Glossary
This is a glossary of terms that you will come across on this website and beyond when studying this type of music.
Bougarabou
A bougarabou is hand drum from the jola people. It is slightly more elongated than a djembe and the skin in cow. Traditionally is was played one at a time, but is common for more in more recent years for many to be played at once by a single drummer.
The drummer also wears metal bracelets called Siwangas which contribute to the music.
Djembe
It comes from the Mande people of West Africa It can be played as an accompanying instrument, or to solo over other djembes and/or doundouns. |
The djembe is a goblet shaped drumDjembefola
Directly translated a djembefola is "one who gives the djembe voice". A djembefola is a djembe player. Generally someone would be fairly competent with a djembe before they are refered to as a djembefola.
Doundounba
The doundounba is the largest of the 3 doundouns. This provides the low level base drive to the melody of the rhythm.
Doundouns
Also known as dunun, dundun, djun-djuns. These are a set of 3 different sized barrel shaped drums that provide melodious base pattern in tradition Mande drumming.
Flam
With a flam one hand hits the drum just before the other, with the second hitting on the point you want to emphasise. If you hit it with your right hand first and your left second then you will have more time to play your next note if you make it with your right hand and visa versa. It is worth taking the time to learn to play a flam with each hand leading.
Kenkeni
This is the smalles of the 3 doundouns. It usually plays a simple pattern and genearlly keeps the time for the ensemble.
Kpanlogo
This is a ghanian drum that come from the Ga people.
Mande
The Mande are an ethnic group from West Africa. Today they are found mainly in Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Mali. The Malinke and the Mandinka are part of this ethnic group of people.
Roulement (or roll)
A roulement (or roll) is when you play 2 notes in the period on one 16th note and the next 16th note is a tone or slap.
Notice the 2 in the first space below. This indicates to notes played in the space of what would ordinarily be one 16th note
| S | S | T | T |
| 2 | r | l | r |
Sangban
This is the middle sized doundoun and is usually a complex pattern, that defines the rhythm. In Mali, this may be the only doundoun used in an ensemble.