DJEMBESOLO PATTERNS
Roadmap
Carefully read the Practice Setup before moving on to the main steps.






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Practice Setup


Within the roadmap, you will first work with a limited set of rhythm families and pattern functions. This allows you to understand the learning process. Once the process is integrated, you can extend it to other rhythm families and additional pattern functions.

How to Practice

Solo, with others, with B-Tracks.

Scope

Understanding patterns and their functions.

Rhythm Families

Binary, Ternary Type 1, Dunumba, Ternary Type 2.

Pattern Functions

START Signal

STOP Signal

SOLO Pattern

BRIDGE (Pick-Up)

WARMING

CONCLUSION Signal


There are two stages in the acquisition of patterns.

Phase 1: Memorization. Learning the patterns and being able to reproduce them.

Phase 2: Integration. Combining, transforming, and what I like to call juggling with the learned material.

The integration phase is what will allow you to go beyond simple repetition.

START Signal


START Signal #1 <br>binary
START Signal #1
binary
START Signal #1 <br>ternary type 1
START Signal #1
ternary type 1
START Signal #1<br>dunumba
START Signal #1
dunumba
START Signal #1 <br>ternary type 2
START Signal #1
ternary type 2

STOP Signal


STOP Signal #1<br>binary
STOP Signal #1
binary
STOP Signal #1<br>ternary type 1
STOP Signal #1
ternary type 1
STOP Signal #1<br>dunumba
STOP Signal #1
dunumba
STOP Signal #1<br>ternary type 2
STOP Signal #1
ternary type 2

SOLO Pattern


SOLO Pattern #1<br>binary
SOLO Pattern #1
binary
SOLO Pattern #1<br>ternary type 1
SOLO Pattern #1
ternary type 1
SOLO Pattern #1<br>dunumba
SOLO Pattern #1
dunumba
SOLO Pattern #1<br>ternary type 2
SOLO Pattern #1
ternary type 2

BRIDGE (Pickup)


BRIDGE #1<br>binary
BRIDGE #1
binary
BRIDGE #1<br>ternary type 1
BRIDGE #1
ternary type 1
BRIDGE #1<br>dunumba
BRIDGE #1
dunumba
BRIDGE #1<br>ternary type 2
BRIDGE #1
ternary type 2

Conclude to Relaunch


As soon as you feel comfortable blending your new patterns with your own material, and using the BRIDGE at certain moments to create elegant transitions, you will need to be able to conclude your variations in order to start fresh on the next one.

The audience, your colleagues, and even yourself need this musical pause to breathe and to validate what has been done so far.

To do so, you will play a CONCLUSION Signal.

CONCLUSION Signal


CONCLUSION #1<br>binary
CONCLUSION #1
binary
CONCLUSION #1<br>ternary type 1
CONCLUSION #1
ternary type 1
CONCLUSION #1<br>dunumba
CONCLUSION #1
dunumba
CONCLUSION #1<br>ternary type 2
CONCLUSION #1
ternary type 2

WARMING


WARMING #1<br>binary
WARMING #1
binary
WARMING #1<br>ternary type 1
WARMING #1
ternary type 1
WARMING #1<br>dunumba
WARMING #1
dunumba
WARMING #1<br>ternary type 2
WARMING #1
ternary type 2

A Simple and Effective Djembe Solo Plan


If we summarize a generic structure of a djembe solo, it can be described as follows:

START signal

BRIDGE pattern, used to enter the rhythm in a comfortable way by simply highlighting the accompaniment

SOLO pattern, usually a sequence of SOLO patterns

BRIDGE announcing what comes next: another sequence of SOLO patterns, a CONCLUSION signal, a WARMING, or a final STOP (final block)

The WARMING, ending with a CONCLUSION signal

This CONCLUSION signal can itself be preceded by a BRIDGE

The same plan can then be repeated, leading to several SOLOS in a row

STOP signal, ending the improvisation

In short

A typical djembe solo follows a simple plan: START signal, BRIDGE, SOLO patterns, BRIDGES announcing what comes next (patterns, WARMING, or STOP), CONCLUSION signals possibly preceded by BRIDGES, and the repetition of the same plan until a final STOP signal ends the improvisation.

This plan in action

Final Notes


Do not hesitate to come back to this roadmap regularly.

When we are deeply involved in practice, it is normal to sometimes lose sight of the overall strategy. Revisiting these guidelines will help you refocus.

If you need answers on specific points, you can ask questions either in the community or directly within DJEMBESOLO PATTERNS, in the upper right corner of the page.



Enjoy your practice, and keep building your playing step by step.

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