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ROLLS from Djembe-L elist, August 23, 2002
by Larry Swanson

Here's a practice pattern for a common roll that shows up in West African djembe playing.  If you're doing 1/32nd-note rolls (putting three notes where there would normally be two), you can warm up to it by doing the first and last notes of the three-note roll with the same hand, and then put the middle note in later.

KEY:
o = tone; s = slap
r = right hand; l = left hand
(set your font to Courier New)

First, play this sequence with alternating hands:

1   .   .   2   .   .
o   o   s   o   o   s
r   l   r   l   r   l

Then play the same sequence again, only this time using
the same hand for the notes that will begin and end the
roll:

1   .   .   2   .   .
o   o   s   o   o   s
r   r   l   r   r   l

Finally, fill the gap between the two notes with the
third note in the roll:

1   .   .   2   .   .
o o o   s   o o o   s
r l r   l   r l r   l

Using this sequence helps you keep the feel for the
timing as you shift from the alternating hands to
the set-up pattern and then into the roll.  If you
find this challenging (as I still do) you can slow
this exercise down as much as you want to get the
pattern down and the timing right and then bring it
up to speed.

Hope this helps,
Larry


>At 04:57 PM 8/23/02 +0000, Zak wrote:
>Hi all,
>Are double stroke rolls used in West African djembe playing? Does
>anyone have practice patterns that could help me clean mine up?
>Thanks,
>Zak

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Larry Swanson
http://www.oneworlddance.com/