Subtraction in parts...

[Carl]

Here's a little exercise to learn a bunch of related djembe parts...

Start with one of the djembe parts for Moribayassa:

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1 . + . 2 . + .
b . t t b . s .
r . r l r . r .

Now, take away the bass from beat 2 and you get a part for Kuku (and a slew of other rhythms)

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1 . + . 2 . + .
b . t t . . s .
r . r l . . r .

Double that up, and take away every other bass and you get a part for Balakulandjan (and a couple of others I think...)

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1 . + . 2 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + .
b . t t . . s . . . t t . . s .
r . r l . . r . . . r l . . r .

Take away the last bass and you are left with this upbeat pattern (anyone help me out here with which rhythms this would work with???)

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1 . + . 2 . + .
. . t t . . s .
. . r l . . r .

There ya' go, 4 djembe parts that are all related.
I sometimes use this to help students who are having trouble playing "on the upbeat".

Let me know if this helps!

C

[michi]

Here's a little exercise to learn a bunch of related djembe parts...

Nice one!

I like the pedagogic approach!

Take away the last bass and you are left with this upbeat pattern (anyone help me out here with which rhythms this would work with???)

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1 . + . 2 . + .
. . t t . . s .
. . r l . . r .

I don't recall this specific pattern as a traditional accompaniment. (I'm sure someone will correct me in a second )

But add one more beat, and you have one of the accompaniments for Yole (among others):

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1.+.2.+.
..tt..ss

Cheers,

Michi.

[bubudi]

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1 . + . 2 . + .
. . t t . . s .
. . r l . . r .

I don't recall this specific pattern as a traditional accompaniment. (I'm sure someone will correct me in a second )

these are always taught with at least one bass, but when it gets fast as it does in conakry, bamako, abidjan, etc, you will see people drop the bass. traditional? to the cities, yes.

[the kid]

This is the acc for djagbe too.

It's funny, i find this much harder than the rhythm with the bass on the 1 and 3(below)
I think its more difficult to anticipate the beat in the djagbe acc. You simply play the beat here.




This is what i perceived for an accompaniment for madan from Ibrahima Sarr
What's your ideas on it. I'm not 100% where it sits relative to the beat so any input welcome

Is it related to one of the others you posted there. Have i got it arseways...


Mr. Kid ...

[bubudi]

Have i got it arseways...

yea i'm afraid both of them, keanie.

the first one:

the tones are all offbeat. it should therefore be notated like this:

This is what i perceived for an accompaniment for madan from Ibrahima Sarr
What's your ideas on it. I'm not 100% where it sits relative to the beat so any input welcome

you have it kind of right, only starting in the middle... it should look like this:

Is it related to one of the others you posted there.

it's basically the same only with added basses.

[Carl]

Is it related to one of the others you posted there.

it's basically the same only with added basses.

I have a couple more similar posts in mind (probably should put them under the teachers corner, but I see it working both ways...)

Adding basses (or any other technique) is another way of building new parts.

One of my goals as a teacher is to show how similar techniques are related. I find that it really helps when you can relate a new part to one that you already know.

@Kid -

Yes, while you might be a bit off on the details you definitely have the right idea. That accompaniment to Madan could be thought of as "Kuku plus a bass". In the end you should stop thinking that, and just think "Madan" but this is really more about learning and relating things to other things.

Another thing that I notice is that each of these parts are played slightly different than the others (in addition to the subtraction or addition of notes) For example, I think of Moribayassa being the most "square" with Kuku having 'slightly' more swing and Balakulandian having more swing than the other two. Then again, there are songs which have the "same part" but with significantly different feels.

Question to the group: Should I continue posting these ideas here or should I move them to the teachers corner???? (I'm thinking at least 2 more posts on djembe parts, with quite a few possibilities for dununs...) Should I make them blog posts? Articles for the "learning" section of the site????

Thanks for listening.
C

[bubudi]

carl, put them where you feel is closer to what your intent is. a blog post is a great idea, you could do lots more with it and take it in whatever direction you want.