This rhythm is a dangerously funky mixture of 4/4 and 12/8. So dangerous in fact, as to compel Paul Nas to write in his excellently informative description of Soboninkun:
"It is actually dangerous to try and give an accurate notation of this rhythm..."
This floating between timings is hard to do but has incredible results. I first learned this rhythm from Moctar "Mockoulo" Sawane, where it mostly went **WHOOSH** right over our heads! My notation below is compiled from that awesome session, along with study of Mamady's recordings on his albums "Wassolon" and "Balandugu Kan" and his excellent book and Paul's notation mentioned above. See also these two videos of Farafina playing and singing it. Next I need to t-i-m-e-s-t-r-e-t-c-h the recording on Mamady's album "Wassolon" to more easily learn the joyous song :-)
NOTE: This rhythm is totally different from the "Sobonen Kun II" which appears on Famoudou Konate's album "Hamana Mandenkono".
Intro:
130bpm 4/4 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&-
Signal o.OO.O.OO.S.S..B + The signal is always played in a 4/4 feel!
Djembes S.S.S.S.S.S.S..S All drums in unison
Bells x.x.x.x.x.x.x..x
Dun Duns D.D.D.D.D.D.D..D Then start Main Rhythm...
Main Rhythm: (played in 12/8 floating over 4/4)
130bpm 12/8 1&-2&-3&-4&-
r lFrlr lFrl
Djembe 1 S.SoOOS.SoOO The second flam-note should be slightly delayed
r lrrlr lrrl
Djembe 2 S.SSOOS.SSOO
$ = start here
Bell 1 .xx.xx.xx.xx
+Sangban g.g..G.GG...
Bell 2 xx.xx.xx.xx.
+Kenkeni k..KK.k..KK.
Bell 3 .xx.xx.xx.xx
+Dununba ....D.....D.
130bpm 12/8 1&-2&-3&-4&-
Bell 3 .xx.xx.xx.xx
+Dun. Var ....D...D.D. drop this extra note in occasionally :-)
With just the Dununba+Bell 3 part, it's very hard to hear the downbeat in the right place. The best advice is pace out the strong beats on 1, 2, 3, 4 with your feet: Right, Left, Right, Left.
Djembe 2 is Rythme Populaire, slightly stretched into a 12/8 feel, so be sure to keep the hands the same; compare:
130bpm 12/8 1&-2&-3&-4&-
r lrrlr lrrl
Djembe 2 S.SSOOS.SSOO
130bpm 4/4 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&-
r lr rlr lr rl
Djembe 2 S..SS.OOS..SS.OO
Break from Mockoulo in 3 sections, the last of which is an extended Intro:
Section A of Break: $ response enters early here
Signal o.OO.O.OO..BSSSS
Djembes B.SSB.OOB..BSSSS + 1st time - Dun Duns carry on with their parts
Djembes B.SSB.OOB...s..B +
Djembes SOOSOOSOS..BSSSS +
Djembes B.SSB.OOB..BSSSS + 2nd time
Djembes B.SSB.OOB...s..B +
Djembes SOOSOOSOS..BSSSS +
Djembes B.SSB.OOB..BSSSS + 3rd time
Djembes B.SSB.OOB...s..B +
Djembes SOOSOOSOS..BSSSS +
Djembes B.SSB.OOB..BSSSS + 4th time
Djembes B.SSB.OOB...s..B +
Djembes SOOSOOSOS..BSSSS +
Djembes B.SSB.OOB...s..O Together with Signal, then change to Section B:
Section B of Break:
Signal o.OO.O.OO.S.S..O
Djembes O.SS...OO.S.S..O + 1st time
Djembes O.SS..S...S.S..O +
Djembes O.SS...OO.S.S..O + 2nd time
Djembes O.SS..S...S.S..O +
Djembes O.SS...OO.S.S..O + 3rd time
Djembes O.SS..S...S.S..O +
Djembes O.SS...OO.S.S..O + 4th time
Djembes O.SS..S...S.S..O Together with Signal - get ready for slaps...
Section C of Break:
Signal o.OO.O.OO.S.S..B
Djembes S.S.S.S.S.S.S..S + 1st time - Dun Duns join Djembe parts
Bells x.x.x.x.x.x.x..x
Dun Duns D.D.D.D.D.D.D..D
Djembes S...OOOOOOOOO..B +
Bells x..............x
Dun Duns D..............D
Djembes S.OOOO.BS.OOOO.B +
Bells x......xx......x
Dun Duns D......DD......D
Djembes S...OOOOOOOOO..B +
Bells x..............x
Dun Duns D..............D
Djembes S.S.S.S.S.S.S..S + 2nd time (duns play but not written in here)
Djembes S...OOOOOOOOO..B +
Djembes S.OOOO.BS.OOOO.B +
Djembes S...OOOOOOOOO..B +
Djembes S.S.S.S.S.S.S..S + 3rd time
Signal o.OO.O.OO.SSS... And go back to Main Rhythm...
Section A of Break written again showing hands:
f lr l rl lrlrl You may prefer different hands at the start
Signal o.OO.O.OO..BSSSS
r rlr rlr lrlrl
Djembes B.SSB.OOB..BSSSS + 1st time - Dun Duns carry on with their parts
r rlr rlr f l
Djembes B.SSB.OOB...s..B +
rlrlrlrlr lrlrl
Djembes SOOSOOSOS..BSSSS +
Section B of Break written again showing hands:
f lr l rl r l l
Signal 0.OO.O.OO.S.S..O
r lr lr l r l
Djembes O.SS...OO.S.S..O + 1st time
r lr l r l l
Djembes O.SS..S...S.S..O +
Section C of Break written again showing hands:
r lr l rl r l l
Signal o.OO.O.OO.S.S..B
r l r l r l r l
Djembes S.S.S.S.S.S.S..S + 1st time - Dun Duns join Djembe parts
r rlrlrlrlr l
Djembes S...OOOOOOOOO..B +
r lrlr lr lrlr l or perhaps r rlrl lr rlrl l (hand-to-hand)
Djembes S.OOOO.BS.OOOO.B +
r rlrlrlrlr l
Djembes S...OOOOOOOOO..B +
Here's a nice solo phrase that Mamady uses at various points, e.g. 2'41":
1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&-
l Frlrlrlrl
B | S3SSOOSSS....... |
Outro: (played after escheuffement)
130bpm 4/4 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&- | 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&-
Signal | o.OO.O.OO.S.S..B +
Djembes S.S.S.S.S.S.S..S | S............... Finish on final downbeat
Bells x.x.x.x.x.x.x..x | x...............
Dun Duns D.D.D.D.D.D.D..D | D...............
Structure:
Signal, Intro,
Main Rhythm, Signal, Break, Signal, Repeat this section
Main Rhythm, Escheuffement+Signal, Outro
(c)
Traditional Guinean rhythm taught by
Moctar
"Mockoulo" Sawane on
2007-08-04 at
African
Drum Village in Scotland.
(notated by
Malcolm Smith on 2007-09-15 and
completed on 2009-08-08)