Distinctive djembe calls

[James]

I thought of this while writing this thread about the origin of djembe calls.

Some rhythms have disctinctive calls that identify the rhythm. I thought it might be interesting to list what calls we know that are for a particular rhythm. And indeed perhaps other calls we know.

This might be clearest and most useful using the Drum notation system

[James]

Sorsonnet:

[Dugafola]

mane
sinte x 3+
konkoba x a lot
kassa
mendiani x a lot
wolosodon
lamban
bao
djabara (i've seen other drummers in the village use the exact same call as the one MK uses. could have been influenced...never asked.)
yamama
bolowe (ternary and binary)
etc etc.


this thread can probably go on for a long time since a majority of 'calls' were most likely developed in the ballet and/or as rhythms traditionally played on other instruments got transposed to djembe/dunun.

[bubudi]

i notated the three generic calls in the other thread.

some others not yet mentioned:

yoleli
marakafoli
koreduga
dansa
didadi
djole
yankadi
yoki
mane
liberte 1
liberte 2
bao
zaouli
abondan

[Onetreedrums]

Add Sunun/Goi

[bubudi]

nate, what is the one you know for sunu? i usually use the generic call, but have learned a kind of call within an intro break. then there's the intro and ending calls for the fast sunu.

we should probably try to notate or record these...

[michi]

Here is the Sunun break I learned from Matche Traore in Bamako in January 2008. I've heard that break several times since from different artists. I've come across minor variations but, in essence, the break remains unchanged.

The call is:

Code: Select all

1...2...3...4...1...2...3...4...
..............b.t.ss.ss.t.ssb.b.


SununBreak.mp3

Sunun break taught by Matche Traore, Bamako, Jan 2008

(1007.23 KiB) Downloaded 82 times

Cheers,

Michi.

[bubudi]

that's a nice break. i've heard two versions of it, including one from matche that i learned from a friend who studied with him, but it went slightly differently to what you learned.

[Onetreedrums]

The distinct Sunun/Goi break I am referring to is the one that my teacher Abdoul Doumbia teaches which he refers to as the "ancient break." It is included in his incredible book, "Anke Dje, Anke Be." I added it in the notation section, but don't understand the best way to incorporate it into this message.

[bubudi]

thanks nate! here's the notation you made:



for future reference, after you create a tab, it says 'to embed the tab in a message, copy the following code'. just copy it and paste it into your message.

[Onetreedrums]

Thanks, Bubudi ... I forgot the last tone and deleted the incorrect tab. Here is the corrected version: