How to Find Triplets and Sextuplets on Djembe Drums

In general, there are 2 basic ways you can subdivide a beat on the djembe drum. First, you can break each quarter note down into halves, creating eighth and 16th notes. For a more flowing sound, you can subdivide the quarter notes into groups of 3, producing triplets and sextuplets. These form rhythms that are prominent in many kinds of djembe music, and they're easy to learn with the help of a metronome and some practice.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Set a metronome to play at a steady, moderate pace. A good tempo range for the quarter note is between 70 and 90 beats per minute. If you're a beginner, consider slowing it down to 50 or 60 beats per minute.

2. Strike up a steady rhythm of quarter notes in time with the metronome. To accent the beat, play each note using the bass technique.

3. Break down each quarter note into 3 smaller notes to form triplets. Continue to accent the beat by using the bass technique to play the first note of each group of 3. Alternate hands and play the other 2 notes using the tone technique.

4. Subdivide the beat into sextuplets by dividing each triplet note in half. You should now be striking the djembe 6 times for every 1 of the metronome's ticks.

5. Continue to play each downbeat with the bass technique and in time with the metronome. Strike each of the other notes using tone technique. You can also use the slap to sharply accent certain notes.