Overwhelmed trying to learn to play west african drums? Is there too much info and you don’t know where to start? We live in a day in age where we have so much information available to us via internet, youtube, facebook, books, cds, etc. that it is easy to get overwhelmed and not learn anything.
For some people it is hard to focus on only one thing. They acquire all the data but never even look at it. Some folks buy all the DVD’s, books, tape the classes but never practice or actually learn the material. Its so easy to get distracted, so I am going to try and suggest ways to keep your focus and to always find the fun and great feelings this music always has. Because thats what it is all about!
For some people the drum is for healing only. It’s not about rhythms, techniques or anything else. They are not interested in learning. The drum or the music gives them something that helps them in their life. Maybe it’s socially, maybe it’s spiritually. And that’s great. I am not here to critique anyone, only help. Studying is not for everyone. But for those of you who it is for here is what I recommend.
I suggest the “One step at a time program”! How I see it is that for many of us, if we are going to study and learn traditional drumming it is important to focus on learning only one rhythm arrangement at a time when we are learning new material.
Start at the beginning. Pick one rhythm arrangement. I suggest focusing on only that rhythm arrangement for a period of time. It is about repetition. Playing it over and over it. You are wiring it into your system. Burning and creating new pathways in your brain! Good stuff!
Work on the one arrangement for a week, two weeks, how ever long it takes. Maybe it’s a month! It might sound ridiculous to you right now but if you listen to the same piece over and over again *(played by your teacher or master), it will sound different overtime you play it and you will continually hear new things in the music you did not notice before.
Most of what we hear or see is missed. It may be in our sub conscious but sometimes it just goes over or around us.
If you are learning west african djembe based drumming music I suggest learning all the traditional dunun parts first. The dunun are the double sided bells played in a set of two or three with a bell on top of the drum or in Mali held in the hand.
Play and learn one dunun at a time starting with the kinkini *(the smallest one which holds simple beats). Learn to come into each part from the call in or “break”. The opening call or break will always lead to and show you where “the one” is, the the start and connecting beat for all rhythms. The sang ban is the middle drum and the dununba is the lowest drum.
Interestingly enough, the word duununba refers to:
1. the lowest or “mother” drum,
2. the set of 3 dunun
3. a family of rhythms originating out of the Hamanah area of Guinea
4. a community drum and dance gathering.
Its important to note that the rhythm you are going to play may not start on the one (it can start in a variety of places) but the call will always show you where “the one is”. Or where to start anyway.
The dunun are the heart and soul of west african based djembe music. They create the melody, bass lines and foundation of the rhythm. Any great djembe player is also a great or at least very solid dunun player. There is no way around it and this is a fact. If you have avoided playing dunun for some reason now is the time to start.
If you do not learn to play the dunun efficiently you will never have the core, the soul or the feel of the music. Because the djembe work around and interlock with the dunun.
When studying djembe and dunun learn to exit the rhythm correctly as well from the call out or break. If you do not own dunun you can practice on pots and pans if you have to. I have used large garbage cans turned upset down with home made mallets before a swell as congas turned sideways.
Don’t move on to the Sangban or next part until you have memorized the kinkini/konkoni (name in Mali for the smallest dunun). Then move on to the dununba (the lowest drum). Dunun movements can and should be learned later on.
Learn all the accompaniment parts on the djembe drum. Figure out, find out and practice with others if you can. Practicing with other people is of utmost importance as west african music is about the “group”. You can also use a drum program on your computer, iPad , smarty pants phone or an actual drum machine. All of these tools are very helpful but only tools. You still have to play and learn with others.
When you practice with other like minded people please be sure that the intent is to construct the rhythm correctly and accurately at first rather then creating a free for all jam session. If you take your time and even play the composition very slowly (with out competition) the arrangement will teach you so much! It’slike a living , breathing entity!
The urge for me is always to jam so I understand this. However, you will have a much bigger payback if you take turns playing each individual part. Switch up on who plays what. Even if you are the best player there you should take a turn playing the kinkini or basic parts on djembe vs only soloing or improvising.
By playing each individual part and only by playing each individual part can you get a different perspective of the rhythm composition in it’s entirety. It’s going to sound different every time you play a different part.
Each time you play a different part with in any arrangement your vantage point changes and the piece will sound different. Therein lies the beauty. It becomes multi dimensional when you play each part. If you only play one part you get stuck only being able to hear from that one vantage point. More=better.
These different angles, vantage points and looks or “routes into the rhythm” are what helps to build different creative ideas later on as well. The more you play a simple part with pleasure and openness, the more the part will groove, the person next to you will feel it and groove and the whole group will groove. Groove is contagious. It takes letting go of your ego and surrender though.
Playing drums is about groove. Contrary to popular believe it is not about showing off, being the man or woman, controlling people or power.
Don’t get caught or stuck in any of these false beliefs. Just because the Youtube videos has more often then not have someone in the front of the stage or video playing a million miles per hour (and everyone else is behind him looking like “lessers”), does not mean this is “the way of the djembe” or the way it should be.
It’s a way, but not “the way”. At least in my experience of what can take us to deeper, shared communal levels of musical magic and fun…for everyone! When searching for videos to study from or get into I recommend village style videos. Watch how elders play and people showing context rather then entertaining an audience.
In djembe and dunun music, in all west african drumming you need to understand how all the djembe parts connect , interact and also their relationship to the 3 or 2 dunun parts being played simultaneously. Often there are songs and almost always a dance that goes with traditional style village drumming. There is an intention or meaning as well.
Always listen, look and see, and most importantly feel where there are connecting. Find the reference points to what you are playing. Often when you find a reference point, where you hit with someone else (or even play opposite to them), its like something magical clicks on and happens.
t
More often then not we can miss these points. A good teacher or friend will always point them out to us.
These connecting or reference points are like hidden tools. When we connect to these reference points or “connect to the connectors” we deepen our experience and lock to the rhythm as well.
If you think of a key going into a door and turning it is similar.
Once you have memorized these basic accompaniment parts then learn the intro and outro arrangements if the rhythm arrangement or piece you are playing has them.
The solo technique comes last.
After you have learned and memorized all this (the full arrangement) you can start to learn the solo techniques that go to the rhythm arrangement. Keep in mind that a good solo weaves through the rhythm not just on top of it. You can weave or play on top. However, when you weave you really connect with others as well.
That is why you want to know the rhythm inside and out. How can you solo to something you do not know? Yes, you can play over it but knowing and playing the to the rhythm arrangement will take us further and deeper into the feel and rhythm itself.
So learn and memorize all the parts first before you begin the solo.
By learning and memorizing in an orderly fashion such as this you can learn several pieces thoroughly over time rather then bits and pieces to several pieces. Many of us have found this system to be very useful over the years.
Develop some kind of system of notation as an aid. I like graph paper or boxes some people like real numeration. It’s about whatever works for you. For many people writing out rhythms helps to demystify rhythms and gives a picture in the mind as an additional aid.
I have found that it is a very small percentage of people who can retain information completely on their own over the long term. Learn to write out your rhythms. Notation is only an aid. You can not learn from notes if you have not experienced the rhythm first hand personally as notation can not give you the feel of a rhythm no matter how much you break it down or explain it in words.
Start your solo simply.
Some people and teachers say there is no specific solo technique and play what you feel but I beg to differ. I have found that in the djembe world there is indeed 4 different possibilities in solo styles or approaches:
1. Traditional/original (rhythm specific phrases that go with dance moves). These phrases and chains are filled with feel, push and pull and lots of interesting algorithms.
2. Djembe language… or “phrases” that are used in a variety of rhythms. Just like any other spoken language there are phrases or words and combinations there of that are classical, slang or whatever. But the bottom line is that where every you go, other (studied) drummers know them. It’s as simple as the word “hello” . Everyone knows this.
3. Math or the western approach. This approach means thinking about, directing rhythms and using western notation and concepts in your drumming. It’s about compartmentalizing rhythms and using numbers as data. It has limitation in that data hounds, people that are stuck on numbers often mis the feel. Having said that it is great from tablature, sparking memory and reference.
4. Free form, hybrid, fusion or “your own thing”. I also call this “chaos” or “creation”. Same thing for me. Out of mistakes come our future ideas. its so important to experiment and at the same time we need to remember that new ideas can also come from holding simple parts. There is magic on both sides and in the middle, too.
All of these are valid. And all of these are extremely useful especially in combinations and with sub formulas mixed together.
When learning solo techniques please approach the learning process in the same manner as learning the rhythm arrangements . One solo at a time, one part at a time, one note at a time.
Different teachers are going to have different solo phrases and chains of events or links of phrases that go together. Pick and learn the simplest possible solo technique(s) to start with, not the hardest or longest. Please keep in mind there is no “one way only” to solo, and no “one way only” to play west african based drum music and drums. We often get “my way or the hiighway”, this is right that is wrong. And on and on.
But it is my personal experience that I would like to share with you today. And what i have found in my 40+ years of playing is that there are many different and valid approaches to learning. Find what works for you. Make combinations. Be open minded and don’t get stuck.
I love to study and learn. I will always be a student first and foremost. Anyone can teach you anything at any time if you are open to it. By staying open to learning, information comes to us and we expand our repertoire innately as well.
A rhythm, an idea, a phrase can come from raindrops, a bird, a baby or a beginning drummer just learning how to hit the drum.
We all bring a rhythm to the table. Everyone has sense a way we feel and respond with rhythms in our lives. Everyone has a way they tap their fingers, tap a spoon. Of course it usually undeveloped. But that inane sense is indeed valid and its so beautiful to see others expand there rhythm studies, increase their abilities and learn to play, and share on the drums with others.
I am now offering drumming intensives at my home studios. These are day long intensives split into 3 classes per day. I have studios in Maine and Florida and there are many different places to stay. I also offer Skype or Facebook Messenger live one on one lessons in the comfort of your own home (and mine)! Please write me if you would like to try one out.
michaelpluznick@gmail.com