[music] Hi there, I'm Alejandro. I'm pleased that you've taken the opportunity
to borrow one of the doumbeks or djembes from the library. These instruments are a lot of fun, but we
need to take proper care of them because they are delicate. Here are some tips. First, ensure that the instrument's always
properly stored in its case to protect the skin, always upright so the weight of the
instrument is not on the head, and never have anything stacked or sitting on top of it. Applying pressure to the head can get it out
of tune and really ruin the skin. The next thing to know is that you should
never play the doumbek or djembe with sticks. In the case of the doumbek, you could actually
break the skin. In the case of the djembe, you will leave
marks on the skins all over. So the best way to play these instruments
are actually just with your hands. Now, let me explain that some djembes are
tuned by tightening the webbing and pulling the rope around them. You should not play with, or tighten, or pull
on this rope.
This can cause the skin to overstretch, which
would change the tuning and/or cause breakage. In other words, don't try to tune the instruments
unless you really know how to do it. I really hope you have fun playing these instruments. And if you want to find out more about proper
care practices and playing tips, you can go online and/or contact a music instructor. Have fun. [music].