Year 8 - Music
Warabadon - djembe and dundun parts
Djembe drumming and rhythms from the regions of West Africa
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
Pupils are introduced to drumming from the regions of West Africa, performing as an ensemble and developing their understanding of djembe technique, the structure and musical conventions of the music, how rhythm and tempo are used to create excitement and the culture connected with the music.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain the context of the Warabadon rhythm and can perform the rhythms in compound time using untuned percussion.
Key Notes
- Warabadon is a dance rhythm which originates in Burkina Faso.
- It is in 12/8 so the rhythms have a shuffle feel.
- 12/8 is in compound time, where the beat is divided into groups of three quavers rather than two (like in simple time).
- Performing the Warabadon rhythm, changing rhythms between the different sections.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Warabadon: a rhythm from Burkina Faso, often played at weddings
- compound time: when each beat of the bar is divided into three quavers rather than two
- 12/8: a compound time signature with twelve quavers in a bar; these quavers are in four groups of three
- shuffle: a triplet rhythm in which only the first and third notes are played, skipping the middle one
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Swapping comfortably and accurately from one rhythm to another with the overall structure.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Warabadon is a dance rhythm which originates in Burkina Faso. It is in 12/8 so the rhythms have a shuffle feel.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'Warabadon'
a rhythm from Burkina Faso, often played at weddings.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Swapping comfortably and accurately from one rhythm to another with the overall structure. Correction: This is quite tricky as the strucutre is complex. Break it down for pupils so they learn each section comfortably and encourage them to practise going from one rhythm to the next and think about strategies for remembering the rhythms.
More Lessons In This Unit
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