DJEMBE LEVEL 1: HOMEWORK
Welcome to the Djembe Level 1 Homework section! Here, you'll find essential hints, tips, and exercises to support your Djembe journey. Explore our resources and enhance your skills as you dive into the world of Djembe playing!
01 Practise Pattern
Applying bass and tone to a djembe practise pattern.
Focus: Technique, stamina and tempo.
Tip: Cruise into meditation...
Be aware of the way you are lifting and dropping the arms... Feel the bounce in the bass and contact on fingertips.
02 Classic Pattern
Applying bass and tone to a classic djembe pattern.
Focus: Technique, stamina.
Tip: Start with right hand on bass... Bring that same hand back for the first tone (R,R,L,R,R,L,R,R,L,R)
Then start with the left hand!
03 One Handed Clapping
Exercise to get suppleness in fingers.
Focus: Get a free movement happening from fingers.
Tip: Set wrist in a locking position because we don't want the wrists to really get involved in this movement.
04 Slap Technique (without pain)
To get the slap sound we are working around the edge of the drum… The danger zone!
Focus: Technique.
Tip: Position our palms on the edge of the drum in a resting position. Open your fingers out and have them pointing upwards TO THE SKY.
05 Warm Up Exercise
Bass, bass, tone, tone, slap, slap, tone, tone (repeat)
Focus: Stamina and unison… Not speed!
Tip: As you are doing it, think of that sense of gravity for bass and tone... And that suppleness and freedom in the fingers for the slap.
06 Tone & Slap Exercise
When learning slap, it’s important to revert back to the tone so you can check that you are getting contrast between the two.
Focus: Technique... Open and closed finger positions.
Tip: Play around with the two sounds with both hands.
07 Phrasing
Phrasing in music is how a musician shapes notes to convey a musical idea. Similar to how a speaker emphasises words or changes their speed to make a story more interesting…
Using the Kassa Groove, experiment with phrasing: 2 slaps, 2 tones, 2 slaps… 2 slaps, 2 tones, 2 slaps, bass
Elements to consider: Phrasing involves dynamics, articulation, & timing...
Focus: Check out how I applied phrasing to the Kassa Groove to create a different story expression from beginning to end.
Tip: Imagine having a conversation with yourself and explore how you would change expression using phrasing.
08 Populaire
A classic djembe pattern with an important role to play in a Djembe ensemble…Because it’s a constant pulse.
The right hand is the driver… Left is adding the extras. 

So the coordination between left & right is really important!
Let’s break it down…
3 Slaps: Right, left right… Right, left right…

Next, add a tone in with your right hand:
Right, left right, Tone… Right, left right, Tone…
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Now add an extra tone with your left hand:
Right, left right, Tone Tone… Right, left right, Tone Tone…
Slap, slap slap, tone tone… Slap, slap slap, tone tone…
Focus: Make sure we lead with right hand, don’t slip!
Tip: Make sure you have a clear difference of sound between tones and slaps.
09 Ghost Notes
"Ghost notes" on a djembe refer to very softly played notes, almost like a whisper, played in between the main accented beats, creating a subtle rhythmic texture without a strong, defined sound.
Using An Easy Pattern To Jam To: "Peanut Butter Sandwich"
Elements to consider: Essentially, it's a way to add a light, almost "ghostly" presence to the rhythm by hitting the drum with minimal force, often used to fill in gaps within a pattern and enhance the overall groove.
Focus: On ghost notes, phrasing and adding variation.
Tip: These rhythms have alternating hand patterns.
10 Gotta Go Home Pattern
Another alternating hand pattern rhythm with ghost notes.
Elements to consider: It's about letting go and adding variations naturally.
Focus: Make sure we lead with right hand and alternate!
Tip: The key is the ghost notes, they are marker notes, not open notes…
11 Sinte Rhythm (Part 1)
Sinte Rhythm (Part 1)
A traditional celebratory rhythm from Guinea in West Africa
We will start with the Call, Break and Djembe1.
The practise video is segmented in slow motion for easy following.
Call: SS SS, Flam (Tone), TT TTɉ۬(Kata kata pre ti ti ti ti)
Break: BSSS… BSSS… BTT BTT BTT BTT…
D1: TT SB SB SBS (X4)ɉ۬
Elements to consider: Concentrate on which hand leads in each segment as this will make things easier in the long run!
Focus: On differentiating tone and slap sounds.
Tip: With Djembe 1 part, keep bass hand in the middle of drum ready to strike!
12 Sinte Rhythm (Part 2)
Djembe Part 2
We will now add Djembe 2.
The practise video is segmented in slow motion for easy following.
Djembe 2: TTT SS... TTT SBS... (X4)
Elements to consider: Each time you start the tones, start with your lead hand, regardless of what you just played before it!
Focus: On differentiating tone and slap sounds.
Tip: With the second part of Djembe 2 (TTT SBS), the bass is struck with the non dominant hand so it's a fast action from slap to bass.​​
Now let's start from the beginning and add Djembe 2.
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Call: SS SS, Flam (Tone), TT TTɉ۬(Kata kata pre ti ti ti ti)
Break: BSSS… BSSS… BTT BTT BTT BTT…
D1: TT SB SB SBS (X4)ɉ۬
D2: TTT SS... TTT SBS... (X4)...
​Tip: Break the parts down into segments and master one segment at a time before moving on and practise at a slow tempo (like in the video) before mastering and speeding up!
13 Sinte Rhythm (Solo 1)
Sinte Rhythm (Solo 1)
The solo is a bit more technical and would be played for the dancers.
Solo: SSTTSSTTSSTT, SSS, TT… BBB…
Focus: On the rhythm.
Tip: Say it to play it!.. Say the rhythm over and over first so it sits!​
Now let's break it down!
SSTTSSTTSSTT… Lead on dominant hand and alternate... 3 times SSTT...
SSS TT… Lead on dominant hand for 3 slaps… Then Tones, lead on dominant hand
BBB… Lead hand, 3 x Bass
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Elements to consider: Concentrate on which hand leads in each segment as this will make things easier in the long run!
Focus: On the rhythm.
Tip: Have fun and exagerate the striking patterns, this will help with the overall playing of the Sinte.
14 Deku Deku
This is the Deku Deku video you asked for...
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Elements to consider: We adapted it slightly in our workshop as we had timing issues but you'll get the general rhythm and idea!
Focus: On not focusing too much and having fun!