Rhythms
Perform with body percussion and/or lyrics the low drum rhythm from ensemble 1
Low high low, (hands off)
How to play low tone on a djembe drum
Full palm of hand, center of drum
This musical element is emphasized in most traditional West African music
Rhythm
This part of the instrument vibrates to create sound in a membranophone
A membrane (drum head)
Perform with body percussion and/or lyrics the high drum rhythm from ensemble 1
(hands off) keep the rhythm going
How to play a high tone on the djembe drum.
Fingers play on the edge of the drum
When more than one rhythm are played together
Polyrhythm
This part of the instrument vibrates to create sound in an idiophone
The main part or body of the instrument
Perform with body percussion and/or lyrics the medium drum rhythm from ensemble 1
Low, low high, low, low high
Where to hit the cowbell
On the edge
How musically is typically passed down or learned in traditional West African music
Name one type of membranophone common in west african music
Djembe drum, frame drum, talking drum...
Perform with body percussion and/or lyrics the shekere rhythm from ensemble 1
shekere shake (pause)
Where to hit the gankogui bell
When a leader sings or plays a musical phrase and the group responds, this is called:
Call and response
Name one type of idiophone common in West African music
Shekere, Gankogui bell, Cowbell, Slit drum, Dawuro
Perform with body percussion and/or lyrics the gankogui rhythm from ensemble 1
What you should always focus on when playing a specific percussion part in a West African drum ensemble
Playing with the group, watching the leader
Specific name for a 2:3 polyrhythm, where two even beats are played simultaneously with three even beats
Hemiola
A shekere is traditionally made from this
A gourd (seed pod from a tree)