A Workbook for West African Drumming Classes

Spirited Heart

Acknowledgements
Babatunde Olatunji
Rhythm is the soul of life. The whole universe revolves in rhythm.
Everything and every human action revolves in rhythm.
- Olatunji

No one person is responsible for making Afro-Cubano drumming what it is today.

But certainly no one person is more responsible for making drumming accessible
to the entire world than the Master, Babtunde Olatunji. Babatunde Olatunji quietly left this plane Sunday, April
6, 2003, 7:30 am, at the age of 76. It is to his living memory, to his very existence that this book is respectfully
and lovingly dedicated. As his drum beats, so too our hearts.
No person is more credited for introducing West African drumming to the West than Babatunde Olatunji. He is
a Master of Drums, the Maestro, a virtuoso of West African percussion. Born and raised in Nigeria, Olatunji
was educated at Morehouse College in Atlanta and the New York University Graduate School. At Morehouse, he
began performing informally, entertaining fellow students. As the demand for his music increased, he entered the
professional music field.
In 1959, Columbia Records released Olatunjis first album, Drums of Passion, which became an unprecedented,
worldwide smash hit. It was the first album to bring genuine African music to Western ears, and it went on to sell
over five million copies. Olatunji has traveled the world for forty years spreading his music and African culture.
Thirty years ago, he founded the Olatunji Center of African Culture in the heart of Harlem and he has been a
member of the faculties at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California and the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New
York for almost 15 years. At these institutions, as well as at innumerable workshops and festivals, Olatunji continues
to pursue his strong commitment to spreading knowledge of African culture through the teaching of traditional
drumming, dancing, and chanting in classes for adults and young people.
Olatunji received a Grammy Award in 1991 for his collaboration with Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart on
their Planet Drum album. In addition, his composition Jingo Lo Ba has become a signature song for the rock
group Santana. Olatunji also has written scores for Broadway and Hollywood productions, including the music for
Shes Gotta Have It, a film by Spike Lee.
In 1997, Chesky Records released love drum talk, which went on to be nominated for the 1998 Grammy for
Best World Music Album. On it, Olatunji unleashes the rhythm of passion. Olatunji leads an ebullient ensemble of
guitarists, singers and, of course, percussionists through a series of spirited meditations on the nature of love. Lust,
kinship, sensuality, courtship, and spirituality are the themes Olatunji uses to fuel his joyous, infectious playing.

Arthur Hull

Arthur Hull (right) is a world-renowned community drum facilitator. His book and CD,
Drum Circle Spirit, Facilitating Human Potential Through Rhythm, is the culmination of his
years of rhythmical evangelism and group facilitation around the world. He is also
the author of the video/ book Guide to Endrummingment and has received the All One
Tribe Foundations Drumming Education Award and the 1998 Drum Magazine Drummie
of the Year award.
Hull has facilitated drum circles and rhythmic alchemy playshops at the Association
of Humanistic Psychology, Association for Music Therapists and many other alternative
healing conferences, and has appeared on the covers of the Wall Street Journal and
Yoga Journal. Within the corporate environment, he has facilitated interactive rhythmical
team-building events for groups ranging from 20 to 6000, including Lucent Technology,
Walt Disney, Pac Bell, Cisco Systems and Sun Microsystems.

Melvin Johnson
Melvin Johnson is an accomplished drum maker, Medicine
Drummer, African Drummer and
teacher of African Drumming
rhythms.

Melvin was exposed to African

Drumming as therapy in 1995,
during a stay at the V.A. Hospital, in a class taught by Dr. Jim
Arnold (ret). Since his unlikely
introduction into the world of
African Drumming almost a decade ago, Melvin has attended numerous workshops and classes as he has sought
to further his knowledge and understanding of how drums
and drumming can be used as healing tools, not only for
those playing, but as a medium to project peace and
well-being to any point on the planet
When not teaching or facilitating drum circles at ONE,
Melvin can be found at his Norman, Oklahoma home
making, tuning and repairing drums, facilitating the drum
circle at the V.A. Hospital where he was first introduced
to the medium or working with the youth at the Art Box
on Britton road in Oklahoma City.
In the Spring of 2003 Melvin and Todd helped us kick off
a series of community drumming events called Norman
Summer Thunder. The events were geared to bring as
many people into the fold as possible. For more information on Summer Thunder or how to start a similar activity
in your area, just hit our website- www.mindbodyspirit.us

Todd Balcom

Todd Balcom, MT-BC is a

music therapist, drum circle
facilitator, wellness educator,
and professional musician. He
completed his degree in Music
Therapy from Southwestern
Oklahoma State University
and was Board Certified by
the CBMT in 1994 following
a clinical internship at Griffin
Memorial State Psychiatric Hospital. He spent the
next six years as a Music Therapist, and Clinical Case
Manager with Norman Regional Hospital (1994-2000)
in Norman, Oklahoma where he continued to develop
his skills as a health clinician in adolescent, adult, and
geriatric mental health and wellness. In addition to
coordinating ADD-FIRE activities for the community, He
currently serves as the Community Outreach Coordinator
for the non-profit agency Transition House, Inc. where
he provides music therapy, substance abuse education,
and leisure/recreation activities for adults suffering from
mental illness.
Todd began formally studying percussion at the age of
10. He has studied with Master Facilitator and REMO
Signature Series Drum Designer Arthur Hull and is a
graduate of Arthur Hulls Village Music Circles-Rhythm
Alchemy program. He has also attended workshops
and master classes with Master Drummer Gordy Ryan
as well as study with some of the leading health care
professionals in the country such as Dr. Barry Bittman,MD.

Introduction,

Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Drum

When I first asked Melvin Johnson, our first drum teacher, what texts hed like us to sell for his class, he gave me a look Ill
never forget. It was sort of a mix of Why did you just stick your finger in my ear? and You must be the dumbest white
man Ive ever met. Thus began my education into the world of West African Drumming.
The simple fact is, when we began all of this, there were virtually no text-books for West African Drumming. There
are more now, but not many, and few worth the paper theyre written on. Theres one that is specifically Drums of
Passion oriented; I highly recommend it. Dont bootleg a copy, either. Youll find many of the same rythms as in this
book, but buying it supports Babtundes continuing good works; Im good with that. Go to the website (www.afterscience.com/olatunji/) and buy a copy. Then, if you dont already have one, buy a copy of Olatunjis classic Drums of
Passion. Next, go out and buy a copy of Love Drum Talk, also by Master Babatunde. Its put out by Chesky Music
(www.chesky.com).
Lets see. . . Copyright. Simply enough, there is no copyright. Theres nothing that will prevent the overworked /
underpaid drones at Kinkos from just running off a couple of dozen (but please remember, you can download it for free
at www.mindbodyspirit.us. . .). These rhythms have been around for hundreds and thousands of years longer than any
human that could claim to own them and anyone that tries to reap a profit off of them just needs to come up with a new
plan; these are free. Was this hard work? Hell, the spell-check alone took me almost 2 hours. . .
Traditionally African rhythms were passed down word-of-mouth and by demonstration and practice. This was a great
way of doing things in ancient Africa. The land was made up of a couple thousand wandering tribes that didnt speak
the same language, and nobody had a written version of any of the languages. Guess what? We have the ability to
read and write now. And while its always good to commit things to memory (thats a nice way of saying memorize) we
have committed these songs to paper to make drumming more accessible to the entire world, not just those that have the
disposable time to practice with a teacher for 15+ hours a week.
Another nice aspect of having the rhythms written down is that there is some consistency. No two people are going to
remember a rhythm the same way if they dont hear it regularly (I still sometimes hum my old favorite Dont go round
tonight, for its bound to take your wife. Theres a baboon on the right. . .)
This edition is a work in progress. Of all of the rhythms in the world, these dont even scratch the surface. Have a rhythm
that youd care to contribute? E-mail us at the store. Give us as much information as you can about the song and it might
make it into one of the updates. Will we pay you? Yeah! Well send you a FREE COPY of the book! Check to website
often- Well add updates every couple of months, or so. (www.mindbodyspirit.us)
This text is formatted to be printed (youll need to set your margins to the maximum) and is designed to be spiral-bound
across the top. This allows for maximum room across the page for notes and what-not. Again, Kinkos will be happy to
help you in this regard. Itll be about $5, but its well worth it. $5 for what is soon to be one of the best drumming text
books out there; You could do worse.
Enjoy the book. Enjoy drumming. Enjoy the fact that you have the ability to take up such a
physically, mentally and spiritually rewarding hobby. Share you talent with as many people as
you can. And for G*ods sake, dont mess up your fine-motor skills by screwing around with drugs.
The choice is yours- choose not to be a moron.
Thats it. Thats all I know.
Rustin Sparks one@mindbodyspirit.us

Babatunde Olatunjis
Warm Up Exercises
G = B = rh bass Go = T = rh tone Pa = S = rh slap
Dun = b = lh bass Do = t = lh tone Ta = s = lh slap
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Gun GoDo
Gun GoDo GoDo Gun
Gun GoDo GoDo Gun GoDo
Gun GoDo GoDo Gun Pa
Gun GoDo GoDo Gun Pa Ta
Gun GoDo GoDo Gun PaGo PaGo
Gun Pa Gun Pa Gun Pa GoDO
Gun PaTa PaTa Gun Pa GoDo
GoDo GoDo GoDo GoDo

B.Tt.
B.Tt.Tt.B.
B.Tt.Tt.B.Tt.
B.Tt.Tt.B.S.
B.Tt.Tt.B.Ss.
B.Tt.Tt.B.ST.ST.
B.S.B.S.B.S.Tt.
B.Ss.Ss.B.S.Tt.
Tt.Tt.Tt.Tt.

This is a great starting exercise. You play each one 4 times, then you move on to the next. When you get to the end of number
6, just cycle back around to number 1 and keep going. Mastering these rhythms will prove invaluable to you in learning to
play the drum.

Apply the same approach (4X repeats) in solo practice to groups of rhythms, such as the rhythms for Fanga, Samba, et cetera.
Not only will this enable you to learn the individual rhythms, but it will also enable you to switch from rhythm to rhythm,
easily filling in the gaps between. This exercise will also lead to a very good understanding of how the rhythms relate to each
other when you play them using Babas method.

Baba ends the GUN, GO DO, PA TA section with an exercise, noted below, that uses the three essential tones. This is also
a good exercise to use daily as an effective warm-up. Not only is it good practice, but when mastered it becomes pretty fun,
also.

To use the notation below (many thanks to Arthur Hull) try this; tap your finger in a slow, steady rhythm, one tap for every box
in the phrase below. In this case, you would have eight taps per phrase. Keep on tapping, and once youre comfortable with
knowing where the first tap (the downbeat) of every eight is, try singing the GUN, GO DO, PA TA pattern along with the
tapping. The GUN should always start on the first beat. If you think of the phrase in four beats, as the numbers signify, but
keep tapping in eight, the rhythm may feel more fluid.

GUN

(PAUSE) GO

DO

PA

TA

(PAUSE) (PAUSE)

PATTERNS
In this section. Baba covers some basic rhythms. These are basic structures that many of the African rhythms are
based on. Next to practicing regularly, listening and watching Baba (or in our case, Melvin) play these rhythms is the best
way to learn them. We will notate them as well, so that you can recall them easier and spend more time on the individual
rhythms. Baba uses the same patterns for both the GO DO and PA TA tones. The patterns below are in the same order
as Baba plays them when he first demonstrates the GO DO patterns on the drum, after singing them, only we have added
a to emphasize a silent beat (PAUSE). So first sing along and then play on. As Baba emphasizes,

IF YOU CAN SING IT, YOU CAN PLAY IT!

Pattern A

GO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GO

DO

Pattern B

GUN

Pattern C

GUN

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

Pattern D

GUN

Pattern E

GUN

Pattern F

GUN

(Reprinted from http://www.une.edu.au/arts/kafui/warmup.htm - no longer posted)

Following are the rhythms and beats that Baba (and West African Drumming) have become famous for. Are these all of
the rhythms? Certainly not; these are just the ones that we chose to put in the book!

Rhythm #

Title:

Samba

Gordys Beat

Khaki Lambe

Ramboday

Rumba

Mombasa (2 players, 4 drums)

Bolon (Malinke Rythym)

Shiko (Nigerian Drum Rythym)

Kassagbe

10

Rumbayesa

11

Kasa

12

Tiriba

13

Caba

14

Scarf (Sword)

15

Kashlima

16

Shiftateli

17

Yankidi

18

Macrou

19

Kpanlogo (Dance of Youth)

20

Djankadi

21

The Train

22

The Pulse

23

High Life Bottom

24

The Clave

25

Bolamba

26

Beledy

27

Mesmoudic (Cane)

28

Fanga

1 - Samba
GUN

DUN

GO

GUN

GUN

PA

GO

GUN

GUN

GO

GO

GUN

TA

GO

DO

GO
PA

GUN

DUN

GO

DO

GO

GO

GUN

GUN

DO

PA

PA

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GO

DO

GO

TA

GO

PA

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

GUN

DO

GO

DO

GO

GO

DO

2 - GordyS Beat
GUN

PA

GUN

PA

GUN

3 - Kaki Lambe
GUN

GO

DO

PA

GUN

GO

DO

PA

GUN

GO

DO

GO

GO

DO

GUN

GO

DO

GO

PA

TA

GO

DO

GO

GO

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GUN

KA

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GO

DO

GO

GO

GO

GO

DO

GO

GO

GO

4 - Ramboday (w/Jun-Jun)
GUN

GO

DO

GO

JUN

JUN

GUN

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GO

PA

GUN

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

DO

GO

GO

DO

PA

GO

DO

5 - Rumba
GUN

GO

GUN

GUN
GUN

GUN

GO

GUN

GUN

PA

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

DO

GUN

GO

GUN

GUN

GO

GUN

GO

DO

DO

GO

6 - Mombasa

(2 PLAYERS, 6 DRUMS)
#1
GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

DUN

DUN

GO

GO

GO

DO

GO

DO

PA

TA

TA

GO

DO

DO

#2

7 - Bolon
PA

GO

DO

GO

DO

PA

TA

GO

PA

PA

TA

8 - Shiko

DO

PA

PA

TA

GO

PA

GO

DO

PA

GUN

GO

DO

DO

GUN

GUN

GUN

PA

TA

GUN

PA

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GUN

GUN

GO

GUN

GUN

GO

GUN

PA

TA

GUN

PA

TA

GUN

PA

TA

GO

DO

GO

GO

DO

GO

DO

PA

PA

TA

PA

TA

9 - Kassagbe
GODO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

JUN

JUN

JO

JO

TA

GO

GO

TA

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

PA

GO

DO

JO

JO

JO

JO

10 - Rumbayesa
GUN
PA
GO

TA

PA

TA

GUN

GUN

TA

GO

DO

PA

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

TA

GO

GO

DO

GO

DO

JUN

JUN

JO

JO

JO

GUN

GO

DO

GO

GO

PA

GO

DO

GUN

GO

GUN

GO

DO

PA

GUN

DO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

PA

11 - Kasa
GO

DO

PA

PA

TA

GO

DO

PA

PA

TA

PA

GUN

GO

DO

PA

GUN

GO

DO

PA

GO

DO

PA

TA

GUN

PA

GO

DO

PA

TA

GUN

GUN

PA

TA

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

PA

TA

GUN

GO

DO

12 - Tiriba
GUN

GO

DO

GUN

PA

TA

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

PA

TA

GUN

KA

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GO

GUN

13 - Caba
GUN

GUN

GO

DO

PA

PA

GO

GO

GUN

GUN

PA

GO

PA

GO

GO

GUN

GO

PA

GUN

GO

DO

14 - Scarf (Sword)
GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GO

GO

DO

GO

15 - Kashlima
GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GO

GUN

GO

DO

GO

16 - Shiftateli (Chiftitelli)
GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GO

GUN

GUN

GO

17 - Yankidi
GUN

PA

TA

PA

GO

DO

GUN

GO

GO

DO

GO

GO

DO

GO

18 - Macrou

DO

GUN

PA

GUN

GO

DO

FL

FL

PA

TA

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

PA

GO

DO

GUN

PA

GO

DO

GUN

GO

GO

GUN

PA

GUN

GO

GUN

PA

GO

PA

GO

GO

PA

PA

GO

GUN

GO

PA

GUN

GO

GUN

GO

DO

PA

GUN

GO

19 - Kpanlogo Dance of Youth

GO

DO

PA

GUN

PA

TA

GO

PA

TA

GUN

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

PA

TA

GO

GO

GUN

PA

TA

PA

TA

GO

DO

PA

TA

GO

DO

20 - Djankadi (Yankadi)
GUN

PA

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

PA

TA

GO

DO

PA

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

GUN

GUN

GO

GO

GUN

GUN

21 - The Train (exercise)

GO

DO

PA

TA

GUN

GUN

PA

TA

GO

DO

PA

TA

GUN

GUN

PA

TA

GO

DO

TA

GUN

GUN

PA

TA

GO

DO

TA

GUN

GUN

PA

TA

GO

DO

PA

TA

GUN

GUN

TA

GO

DO

PA

TA

GUN

TA

GO

DO

TA

GUN

GUN

PA

GO

DO

TA

GUN

GUN

PA

GO

DO

PA

TA

PA

TA

GO

DO

PA

TA

GUN

PA

TA

22 - The Pulse (exercise)

GO

GO

GUN

GUN

GUN

GUN

GUN

GO

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GUN

DO

GO

GUN

GUN

GUN

DO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

GUN

GUN

GUN

23 - High Life Bottom

GUN

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

DO

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

DO

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

TA

TA

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

TA

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

TA

GUN

GO

DO

24 - The Clave (exercise)

GO

DO

GO

GO

GO

GO

DO

DO

GO

DO

GO

GO

GO

GO

DO

DO

GO

DO

GO

GO

GO

PA

GO

GO

GO

PA

TA

GO

TA

GO

DO

GO

DO

PA

GO

DO

25 - Bolomba
GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

PA

TA

PA

DO

PA

PA

TA

GO

DO

PA

PA

TA

GO

PA

GO

DO

PA

GUN

PA

PA

TA

GUN

26 - Beledy (Beladi, Belady)

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GO

GUN

GO

DO

GO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GO

27 - Mesmoudic (Cane) (2X speed)

GO

DO

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

GO

DO

GUN

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GUN

GO

GO

DO

GUN

GO

DO

GO

GO

DO

GO

DO

GO

--

--

28 - Fanga
GUN

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

GO

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GUN

DO

GUN

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN

GUN

GO

DO

GO

DO

GUN