dunun (also referred
to as djun-djun, dundun, doun
doun, and
African Bass Drums). We use
the term Dunun as that
is the
traditional spelling and
pronunciation from Guinea,
with the last 'n' silent. It
sounds more like doonoo when
spoke and the term refers to
the family of bass drums;
doundounba, sangban, and kenkeni.
We carry top of line dunun
hand crafted here in our shop in
Charlotte, NC, as well as
imported dundun from Guinea
and the Ivory Coast. We
specialize in custom dunun
drums and
custom designs, so throw your
idea at us and we'll work up a
quote.
Doundounba, Kenkeni,
and Sangban are the three
dunun that make up
the West African Bass Drum
ensemble.
- The kenkeni is the smallest
of the three and has a higher
pitch; it is used mainly to
keep time. 9.5 x 20"
- The sangban is the middle
sized drum that is thought of
as defining the rhythm,
usually a bit more complex
than the kenkeni. 13 x 24"
- The doundounba is the largest
and provides a deep bass. This
is the foundation to the
rhythm. 17 x 28"
Bolokada Conde (Djembefola
from Conakry, Guinea) has said
that the doundounba is the
power, the kenkeni is the
information, and the
sangban
ties/knits them together.
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