The Talking Drum is in the membranophone class of musical instruments (membranous head). It is shaped like an hourglass with two heads of same size and shape. The two heads are sewn together with leather thongs call “osan”. This drum is the youngest in the Yorubaland of the traditional drums, but the most powerful one. The drum is locally called dun dun, meaning “sweet sound”

Origin The talking drum was invented in Oyo by Alaafin Ajiboye. According to oral history, the talking drum was originally created as means of communication before the invention of writing.

My journey to the Talking Drum was a mystery to my parents and me throughout my life at home. When I got to America, the meaning of the mystery began to unfold. I was discovered to be a talking drummer at the age of two months. At this time, my grandmother told me that anytime the Talking Drum played, I always burst into an unusual cry. She decided to take me to the venue of the play. To her surprise, I stopped the crying immediately. She repeated this process three times, always with the same results. After that, she presented me to them, and that was how I became a talking drummer.

I love music not because of its sounds, but because of its functions. Music is very educational, spiritual, philosophical, scientific, anthropological, historical, psychological, royal, and very unifying. As a result of all those qualities, music has power to transform the entire people of the universe. This is my foremost goal.

Each of the original Dundun senior drums were made for one god only. For example:

Bata drum - Shango (god of thunder), Ipese - Ifa (god of oracle) Igbin Obtala (god of peace) the god who made different parts of human body

When the Talking Drum was invented, it became a drum of different gods; drum of royalty, drum of ancestors, drum of politicians and socially became drum of everybody. Its functions – The Talking Drum’s ability to imitate the tonal sound of language has made it superior to any of those drums that existed before it. It was purposefully invented to send messages. Since it can talk and sing, that is how it became a musical instrument.

Today, the Talking Drum is still used for communication. It is used to praise gods and peoples names. It is used to invoke the spirits of our ancestors and deities. It is used to correct the errors of the societies. It is used to tell history of the past, to teach people how to cope with the present and how to prepare for the future.

Perhaps what makes the Talking Drum a unique drum is its ability to adapt to the tone of any musical instruments; I mean musical instruments of the universe. It fares well in jazz, blues, R&B, rock and roll, reggae, classical music and even choral music.

USE OF THE TALKING DRUM The Talking Drum can be played in solo or in ensemble. It can be played tied to a single pitch or loose for variable tones. The Talking Drum is very beautiful visually and can be used to decorate the home.

The Talking Drum as an ensemble goes beyond what the eyes can see. It is a reflection of the African family life. What impressed me most as a talking drum player, is not only its sweet sound, its shapes and sizes, but its family and how the role of each member of the family is defined. The role of each family member must be played correctly and at the right time creating harmony. Therefore, the talking drum is a book of life that everyone must read, digest and apply. This same book of life and knowledge has taken me everywhere. It is not my journey to places that makes me the happiest, but the possibility of discovering “Remo, Incorporated”.

My biggest dream has been to make the Talking Drum the Universal Drum. This dream could not be fulfilled unless the drum can be constructed of different materials, and can be mass produced to go around the world. Our original drum can only function well in tropical climates. Economically, the traditional Nigerian talking drum is very difficult to maintain. Experts are required not only to make it, but to fix it when it breaks. After fixing the drum, it takes about three to five days before it is ready for play. The original dundun requires the skins of animals. Animal rights consciousness, legislation and natural resource limitations, make new materials preferable for modern instruments. Remo has conquered all of these problems.

LEARNING HOW TO PLAY Learning to play the Talking Drum is not as difficult as many people think it is. Every pattern played in the talking drum is very simple. What makes the music interesting (and more difficult) is the relationship between patterns. Because of the importance of this relationship, the students begin with learning the four different “Standard Patterns”. These are the pillars of not only African music, but the music of the universe. I am proud to tell my students by knowing three of the four patterns, they will be able to play with any ensemble of drummers. This is because the origin of any, I repeat, ANY music or musical pattern has Yoruba traces. Come and Learn! You will be surprised to discover what original music is. To me, music is: Power, strength, healing, touching, consulting, unity , unification, feeling, familiarizing, inviting, therapy, consoling, condoling, emotion, knowledge and wisdom….music is everything.