Tips

Sit on the edge of your chair and bring the djembe as close to you as possible. You can use a bicycle bungee cord around your waist to lock the drum in place(the red line in the picture). Otherwise, you will have to hold the drum with your feet. Take a relaxed and straight posture keeping your feet on the floor. Search for the right balance and relax your shoulders. Your elbows should not be below the drum head level (see the yellow line in the picture). Your hand should be in a straight line from your elbows to the tip of your fingers.  Adjust the drum angle to match this line. Avoid leaning your body forward; that often happens when you are concentrated. If your shoulders move to the front, your elbows will drop lower, leading to difficulties in producing the sounds. A good position will help you to relax and keep breathing while you play.