Percussion Plus Honestly Made Ghanaian dundun set of 3 - medium

Introducing the Percussion Plus Honestly Made Ghanaian dundun set of 3 - medium

This dundun set is made up of three West African drums: the PP6620 10" kenkeni, the PP6621 12” sangban and PP6622 14” dundunba. Robust, resonant and vibrantly designed, this dundun set will make a fantastic addition to your music department.

The dundun family (pronounced djundjun) are traditional West African percussion instruments, used as the foundations for many performances as they typically provide the lowest pitched sound in an ensemble.

These quality drums are hand carved in Ghana using traditional materials and methods, and are wrapped in brightly coloured, intricately patterned fabric. The two natural hide heads are rope tensioned to provide accurate pitch and create the perfect timbre to underpin djembe music and other ensembles.

How to play the dundun drums

These drums should be played horizontally, either laid on the player’s lap or on a table in front of them. This gives good access to either drum head and allows for maximum resonance. For ensemble work, it will often be appropriate to only play one end of the drum using the provided beater, but for more complex pieces or solo performances both ends could be played together, either with the hands or an extra beater.

The kenkeni

As the smallest drum in the dundun family, the kenkeni is often played by younger children and is popular with travelling musicians for its portability.

Within a dundun group, the kenkeni is typically used as a metronome or to play simple rhythms, as its high pitch enables it to cut through the texture of an ensemble. However, with the two drum heads strung at different strengths, the kenkeni can be adapted into different musical roles as you see fit!

The sangban

As the middle drum in the dundun family, the sangban often acts as the soloist instrument playing complex rhythms to lead the ensemble.

Within a dundun group, the sangban is typically used to play the intricate, featured solo parts, sitting comfortably in the middle of the texture but still with plenty of power to cut through. However, with the two drum heads strung at different strengths, the sangban can be adapted into different musical roles as you see fit!

The dundunba

The dundunba is a wonderful addition to music education settings; it is perfect for underpinning almost any percussion ensemble, especially those involving djembes. The sonorous timbre of a dundunba adds a certain gravitas to performances, and it is an immensely satisfying instrument to strike!

Within a dundun group, the dundunba is typically used to play the bass lines, underpinning the ensemble and lending an especially low voice to broaden the soundscape. In fact, the Malinke word “ba” translates as “big”, providing a clear indication of this particular drum’s role in a dundun ensemble.