[michi]

I find that, ever since I've started throwing a pinch of kosher salt over my left shoulder before playing, my skins last twice as long

But would that vary between left and right depending whether your in northern or southern hemisphere?

Oops, yes, of course, how silly of me. Right shoulder for northern hemisphere people, otherwise the skin will last only half as long!

Michi.

[davidognomo]

I once met an african guy in Lisboa that came to talk to me, because he saw/heard me play at a garden. He was happy to find a white guy playing, I guess, african style, and on a good djembe. He told me, among other things to store the djembe on its side to keep air flow and reduce chances of the skin to pop. I always remembered that trying to realise if it actually made sense.
Last october Fode Bangoura was here for his anual workshop in Lisboa. I was talking to him, my djembe was layed on its side and as I was talking to Fode, the djembe rolled a bit to the side, and I stopped it putting my foot on it. Fode immediately reacted as if was doing some kind of sacrilegious act, and told me not to put my feet on the djembe. Of course this has to do with a kind of care you have with your instrument as a special object, deserving respect and care. I I believe that the care you have for the object reflects the importance you give to the instrument and your musical relationship with it. Back to topic: then I asked him what other kind of advice he had to give on this kind of care with the djembe and asked him if I should leave it on the floor on its side, and he said yes, for it to breathe, and corroborated the other guy's talk. I had noticed him sometimes, after drum class, and on the break between drum class and dance class, leaving his djembe laying on its side. Other times, he would leave it standing, but on shorter pauses.
The fact is that, if a djembe is laying on its side, it's more difficult that water, any kind of object falls on the skin, aswell as someone's hands, or even someone's ass, as I've seen happen sometimes.

[michi]

[…] He was happy to find a white guy playing, I guess, african style, and on a good djembe. He told me, among other things to store the djembe on its side to keep air flow and reduce chances of the skin to pop. […]
Last october Fode Bangoura was here […] then I asked him what other kind of advice he had to give on this kind of care with the djembe and asked him if I should leave it on the floor on its side, and he said yes, for it to breathe, and corroborated the other guy's talk.

Thanks for that, this is the first time I have heard of a professional suggesting that it's better to store the drum on its side.

I'm still very skeptical whether it would make any difference, Fode's words notwithstanding. For example, the airflow reasoning would also argue against keeping a drum in its bag, because that stops airflow altogether. But most people seem to agree that keeping a drum in its bag is a truly good idea.

The fact is that, if a djembe is laying on its side, it's more difficult that water, any kind of object falls on the skin, aswell as someone's hands, or even someone's ass, as I've seen happen sometimes.

Yes, no argument with that!

Cheers,

Michi.

[davidognomo]

Michi, I think we are talking about leaving a djembe off the bag. That's what I was talking about. When off the bag, is leaving the djembe layed on its side better, worse or the same as leaving it standing. I believe the best option is always inside a good bag, and in that case, the djembe almost always stands vertical. I had two skins that popped with the djembe standing, during winter. But I had one that popped while the djembe was layed on its side. This skin was very old and the djembe was left in a very humid room overnight. I have no certainties on this matter. Skins pop, people learn how to head djembes, and when it has a happy ending (good looks, good sound) we get happy and proud about it. I don't have your experience, but when a re-heading job is done, what goes through my mind is "lets see how long this one will hold".
For the record: this was post #500 for me.

[michi]

When off the bag, is leaving the djembe layed on its side better, worse or the same as leaving it standing.

Other than making it less likely for the drum to fall over or have something spilled or fall onto the skin, I don't think it makes any difference. Maybe the idea of having a drum (without a bag) on its side originally comes from just that? I don't think storing a drum on its side affects skin life all by itself but, of course, people might have started the practice initially exactly because it's more likely that someone will spill their drink on a drum if it's upright?

I believe the best option is always inside a good bag, and in that case, the djembe almost always stands vertical.

No argument there!

I had two skins that popped with the djembe standing, during winter. But I had one that popped while the djembe was layed on its side. This skin was very old and the djembe was left in a very humid room overnight. I have no certainties on this matter.

Right. "Pop goes the djembe…" Every hobby has its bad bits. If you are scuba diving, it's washing and carrying gear around. If you are skydiving, it's packing the bloody parachute after you've used it. If you are playing djembe, it's replacing those skins that pop endlessly…

Skins pop, people learn how to head djembes, and when it has a happy ending (good looks, good sound) we get happy and proud about it. I don't have your experience, but when a re-heading job is done, what goes through my mind is "lets see how long this one will hold".

Same here. After all these years, I still have no idea how long the bloody things will last. Sometimes (fortunately, not often) it's all of a week. Sometimes (unfortunately, rarely) it's a year.

For the record: this was post #500 for me.

Congratulations! And welcome to the club!

Michi.