Drum Rhythm Transcriptions

Introduction

Here you will find transcriptions of rhythms I have learned over the years. While I have tried to give credit where appropriate, please assume that any mistakes are my own. Publishing rhythm transcriptions is a tricky business:

Rhythms are played differently in different areas.

Even within neighboring African villages, rhythms of the same name may be played differently. Unless you are from the culture, no transcription can be deemed authoritative. Likewise a rhythm's (or drum's) name and spelling will vary.

Notation cannot capture the feel of rhythm.

To fully learn a rhythm, you must know its feel. Some rhythms have a staccato sound, some are rolling, others have a swing feel. Notation cannot adequately capture this.

Traditional rhythms are part of a culture.

A transcription ignores a rhythm's reason for being. It ignores the people who have created and passed down the rhythm.

Respect those who have created the music in the world. To learn traditional rhythms, take classes with the masters.
Listen before you play. Communicate. Open your heart.

Contents

Tor(d)o

Learned from:

Mamady Keita (9/95)

Description:

A boy's initiation rite from the Malinke people of NE Ghana.

Transcribed By:

Jim Salem

Drums:

Kankini	High bass drum. Played with sticks.
Sangba	Middle bass drum with bell. Played with sticks.
Dununba	Low bass drum with bell. Played with sticks. Important: This part is twice as long as the other parts (it repeats only every two measures).
Djembe	Hand drum.

Notation:

Mf	Muffled sound made by pressing stick against drum head.
Gn	Open bass tone. Pronounced "Gune".
X	Bell
Go or Do	Open tone.
Pa or Ta	Slap.
Ck	Two-handed slap. Also known as a flam. Pronounced "Crack."

Fanga

Learned from: Babatunde Olatunji and others

Description:

This is a song of welcome from West Africa. There are many variations of this popular rhythm. Sometimes spelled "Funga".

Transcribed By: Jim Salem

Song:

One version of the song goes as follows. Each verse lasts for two measures.
Fanga Alafia Ashé Ashé
Fanga Alafia Ashé Ashé
Ashé Ashé Ashé Ashé
Ashé Ashé Ashé Ashé

Drums:

JunJun	Bass drum with bell. Played with sticks.
Djembe	Hand drum.

Notation:

Gn	Open bass tone. Pronounced "Gune".
Mf	Muffled sound made by pressing stick against drum head.
X	Bell.
Go or Do	Open tone.
Pa or Ta	Slap.
Ck	Two-handed slap. Also known as a flam. Pronounced "Crack."

Comments:

1) I have not learned a traditional Junjun part to Fanga and am unsure whether there is one. In practice, the Junjun part listed fits well.

2) The Djembe variations are less commonly known but, if played well, add considerable richness. If the cannot be played precisely it is better not to add them as otherwise they tend to muddy the rhythm.

3) The break is played on Djembe to start or stop the rhythm.

4) There are many variations on this rhythm. This particular one is popular in Boston and in the northeast.

Kakilambe: 16 beat US version

Learned from:

Various US teachers

Description:

While widely known and played throughout the USA, this version differs from most African versions. Often played very fast.

Transcribed By:

Jim Salem

Drums:

JunJun	Bass drum with bell. Played with sticks.
Djembe	Hand drum.

Notation:

Gn	Open bass tone. Pronounced "Gune".
X	Bell.
Go or Do	Open tone.
Pa or Ta	Slap.

Words: (phonetic translation)

Mime bo

Mime bo mama

Mime bo

Ka-ki lombay

Hey oomm bay

Comments:

1) There are two JunJun parts.  First, the slow part is played.  As the rhythm speeds up, the fast version is played. Note that the slow version is two measures long --- play the measures in succession.

2) The slap in the main djembe part is key.  Be sure to enunciate it.

3) The two djembe variations are interlocking and should be played together.   Unless they can be played very accurately, they are best omitted as the rhythm speeds up.

 

Kakilambe: Traditional 6/8 version

Learned from:

Various teachers

Description:

A 12/8 version of Kakilambe (though we always call it "6/8"). Nice to transition into after playing the 4/4 version (above). Again, this is an Americanized version of a common African rhythm.

Transcribed By:

Jim Salem

Drums:

JunJuns	Two bass drums with bell. Played with sticks.
Djembe	Hand drum.

Notation:

Gn	Open bass tone. Pronounced "Gune".
X	Bell.
Go or Do	Open tone.
Pa or Ta	Slap.
Lo	Low Junjun
Hi	Hi Junjun

Comments:

1) Played with a "rolling" feel.

2) The slap in the main djembe part is key. Be sure to enunciate it.

 

Lamba

Learned from:

Various teachers

Description:

This is a celebratory wedding song from West Africa.

Transcribed By:

Jim Salem

Drums:

JunJun	Bass drum with bell. Played with sticks.
Djembe	Hand drum.

Notation:

Gn	Open bass tone. Pronounced "Gune".
X	Bell.
Go or Do	Open tone.
Pa or Ta	Slap.

 

Comments:

1) This should be played with a triplet feel -- the upbeats (i.e., dots) are played slightly closer to the downbeats (i.e., numbered beats).  For the main djembe part this sounds like ta-Gn pa ta-go do-pa ta-Gn... 

 

Mandjani (version 1)

Learned from:

Various teachers

Description:

There are many variations of this popular rhythm from West Africa.

Transcribed By:

Jim Salem

Drums:

JunJun	Bass drum with bell. Played with sticks.
Djembe	Hand drum.

Notation:

Gn	Open bass tone. Pronounced "Gune".
Mf	Muffled sound made by pressing stick against drum head.
X	Bell.
Go or Do	Open tone.
Pa or Ta	Slap.

 

Comments:

1) The interlocking JunJun parts are key to this piece. It's better to have more JunJuns than Djembes.

2) The solo Djembe part is really just a starting point.  It is played with a "swing" feel that is difficult to describe.

Manjiani (version 2)

Learned from:

Moussa Traore

Description:

This is an old traditional version of Manjiani from Mali.

Transcribed By:

Jim Salem

Drums:

Dundun	Two bass drums, upright on floor. Played with sticks.
Kenkeni	One small bass drum, upright on floor. Played with sticks: one on edge of drum and one in middle of drum.
Djembe	Hand drum.

Notation:

Gn	Open bass tone. Pronounced "Gune".
Go or Do	Open tone.
Pa or Ta	Slap.
X	Stick against edge of bass drum. Makes a loud clicking sound

 

Donba

Learned from:

Various teachers, particularly Dean Buchanan

Description:

A popular dance from West Africa. Often called "Mandjani" in the Boston area.

Transcribed By:

Jim Salem

Drums:

Dundunda	Low bass drum with bell.
Sangba	High bass drum with bell.
Djembe	Hand drum.

Notation:

Gn	Open bass tone. Pronounced "Gune".
Mf	Muffled sound made by pressing stick against drum head.
X	Bell.
Go or Do	Open tone.
Pa or Ta	Slap.

 

Comments:

1) The interlocking JunJun parts are key to this piece. It's better to have more JunJuns than Djembes.

2) The solo Djembe part is really just a starting point.  It is played with a "swing" feel that is difficult to describe.

Yenvalou

Learned from:

Bonnie Devlin

Description:

Haitian Vodun ceremonial rhythm in praise of Legba. There are several versions of Yenvalou which may be played during the course of a ceremony. I've transcribed Classique and Rasombler. They differ only in the Seconde parts.

Transcribed By:

Jim Salem

Instruments:

Bula	High drum. Played with two thin sticks using a whipping motion.
Seconde	Middle "conga" drum.
Maman	Low "conga" drum. One hand plays bass; the other hand plays on the side of the drum using a stick.
Ogan	Bell
Assôn	Type of shaker

Notation:

X	Beat on Ogan or Assôn.
R	Right stick stroke on the bula.
L	Left stick stroke on the bula.
S	Slap on seconde.
T	Open tone on seconde.
Ms	Muffled slap on seconde. "Dry" sound. Right hand plays the sound while left hand rests on the drum.
Mt	Muffled tone on seconde.
B	Bass tone on maman.
St	Using stick on side of maman.

Zepaule

Learned from:

Bonnie Devlin

Description:

Haitian Vodun ceremonial rhythm. Often follows Yenvalou.

Transcribed By:

Jim Salem

Instruments:

Bula	High drum. Played with two thin sticks using a whipping motion.
Seconde	Middle "conga" drum. The most important notes are the repeating pair of open tones.
Maman	Low "conga" drum. One hand plays bass; the other hand plays on the side of the drum using a stick.
Ogan	Bell
Assôn	Type of shaker

Notation:

X	Beat on Ogan or Assôn.
R	Right stick stroke on the bula.
L	Left stick stroke on the bula.
T	Open tone on seconde.
Ms	Muffled slap on seconde. "Dry" sound. Right hand plays the sound while left hand rests on the drum.
B	Bass tone on maman or seconde using left hand.
St	Using stick on side of maman using right hand.
S	Slap in the middle of the maman using left hand.

Banda

Learned from:

Bonnie Devlin via Warren Farber

Description:

Haitian Vodun ceremonial rhythm.

Transcribed By:

Jim Salem

Instruments:

Bula	High drum. Played with two thin sticks using a whipping motion.
Seconde	Middle "conga" drum.
Maman	Low "conga" drum. One hand plays bass; the other hand plays on the side of the drum using a stick.
Ogan	Bell

Notation:

X	Beat on Ogan or Bula
T	Open tone on maman or seconde.
B	Bass tone on maman or seconde.
St	Using stick on side of maman.
Sh	Using stick on head of maman.

Ollin Arageed

Learned from:

Hamza El Din (from his album Eclipse)

Description:

A Nubian wedding song.  Beautiful and trance-like. Buy the record (err... CD).

Transcribed By:

Jim Salem

Sounds:

Clap	Hand Clap
Tar	Round, frame-type drum

Notation:

Dn	Open bass tone. Pronounced "Doon".
Da	Rim tone
Mf	Muffled tone
X	Handclap

Comments:

1) The three hand clap parts are played in succession (not at the same time!).

2) The tar part is considerably more complex than shown below.

3) The (X) indicates a clap that is only occasionally played.

Good Rhythm Reference Books

Here are several books that contain some good rhythm transcriptions. Click on a title to buy it at Amazon!

	African Rhythm and African Sensibility     By John Chernoff / Univ. of Chicago Press / 1981 A "must read" for everyone interested in the social and cultural context of African drumming.
	A Life for the Djembe - Traditional Rhythms of the Malinke     By Mamady Keita and Uschi Billmeier / Arun (www.arun-verlag.de) / 1999  Wonderful transcriptions of West African drumming.  CD included.  This is the best Djembe and Junjun resource book I've seen.
	Drum Gahu: An Introduction to African Rhythm     By David Locke / White Cliffs Media / 1998 Ghanian Ewe drumming described in detail with transcriptions.
	The Music of Santeria Traditional Rhythms of the Bata Drums     By John Amira, Steven Cornelius / White Cliffs Media / 1999 A master's book on Cuban Bata drumming.
	Conga Drumming A Beginners Guide to Playing With Time     By Alan Dworsky, et al / Dancing Hands Music / 1994 Good beginners book with clear transcriptions.
	A Rhythmic Vocabulary A Musician's Guide to Understanding and Improvising With Rhythm     By Alan Dworsky, et al / Scb Publishing / 1997 Rhythmic patterns from simple to complex.

Feedback

I'd appreciate any feedback as well as links to other rhythms. My email address is I would welcome submissions of new transcriptions if you can put them into a similar HTML form as the rhythms included here.