>120bpm 12/8 ||:1&a2&a3&a4&a | 1&a2&a3&a4&a:|| ("One and-a Two and-a Three and-a Four and-a...")
|| rlrlrlrlrlrl | rlrlrlrlrlrl ||
Djembe 1 || SSSSOOSSSSOO | SSSSOOSSSSOO ||
Djembe 2 || S.OS..S.OS.. | S.OS..S.OS.. || ("Round the back, Round the back, ...")
|| r rl r rl | r rl r rl ||
Bell 1 hard || x.xxx.x.xxx. | x.xxx.x.xxx. || ("Not difficult, Not difficult, ...")
Bell 1 easy || x.x.x.x.x.x. | x.x.x.x.x.x. || ("One two three, One two three, ...")
+Sangban || g...G.g...G. | g...G.g...G. ||
Bell 2 hard || x.xx.xx.xx.x | x.xx.xx.xx.x ||
Bell 2 easy || x..x..x..x.. | x..x..x..x.. ||
+Kenkeni || ..K..K..K..K | ..K..K..K..K ||
Bell 3 || xxx.x.x.xxx. | xxx.x.x.x.x. ||
+Dununba || DDD.....DDD. | DDD......... ||
(Count) ||:1&a2&a3&a4&a | 1&a2&a3&a4&a:||
Watch that Kenkeni part! Think of the classical piece by Paul Dukas'
called "The Sorceror's Apprentice", used in Walt Disney's Fantasia.
To play fast/easy, leave out some bell notes on Sangban/Kenkeni.
The piece starts (and ends) with a song, initially sung over just the
Dununba+Bell part (and then again at the end when everyone quietens
down - only keep drumming if you can sing at the same time!) :
Bala fele ko he
Bala fele ko na
Bala fele ko nayoma
Bala fele ko he
Then the leader calls in the Short Break to begin the drumming:
Short Break: Call: > Break:
Signal: || OOOOOOOOOS.. | SSS.SSS.SSS. ||
Djembes: || | SSS.SSS.SSS. ||
Bells: || | xxx.xxx.xxx. ||
Dun duns: || | DDD.DDD.DDD. ||
(Count) ||:1&a2&a3&a4&a | 1&a2&a3&a4&a:||
On hearing the above Signal, everyone answers with three lots of three
slaps/bells/dun duns in unison, before playing the Main Rhythm.
There is also a long break, called with the same signal, after an
agreed number of times (we usually do three Short Breaks, then three
Long ones (including the start and ending)).
Long Break: Call: > Break:
Signal: || OOOOOOOOOS.. | SSS.SSS.SSS. | SSS.SSS.SSS. | SSS.O.O.O.O. ||
Djembes: || | SSS.SSS.SSS. | SSS.SSS.SSS. | SSS.O.O.O.O. ||
Bells: || | xxx.xxx.xxx. | xxx.xxx.xxx. | xxx.x.x.x.x. ||
Dun duns: || | DDD.DDD.DDD. | DDD.DDD.DDD. | DDD......... ||
The piece ends after an echauffement+Signal cueing a final Long Break, then:
>>>
Djembes: || SSS ||
Bells: || XXX ||
Dun duns: || DDD ||
Structure:
Dununba + singing
Call + Short Break ---> Main Rhythm
Call + Short Break ---> Main Rhythm
Call + Short Break ---> Main Rhythm
Call + Long Break ---> Main Rhythm
Call + Long Break ---> Main Rhythm
Quieten down and sing again over drumming
Echauffement + Call + Long Break ---> Finish on 3 slaps
(c)
Traditional Guinean rhythm from
Seckou Keita
taught by
Justine at
Vitae Drum Circle.
(notated by
Malcolm Smith on
2008-02-03 and refined on 2014-08-20) cf.
Bata Ballet Ku