recommended resources for beginning to intermediate players

[bubudi]

here are what i consider to be the best resources for learning rhythms for djembe and dunun that are currently available. please remember that while they certainly help, they don't even come close as a substitute for a teacher. i have included clickable links of where to purchase them from.

books:

• a life for the djembe by mamady keita & uschi billmeier (comes with cd)
• rhythms and songs from guinea by famoudou konate and thomas ott (comes with cd)
• anke dje anke be (djembe and dounou music from mali) by abdoul doumbia & matthew wirzbicki(comes with 2 cds)

avail from drumskull drums

dvds:

• les rythmes du mandeng by mamady keita (3 vol series, beg. to adv, avail separate or in set) - avail from african rhythm traders
• traditional rhythms from guinee by mohamed bangoura aka bangourake (in 2 vols) - avail from drumskull drums

vhs:

• rythmes traditionnels du mandingue by mamady keita (different to dvd series, also in 3 vols).

avail from earth shaking music

[silviuj]

nice compilation...i've got rhythms and songs from guinea by famoudou konate and it is a great book, i didnt see the book by Mamady Keita but i think they are great to,aspecially a life for the djembe

[e2c]

A note on the book and disc by Famoudou - Here in the US, the two are sold separately.

[bubudi]

both books have lots of great information. the dvds are also great for the actual playing. the book misses something of that, even with the cd. btw, mamady's video (vhs) instructional series was re-released. anyone got a link to that?

[e2c]

Here: http://www.ttmusa.org/index.php?option= ... iew&id=203

I checked African RT and Drumskull for this 2 weeks ago; neither listed it, though I'm sure they've both got it on order.

As for the books, I like them for the cultural (etc.) info. and photos, but have never really used the notation. For me, it's easiest to learn from listening. (Though I *am* curious about the notation in Rainer Polak's Jenbe Realbooks - the 2nd one was just released. I've got sources for the CDs here in the US< but not the books.)

[bubudi]

the dvd re-release of the instructional series rythmes traditionels du mandingue previously on vhs is available from here. doh, who thought to check the source? so far it's just the beginners (vol. 1). the intermediate and advanced will come later. the rhythms on this series are different from those on the newer dvd instructional series which is called les rythmes du mandeng. similar name but not quite the same. i highly recommend both.

[e2c]

Here: http://www.ttmusa.org/index.php?option= ... iew&id=203

I checked African RT and Drumskull for this 2 weeks ago; neither listed it, though I'm sure they've both got it on order.

As for the books, I like them for the cultural (etc.) info. and photos, but have never really used the notation. For me, it's easiest to learn from listening. (Though I *am* curious about the notation in Rainer Polak's Jenbe Realbooks - the 2nd one was just released. I've got sources for the CDs here in the US< but not the books.)

Yeah, we kinda double-posted, bubudi....

[bubudi]

word, i must've skipped that. still good for folks to recognize mamady released 2 different instructional series. btw, the 2 realbooks are complete transcripts of every solo on both mali tradition cds. it's not accurate by any means, due to the complexity in microtiming, etc. coupled with the cds it would be quite reasonable. dugafola should be able to set you straight, he has both realbooks.

[e2c]

that's about what I suspected with those Jenbe Realbooks.

I honestly don't see how most "world percussion" music can be accurately (let alone adequately!) notated. Whether you're dealing with drumming from Persia, India, Cuba or Africa, it's all highly complex stuff. I think anything beyond the most basic, skeletal patterns is bound to be off.

Sometimes I wonder when we Europeans, Americans (et. al.) will realize that our ears are the most important piece of equipment in learning music....

[skinsandstrings]

^^ very true , same with a lot of music , if you can learn to listen properly , you can learn more than by rigidly sticking to abstract notation. By all means combine the two , but i've seen people wasting time by following music on paper and not 'feeling it' with their hearts and ears.

[Jeepz]

I just bought my first djembe (a 12" Remo) and have been looking all over the 'net for resources. I've enjoyed this site immensely and am glad I stumbled on it. I was looking for instructional DVDs on amazon.com and found .

Remembering How to Drum: Djembe Technique by Michael Taylor
and
Jim Donovan's Rhythmic Foundation : Interactive African Drumming for Everyone

Anyone familiar with either of these and can give a review?

[bubudi]

hi jeepz, welcome to the forum and to the wonderful world of drumming. the djembe is a unique instrument and if you want an authentic experience, i would recommend beginning with a teacher from west africa. i'm not sure what area you live in but maybe someone on the forum knows one there. failing that, go with one of the dvds i recommended above. the first dvd that you asked about has had good reviews, but you will get the drumming without all the african flavour.

[Jeepz]

I live in St. Louis, Midwest United States. Not exactly a hotbed of djembe life and culture, so I'm not likely to find an authentic teacher here (online searches haven't been fruitful yet, but I've only been at this a couple of days). I'll check out the videos you suggested, I'm just looking at a LOT of options right now, it's information overload at the present.

[e2c]

jeepz, although I haven't seen the Michael Taylor video, I'm sure it's good. He's been certified by Tam Tam Mandigue USA (Mamady Keita's US branch).

TTM site: http://www.ttmusa.org/

Michael's page on the TTM USA site: http://www.ttmusa.org/index.php?option= ... &Itemid=29

He's the director of TTM Chicago; more contact info. at the link. Maybe he can help you locate a teacher in MO. (it's worth a try, I think!)

[Jeepz]

Thanks for that! I dropped him an e-mail this afternoon. We'll see if I hear anything. Regardless, the web sites have been very interesting.