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Dunun Sticks
FAQ date May 12, 2001:
Since I have started playing dununs, vertically, I asked our subscribers of Djembe-L elist what sticks are best for playing duns. Here's their responses:
What I have found is that it depends on what style of playing you use.
Will you be playing with the drums vertically or horizontally? If vertical then the thick
straight stick maybe the way to go. If horizontal then a curved stick might be best. The
best thing would be to try out both and see what works best for you. I use a single curved
style stick that I cherish dearly. I play my drums horizontally one on top of the other. I
soon discovered that this type of stick was necessary to play the Mali style that my
teacher Mohamad 'Joh' Camara teaches. I was not able to produce the sounds on the drum as
effectively with a straight stick. Also the curved stick seems, for me anyway, easier on
the wrist when playing closed notes, and when playing at speed.
As far as material goes, I haven't ever worked with Hickory, but it seems that it could be
a good choice. I don't know what wood my curved stick is made from, it came to me from
Mali by way of my good friend
Rodger. It's 3 plus years old and not showing any signs of fatigue. I make straight sticks
from maple. They are a good weight, for a heavy sound, about 11" long and a full inch
in diameter. I mill them from a 1"
square blank on a router table or shaper using a 1/2", 1/4 roundover cutter. Then
sand smooth to 400 grit, tack off, and rub with pure coconut oil. If you use commercially
available dowel rod, be sure that it is a hardwood. Almost any will do, with the exception
of Balsa. Check the web for woodworking supply shops. They normally carry a selection of
hardwood dowels. I would stay away from the cut up broom handle or
closet rod. They're normally Fir or even Pine. I have seen many of these not survive one
dance class and they have a tendency to turn into a mess of flying splinters when they go.
These are only my experiences. Your mileage may vary.
From: "James Walkowiak" <James@earthdrum.com>
3/4 inch hardwood dowells found in any hardware store, cut to 16 inches
and
rounded off at each end work well - they have a good heft and are durable
Tom Harris" <tom.harris@mindspring.com>
The best dunun sticks, I have found so far, are hand-made from birch. These sticks
are well-balanced and are available from Michael Markus, Amarkus@aol.com
for $15 a pair.
07/07/2001
