African Rhythms for Percussion: Drum Book & CD

Bourdon moves beyond surface-level patterns and teaches the hand mechanics that make African drumming distinctive. The progression from solo exercises to two-player work builds ensemble sensitivity, and having recorded examples on CD means your students hear the rhythms come alive in context rather than guessing from notation alone.

These rhythms pulse with the liveliness of African drumming without forcing students into ceremonial or academic modes. The technical work feels purposeful rather than abstract; you're building real skills that musicians actually use.

Percussionists ready to move beyond mallets and vibraphone into hand drumming will find a structured path here. This book works equally well for world music ensembles, for adding color to a world music unit in band, or for students seeking serious study in African percussion traditions.

• Study the floating hand technique slowly before adding tempo. This hand position appears in multiple African traditions and transforms how the drum responds.
• Record yourself playing the one-player exercises, then layer them with the CD tracks. Hearing your own sound against the accompaniment reveals timing issues no metronome will catch.
• When teaching the two-player pieces, start with the simpler rhythmic layer and add the second part only after the first player owns it completely.
• Move between conga, tumba, and djembe using the same exercise. The technique transfers, and students grasp the shared foundation beneath different drum families.

Slot this into your curriculum after students have basic drumming facility but before ensemble work demands sophisticated hand technique. The three solo pieces work as recital or concert material, and the two-player exercises strengthen your percussion section's ability to lock rhythmically in any context.

• Floating hand and bascule techniques specific to African hand drumming
• Rhythmic independence between hands on conga, tumba, and djembe
• Reading and executing traditional African rhythmic notation
• Ensemble sensitivity through two-player call-and-response patterns
• Tonal control and dynamic shaping on hand drums