Pottery as Percussion
tc...@cornell.edu
have thrown one, diameter about 10 inches, classic djembe shape, and I am
planning on throwing bigger ones. Does anyone else out there have
interest in this subject? I am also interested in learning the different
methods for attaching the goatskin; whether to make holes in the pot and
thread the rope through or whether to tie it off around the waist of the
pot. If anyone else is interested or could tell me more about the
subject, like benefits of different skinnned heads and methods of
tightening, feel free to email me. I would like to share what I know and
learn more myself.
Dan Merwin,
mer...@mail.baka.com
Sargis Atanous
writes:
> I'm interested in making a djembe out of a wheel-thrown pot. So
far I
>have thrown one, diameter about 10 inches
I assume you know this but the clay will shrink about 20% after sitting
in the kiln (pronounced "kil")...
Sarge
deborah lynn gillaspie
I don't work with pottery myself, but I DO own a dumbek made by a local
artist. It's about 11" tall, and the walls are about 1/2" thick. The top
diameter measures 6.5", the bottom 3.5" The head is slunk (unborn calf)
and appears to have been stretched wet and glued; the raw edge is covered
with a glued-on fabric braid.
United Rawhide here in Chicago is a source for skin heads. (312)276-1177
FAX (312)276-9535. If you plan to go in person, call ahead for directions.
Also try your local Tandy leather store; they often carry or can get rawhide
for drum heads.
You'll need to experiment with wall thickness -- too thin, and they
break during firing; too thick, and they sometimes crack or sound
thuddy.
Good luck!
--Debbie
Gretsch jazz kit, old K's and Istanbuls
--
d-gil...@uchicago.edu Minds are like books --
They only work when they're open.
Ben Jacoby
: planning on throwing bigger ones. Does anyone else out there have
: interest in this subject? I am also interested in learning the different
: methods for attaching the goatskin; whether to make holes in the pot and
: thread the rope through or whether to tie it off around the waist of the
: pot. If anyone else is interested or could tell me more about the
: subject, like benefits of different skinnned heads and methods of
: tightening, feel free to email me. I would like to share what I know and
: learn more myself.
Yeah, ceramic drums is a field wide open for experimentation and creativity.
Some years ago someone in the ceramic art dept. at Ohio State had a show
where they made all these really cool looking ceramic shapes that had
skins attached so they were really all drums. (As I recall, however, I
think most were hand-built rather than thrown) It really set me off! I
got to thinking, wouldn't it be great, instead of having this show where
people just kind of walked around and thunked on things, you actually had
a "joint" performance where real drummers worked with the drum artist and
in the end had both an art exhibit AND performance. MAX COOL! The thing
is that these drums really don't have to imitate the shapes of any
traditional drums, but they *do* have to work as drums.
As a little side note, I knew this ceramic artist who used to make these
giant horns (you could actually play them!). They were so big and heavy
he usually hung them from tree limbs with ropes. Now wouldn't those be a
fine addition to a ceramic instrument exhibit/performance?
And a further aside: I hope you know that a 10" drum won't be 10" after
you fire it! I once made that mistake with what was supposed to be a
large coffee cup and I ended up with this dainty little thing!
--
Benjamin Jacoby | "Some rob you with a six-gun and some with
bja...@infinet.com | a fountain pen." ..........Woodie Guthrie
Jo Ann Malina
|> I'm interested in making a djembe out of a wheel-thrown pot. So far I
|> have thrown one, diameter about 10 inches, classic djembe shape, and I am
|> planning on throwing bigger ones. Does anyone else out there have
|> interest in this subject? I am also interested in learning the different
|> methods for attaching the goatskin; whether to make holes in the pot and
|> thread the rope through or whether to tie it off around the waist of the
|> pot. If anyone else is interested or could tell me more about the
|> subject, like benefits of different skinnned heads and methods of
|> tightening, feel free to email me. I would like to share what I know and
|> learn more myself.
Wouldn't a pottery djembe big enough to produce the right tone weigh a
ton and be impossible to play standing up? And if you make a little
one, you've basically got a doumbek as far as sound goes, I think, and
it wouldn't have a big enough head for djembe technique.
*) *) *) *) *) *) *) *) *) *) *)!(* (* (* (* (* (* (* (* (* (* (* (* (*
Jo Ann Malina, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
jo...@slac.stanford.edu -or- 415/926-2846
Neither Stanford nor the DOE would be caught dead with these opinions.
Nor do they consult me when formulating theirs.
--------
Healthy functioning requires environmental support. --Fritz Perls