posts: 3,213	Close mic top and bottom works well for me - I like a 421 underneath ('ooom' )and a 609 on top (captures more of the high end detail) . Watch your phasing, EQ and mix to taste and voila. If you really want to get fancy an extra room mic can work as well. You will get more 'ooom' as the mic gets closer to the ground. More 'pop' if the room the mic is positioned above the head. good luck __________________ "In the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey" - Beck, Loser "I do use compressors/limiters but not for controlling dynamics, I use EQ for that!" Jp22 (damn I miss him) "Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." -- Will Durant, historian (1885-1981) "I try to get a boom out of the bass drum, in one of my albums, my CD, boom, I try to get that big boom, I could not get a big boom, I paid bucks, and could not get the boom" - Recording Expert, Tad Donley

10th August 2006	#10
rwhitney Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2005 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 1,035	Djembe example This is an unprocessed recording of Djembe and other things with mostly distant mics in an ambient space.

10th August 2006	#2
James Lehmann Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2003 Location: Europe Posts: 2,428	The search feature is a wonderful thing... Previous thead on recording Djembe

10th August 2006	#3
joeq Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2002 Location: New York Posts: 9,921	But if you spell it "Jembe", you will not find the "Djembe" thread in your search!

10th August 2006	#5
beats workin' Lives for gear Joined: May 2004 Location: New York City Posts: 724	1 mic won't do it. a lot of the sound comes from the bottom and needs distance to bloom. djembe is a tough one to really capture. you must have a great sounding room- everything else is secondary david

10th August 2006	#8
Bat Head Sound Lives for gear Joined: Aug 2005 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 585	I just tracked a djembe. I used an beta 57 on the top, and a home-made speaker mic on the bottom and got results that I was happy with.

11th August 2006	#12
Pasta4lnch Lives for gear Joined: Nov 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 1,326	I did one once really quickly w/ a 184 on the top and bottom and it came out pretty nice . . . __________________ myspace, youtube, facebook

11th August 2006	#13
apdv1 Gear nut Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 88	Last time I recorded one I used an SM 57 on the head and a U 87 in the room about 3 metres away. Its a big room!!

11th August 2006	#15
Jim vanBergen Lives for gear Joined: Apr 2005 Location: New York Friggin' City Posts: 2,562	Top for the attack is important. 57, 409, 504, 451, Sm81 etc. Bottom IMPERATIVE: 421, 504, D112, RE20, M88 (my fave). In the right room, a distant ribbon or LDC covers the bottom nicely.

11th August 2006	#16
JGP Gear Head Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 57	An Audix D6 just inside the bottom opening pointing right up at the top can sound really nice as a single mic and get great isolation if you need that. Or use a darker mic in the bottom ( like Senn e602) and a SD mic for the top. The new AT250 would also make a nice bottom mic. But the best I got was xy stereo Shure KSM-32's 9 ft above the drum in a good sounding room. But that only is good if the Djembe is solo, like for overdubbing.

12th August 2006	#19
mtstudios@charter Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Burbank, CA Posts: 989	I use a Senn 421 on top and a EV RE20 on bottom. EQ and compress appropriately. www.bluethumbproductions.com

13th August 2006	#20
Djembe Gear maniac Joined: Jun 2006 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 209	Note my user name I have played Djembe seriously for 15 years and recorded 2 CDs of traditional music in Guinea, West Africa (the home of the djembe). Mic-ing them really depends on the context. If they are filling the role of a drum kit, then a mic on the bottom is important (my favourite is also an M88), but if there is already a drum kit there or other low drums, the bass is not so important. If you ARE using 2 mics, place the top one at an angle more parallel with the skin so you don't pick up so much bass. For the top, personally I tend to favour dynamics such as a SM57 or AKG 880 but LDCs such as a U87 can also work. One thing is not to get the mic too close - at least 12" away and also they don't sound good in small dead rooms. A lot of people who play djembes don't have a good sound. Often they are dead sounding and badly tuned. Obviously then a brighter mic is needed. The traditional sound is high and crisp without being harsh. The albums I recorded in Africa were recorded outdoors in a courtyard and they sounded great. In a traditional setting there are always Doun Doun (bass drums) filling the bottom end, so the bass of the djembe is not important.

14th August 2006	#22
pan60 500 series nutjob Joined: Nov 2004 Location: 500 series Guru SKANK! ; ) Posts: 10,940	sounds like fun.

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13th August 2006	#21
RobR Gear addict Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 446	I won't gurantee any "go to" mics. But, yes, most times, you'll find a Djembe player with the drum hanging between their thighs, at an off-axis, vertical angle; head pointing outward. Oftentimes, you'll find the drum hanging off one thigh, horizontally, with the head pointing, off-axis, towards the opposite knee. In both cases; one close mic on top, one close mic on the bottom. Suits most nicely. However, many accomplished hand drummers use muting tricks; stuffing their entire arm up the open end of the instrument. In that case, try to control their movement; back off a tad with the head mic; back off one or two feet with the bottom mic. Now, in the case that you have the kind of percussionist that is accustomed to moving their djembe around in every position imagineable; try out a stereo pair of "classical" mics in a very, very, very nice sounding room. As for the bottom end, slap a boundary mic, nearby, and force them to stick their feet on some carpet. Welcome to my world.