a mail compilation from list members

April 1, 1999

Drummers -

George asked about how a strap gets twisted around & through the body parts, I gave my impression of it. George liked it, Bob thinks it's worth sending, perhaps even as an addition to a FAQ somewhere, so here it is:

How does one weave that 3+ meter long strap into my body so it holds a djembe or ashiko?

The wrap technique is tricky to explain, but easy "once you get the rhythm of it".

This explanation assumes that the drum is standing in front of you, that the strap is one continuous loop, and that the loop has been passed through a string or two on the side of the drum facing you.

For my strap, I cut the tow hooks off both ends, passed both ends into seperate spaces in the top-most strings on the drum, and tied a knot.

This way, the only knot in the strap is not touching my body, and if I need to make it shorter, I pull more strap through & tie another knot.

So the initial "picture" looks like this:


                       l-o-n-g---l-o-o-p
                   Drum+                l      person
                       l-o-n-g---l-o-o-p

Next, we twist the loop once:

                       l-o-n-g\ /l-o-o-p
                   Drum+        /       l      person
                       l-o-n-g/ \l-o-o-p


and then it gets too tricky to draw in ascii.

fold the loop near you under the loop near the drum, and pull it under the bottom of the drum.

coming up from below, put your head through the two loops, and as your shoulders pass the first loop, stick out your arms to keep them from passing through the second loop.

Stand up, shake around & adjust lengths until it's comfortable, and drum.

Pat Cain
______________________________________________________________________
From: Spencer Dawkins <sdawkins@nortelnetworks.com>
Date: Thursday, March 25, 1999 1:17 PM
Subject: [TexasDrums] Re: Strap...?

From: "Spencer Dawkins" <sdawkins@nortelnetworks.com>

On an ashiko, you would tie a length of cloth (or something else, but cloth works) making a loop between a couple of the ropes that you can fasten stuff to, and then tie your strap/whatever to the loop.

I use one of the luggage straps, too. I'm quite large, so it can be snug, but it works. I actually use this strap more often on a Remo doumbek (tunable), which is lighter than my Remo djembe. I'm not sure how your (wooden?) ashiko would compare.

The straps you see on virtually everyone except Kent Multer are actually two karate belts (available from your local martial arts store, be prepared for a quizzing until you say "not for me - I haven't actually earned a red/whatever belt - but for my drum") tied end-to-end. Ties to the loop
(described above at the top of the drum), loops around your shoulders, down your back, and wraps around the bottom of your drum through your legs. I've seen ashiko guys do this, too - except for the very big standing drums - they can be kinda heavy.

The clay doumbeks are WONDERFUL except when you try to find straps for them. The most successful I've seen are clay ones that have a clay handle or something to attach the straps to. I've seen people with macrame-looking "baskets", and even they seem to muffle the sound (they don't cover the
bottom, but they have a "ring" inside the bottom that the yarn attaches to ) - plus, as I tell Amy Martin, it looks like a djembe with a training bra.
I've seen one guy who was doing well with a strap from an old Macintosh case, and one guy who wrapped thick string/thin rope around the barrel of the drum and then had straps at both ends of the rope section, but I sure haven't seen the definitive strap for doumbeks.

Hope this helps.

Spencer

----Original Message-----
From: Steve Colvin <colvin@drums.org >
Date: Sunday, March 08, 1998 10:33 AM
Subject: Remo djembe strap

I thought I'd pass along a neat substitute for the strap that comes with the Remo djembe.  I substituted a luggage strap made by Eagle Creek called the Ultimate Travel Strap.  It clips onto the tuning bolts, has a padded, nonslip back that is comfortable, and adjusts from 36 to 48 inches.  You should be able to find it at travel product stores that sell Eagle Creek products, or you can order one from Magellan's (www.magellans.com).

-----Original Message-----
From: dirk brinker <dirk.brinker@z.zgs.de>
Date: Sunday, September 13, 1998 3:38 PM

There have been some questions about djembe-straps lately. There is an easy way to make individual, very good looking and comfortable straps yourself. When I said "easy" I didn't mean fast.*) This technique is called "card- or tablet-weaving". I made 2 djembe-straps myself using that technique and got them done on a weekend each. Now I didn't want to explain this type of weaving here, so I had a look around on the web. Didn't even know the english word for "card-weaving" before but I found a site with a description. So here's to the "strapless":
http://www.duke.edu/~scg3/basictw.html

ciao
dirk

*)the length of the strap should be a little more than 4 meters. Use thick cotton.

From December 1998 postings, courtesy of Bob Freur:

Here's what I picked up out of the last few weeks' posts on "Straps".

1. hi,
there have been some questions about djembe-straps lately. There is an easy way to make individual, very good looking and comfortable straps yourself.
When I said "easy" I didn't mean fast.*) This technique is called
"card- or tablet-weaving". I made 2 djembe-straps myself using that
technique and got them done on a weekend each. Now I didn't want to
explain this type of weaving here, so I had a look around on the web.
Didn't even know the english word for "card-weaving" before but I found
a site with a description. So here's to the "strapless":
http://www.duke.edu/~scg3/basictw.html

ciao
dirk

From: Barry <barry.srq@netsrq.com>

Kind listfolk,

I am in the process of acquiring a djembe, and seek information on suitable straps or harness for playing in a standing position.  I mostly play in a circle on the beach, and my knees won't tolerate kneeling over
the instrument.

Has anyone made their own from webbing, and how best to attatch to a rope-tuned djembe? What about commercial products?

Your suggestions or solutions will be gratefully received.

Thank you,

Barry
---------------------------------------------------------

From: "R Clark" <clark@acceleration.net>

Hail Barry,

You might want to check the FAQ Vol 4a.   and searching the archives  <http://www.escribe.com/music/djembe/> is prolly an even better bet. I find <http://www.escribe.com/music/djembe/msg00180.html> ; and
<http://www.escribe.com/music/djembe/msg00176.html> which should get you started. There is also the commercial SliderStrap <http://www.slider-straps.com>.

Happy Holidays,
Blessed BE
IN Time
R
Gainesville, FL USA
---------------------------------------------------------
(Excerpted text of those archived references follows, then posted
replies to list 12/98)
---------------------------------------------------------
http://www.escribe.com/music/djembe/msg00176.html

Synthetic Djembes
          From: Jewels
          Date: Mon Dec 12 09:07:46 94
Greetings fellow drummers,

I own a fiberglass djembe with a goatskin head, handmade by Ron Salado in Kalifornica and I love it. <snips unrelated to straps>  I also want to share a tip on drum straps: padded cotton karate belts
make great djembe straps, and they come in assorted colors :) I tied 2 straps together, then tied them onto the ropes of my drum ending up with one long loop which I then twist once and loop around the bottom cone to form an "X" harness which I put my head and arms through so that the the straps cross on my back. It feels very comfortable wearing my djembe this way.

                         Keep up the rhythm! :), Jewels
Magick is intentional coincidence. "I MAGI NATION"
---------------------------------------

http://www.escribe.com/music/djembe/msg00180.html
Synthetic drums, video tapes and other stuff

          From: Cynthia Pettit
          Date: Mon Dec 12 13:42:19 94

I want to respond to a few things on this thread:

<snips unrelated to straps>

Padded cotton karate belts: I have a karate belt on my Ashiko, and I sewed two long strips of velcro to each side -- I can now adjust the length on-the-fly!  I did this when I was having back pains from the drum and my chiropractor adjusted me right where the knot hit my spine!  It also makes it a "friendly drum" since I can easily adjust it for others.  Since the velcro is pulling along the length of the strap [i.e. shearing] it holds very, very strongly.  I could see attaching two belts together for the Djembe.

Incidently, I cut a hole in my Ashiko bag so I could stick the strap through and loop it up and under the end of the drum to make an easy handle for carrying!
<snips>
Cyn
       
                               
-----------------------------------------------------
(There is a link to Slider Straps, a commercial strap maker, under Vol.
17, Section 2, of FAQ)
------------------------------------------------------
From: Robert Feuer <fires4@vgernet.net>

Barry,

        I purchase 2" wide nylon webbing from an outdoor, rock climbing shop. I also got a quick release plastic buckle and had one end senw on at an awning shop. I fed the loose end thru two verticles next to the head of my djembe just under the sweet spot alog the spine of the goatskin. Then  I threaded the soose end through the other side of the buckle. This makes a continuous loop, which I place under the foot  end of my djembe.

Then cross the loop to make a hole through which to put your head and arms, stand up, and you're ready to rocket.
        The length of webbing you will need to determine, based on you own size. You might just use some string to figure this out before buying the webbing.

Bob.

------------------------------

From: zimme35@ibm.net

Hello,

That sounds awefully complex.  I have found the karate belt(s) make the best straps, and you avoid the sewing, buckles etc.  Any 10 - 12 foot padded strap works very well.

Peace,
Roger

------------------------------

From: ERhythm3@aol.com

        Nylon webbing and karate belts will work, but if you want something fancy, something nice you can get belts with colorful african fabrics filled on the inside with two layers of canvas.  They come in two lengths, 19 feet ($28.00) or djembes and 9.5 feet ($14.00) for Ashikos.  They are available through
Earth Rhythm Drums ERhythm3@aol.com

------------------------------

From: dirk brinker <dirk.brinker@z.zgs.de>

Posted this one earlier this year...

hi,
there have been some questions about djembe-straps lately. There is an easy way to make individual, very good looking and comfortable straps yourself.

When I said "easy" I didn't mean fast.*) This technique is called "card- or tablet-weaving". I made 2 djembe-straps myself using that technique and got them done on a weekend each. Now I didn't want to explain this type of weaving here, so I had a look around on the web. Didn't even know the english word for "card-weaving" before but I found a site with a description. So here's to the "strapless":
http://www.duke.edu/~scg3/basictw.html

ciao
dirk

*)the length of the strap should be a little more than 4 meters. Use thick cotton.
------------------------------

From: "Neil Fahey" <neilfahey@hotmail.com>
Hello,
Firstly I was just wondering if there is anywhere I can get info on how to make myself a good but simple strap for my djembe. It is a rope tuned drum so there is no lugs to hook clips on to. <snips unrelated>

Seeya
Neil
___________________________

From: Robert Feuer <fires4@vgernet.net>
        The strap question is one which re-occurs periodically. It has been asked and answered with several solutions in the last few weeks. The variations have to do with choice of material for the strap. One said use karate belts, another 2" wide nylon webbing.
        Your question as to how to attach the strap to a rope tuned drum absent any lugs is really quite simple. The strap is run through a pair of verticles right under the rim. The strap should be a long, continuous loop. After running one end through a pair of verticles close the strap into a long loop. Place the end of the loop over the foot of the drum.  You will now have two loops coming up either side of the drum. Cross the two loops to make a sling to put over your head, with your arms each going through each of the side loops.
        If you haven't hung yourself by now, then stand up, adjust the straps to lie flat across your shoulders, be sure to keep you knees slightly bent at all times, and prepare for take-off.

Bob.
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