dunun tutorial | dunumba | kenkeni by louis cesar ewande | 2014

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DUNUN TUTORIAL | dunumba |kenkeni

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The Kenkeni pattern of DUNUMBA is one of the trickiest rhythms in djembe music. It will enable you to experience the power of displacement and
discover the equal musical value of inner beats.
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The Pattern

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http://snd.sc/1cCRiz9
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So as you can see and hear, sounds are not on the beats. This usually gives students trouble when trying to make this rhythm sound as it should.
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dunun tutorial | dunumba | kenkeni by louis cesar ewande | 2014
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The common mistake
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Trouble comes from focusing on the tempo - actually the first eighth note on each beat. Beating time with your feet and playing the pattern against
this pulsation is the worst thing you can do. By doing this, your body and feeling are fighting against the rhythms attraction instead of being
devoted to tone and phrasing quality.
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This is not what we need to hear, not what we want to see, and it limits you to a So far I am still in balance feeling, instead of enabling you to
share the enjoyment of playing.
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My approach
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First of all, enjoy clapping on the first eighth note of each beat over the groove - this should be easy.
What do we need here? A nice roundish movement with your arms and a soft, happy clap. You are not trying to kill flies. This should be done so as
to put a baby to sleep, not to stress people around you.
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When you feel comfortable playing it on four beats, then play on just one and three.

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! Breathe, smile, turn your head left and right, move your shoulders
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dunun tutorial | dunumba | kenkeni by louis cesar ewande | 2014
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Now the pattern. For learning needs we are going to displace it so it will occur at the same time as the first djembe pattern - I call it the B
Kenkeni (Beginner). Your movement should be round and your sound firm but not harsh. Blend as much as you can with the backing groove.
Internalize body sensations; they will act as a major indicator of rightness.
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Add the bell.

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http://snd.sc/1hYiwAr
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Welcome to a musical territory where each eighth note is equal. You already know the first eighth note. Now you have to get acquainted with the
third one. Follow the Kenkeni sound in the audio example. The two most important things are: roundish arm movements and a nice soft tone. Listen
to how the pattern sounds in the context. Do NOT think of the pattern as being AGAINST the beat. Dont undervalue the importance of this attitude.
Avoid any subtle tempo control attempts. It is perfectly normal for this to take hours, days, even weeks before you feel comfortable with this
essential third eighth note and to really get to KNOW it. Do you still want to orient yourself with your feet? If it makes you happy, you can play the
third eighth note with your foot, too (no kidding, many players do this in Africa). It doesnt matter if it makes you actually displace the real tempo.
Everyone has gone through this, including the best of us. Take it for what it is: a proof of musical youthfulness, an amusing transition step.


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Think about this pattern as a person. Somebody who always wants to be approached with taste wherever he (she) appears. Now you are going to
play it at its normal place. The A Kenkeni (Advanced), in fact the real Kenkeni pattern, starts on the third eighth note of beat one and then is
repeated on the third eighth note of beat three and then continues unchanged.
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' Play on the third eighth note of beats one and three not against the tempo
' Keep your arm relaxed.
' Maintain roundish movements and a firm touch
' The A Kenkeni should be played just as well as the B Kenkeni
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Time to succeed: Hours, days, weeks.
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http://snd.sc/1a7wGzK
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Adding The Bell
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The Kenkeni bell should not resonate as much as the Sangban and Dunun bells. I personally play it with a kind of brushed approach rather than
squarely hit.
In bar one start with the third eighth note (omit the first bell note).
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' Keep a roundish movement on both skin and bell
' Maintain a firm touch - not harsh, not too loud
' Give a slight accent on the third eighth note of beats one and three
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Time to succeed: Hours, days, weeks.
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dppBodpoodppBodpoo
! http://snd.sc/1cCRiz9
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