The djembe is one of West Africa's best known instruments. This goblet-shaped drum is traditionally carved from a single piece of African hardwood and topped with an animal skin as a drumhead. In western understanding, the drum belongs to the membranophone class of instruments in the percussion family. The djembe has a very unique and distinctive design, which is fundamental to its versatile sound. The “goblet-shaped” body of the drum is carved and hollowed out of a single piece of tree trunk. The Mandinka people traditionally used wood from Lenge trees, which held great spiritual importance for them while also lending the drum its resounding acoustic. The craftsmanship is easy to see on the decorative exterior.

The talking drum is one of the oldest musical instruments used by master drummers. It’s a highly stylized instrument that has its origin in the West African regions of Africa. The drum can be found in Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria. It is prominent among the Yoruba ethnic group but can be found in neighboring Nigerian countries like Togo and Benin Republic The drums are carved out of tree trunks and are made having an hourglass shape with long leather tension cords attached from the drum head to the base of the drum. The crown or top side is usually made out of stretched animal skin pulled taut, which covers a hollow midsection; the drum could have a single membrane or double skinned and comes in varied sizes, depending on the origin and function.