A djembe or jembeis a rope-tuned skin-covered goblet drum played with bare hands, originally from West Africa. The djembe can produce a wide variety of sounds, making it a most versatile drum. The drum is very loud, allowing it to be heard clearly as a solo instrument over a large percussion ensemble. The Malinké people say that a skilled drummer is one who "can make the djembe talk", meaning that the player can tell an emotional story. (The Malinké never used the djembe as a signaling drum.)