The role of signals
Rhythm structure determines how a rhythm should be introduced and brought to an end.
The primary role of the lead djembe player is to use appropriate signals to clearly communicate with listeners, including fellow musicians and the audience. A signal announces the type of rhythm to be played and establishes its tempo. Once the rhythm is in place, a corresponding signal is expected in response, both from the audience and from the other musicians, when applicable.
Why start and stop signals matter
Each rhythm carries its own conventions for how it begins and how it ends.
Rather than treating rhythms as isolated pieces, the DJEMBESOLO approach focuses on their structural organization. From this perspective, rhythms that serve different cultural purposes can still share the same functional signals when their underlying structure is similar.
Understanding this principle allows players to move beyond memorization and develop a clearer understanding of how signals actually function.
In traditional West African terminology, the start signal is often referred to as an appel, while the stop signal is known as a blocage.
Main rhythm categories
Within the DJEMBESOLO system, djembe rhythms can be grouped into three main structural categories:
- Binary rhythms (Kassa)
- Type 1 ternary rhythms (Mendiani)
- Type 2 ternary rhythms (Kakilambe)
Within these three categories, several structural subcategories can also be identified:
- Shuffled binary (Yankadi)
- Type 1 Dunumba (Dunugbe)
- Type 1 three-beat (Konkoba)
- Type 2 three-beat (Kotedjuga)
- Half-beat type 1 ternary (Manet)
Each of these categories follows its own internal logic, which directly influences how rhythms should be started and stopped.
While individual rhythms may differ in tempo, feel, or cultural context, rhythms belonging to the same category rely on the same category of signals.
Structural signals rather than isolated rhythms
This classification highlights an essential idea: signals are not tied to a single rhythm, but to a type of rhythmic structure.
By understanding which category a rhythm belongs to, a player can identify the appropriate signals without having to relearn them for every new rhythm. This approach brings clarity, consistency, and confidence, even when encountering a new rhythm.
What matters first is identifying the rhythm’s category.
From understanding to practice
This page focuses on helping you understand how start and stop signals relate to rhythm structure.
Putting these ideas into practice is another step. Learning how signals are actually played and used in real musical situations is the purpose of the START AND STOP course.