Category Archives: Djembe

Subdividing the Pulse – Movement

One of my piano teachers, the one that taught me through to my Teaching Diploma, was fanatical in demanding accuracy in subdividing the pulse. So much so, that when I heard a subway busker playing Bach on her flute, it … Continue reading

Posted in Class Teaching, Djembe, Lessons that have happened | Tagged , | Leave a comment

60/100 The Rhythm Clock

A rhythm clock is a pattern of 12 rhythms arranged in a circle like the hours on a clock. Like this:   You can project this image on a whiteboard, and then start all kinds of fun learning activities. First … Continue reading

Posted in Class Teaching, Composition, Djembe, Improvisation, Percussion, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

42/100 From Chant to Samba (or Djembe)

There’s a great chant called H E L L O on www.singup.org. It has worked really well as a samba piece. The only problem is you have to be a paid-up member to access it. BUT, if you are NOT … Continue reading

Posted in Class Teaching, Djembe, Lessons that have happened, Samba | Tagged , | Leave a comment

27/100 We’ve lost the key

Yes, turned up to teach djembe, to discover that The Key to the room where the djembes are kept and the lessons happen, was lost. I hung around for ten minutes or so while various people scattered in different directions, … Continue reading

Posted in Djembe, Lessons that have happened, Listening Music, Samba | Leave a comment

17/100 Missing Words

I’ve a year 3 djembe class who need a lot of practice to develop listening and concentration skills. They struggle to learn some of the longer djembe rhythms, and their pulse keeping is not as steady as I would have … Continue reading

Posted in Djembe, Lessons that have happened | Leave a comment

11/100 Djembe Piece

I put together this simple djembe piece for a mixed year 3 and year 4 class I have this year. They year 4 children had djembe lessons last year with another teacher, and have already done most of my favourite djembe … Continue reading

Posted in Djembe | Tagged | Leave a comment

2/100 Ding dong, I’ve got the rhythm in my head

I tripped across this singing game a few weeks ago: Here is a youtube clip (one of many). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niN_TB-OJvs I’ve been using this all week, with various classes; year 1 and 2, year 3 and 4 djembe, year 4 and 5 samba … Continue reading

Posted in Class Teaching, Djembe, Ocarina, Samba, Songs | Leave a comment

Issue 141: Si si si; and Call and Response Songs

This seems to be a theme of my lessons this term. Some of the songs I am using don’t, at first sight, fall into this category. I’ve been using the “Rabbit, run on the frozen ground song” in samba and … Continue reading

Posted in Djembe, Samba, Songs | Tagged , | Leave a comment