How The Djembe is Played/Sounds- The primary tones are generally referred to as bass and slap. If you hit the skin near the center with the palm of your hand it produces a bass note. If you hit the skin nearer the rim with the fingers flat it produces a tone noise, and if you hit it in the same place with your fingers relaxed so that the fingertips snap to the head of the drum it makes a slap noise. The slap has a high, sharp sound and the tone is more round and full sound. It is usually played between the legs or it is just on the ground. I also know that this is how it is played from the videos and from personal experience of playing the djembe.

Here is an interesting video of the different sounds someone can play with the djembe