African Drum Language II
Yoruba Dùndún Ensemble
An ensemble of dùndún usually consists of the principal drum, the ìyáàlù, and a number of secondary drums known as ísáájú, àtèlé, and gúdúgúdú. All the drums, except the gúdúgúdú, have an hourglass shape. The gúdúgúdú has a globular shape.
Composer: Anonymous
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"ifa Divination Dundun Drumming" [ 00:00-00:07 ]00:06
ísáájú
The ísáájú's main musical role is to supply an unchanging pattern within each musical piece or dance. By supplying a steady rhythm, the ísáájú provides part of the cyclic patterns that accompany the improvisations of the ìyáàlù.
Listen once again to the pattern of the ísáájú
Composer: Anonymous
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"ifa Divination Dundun Drumming" [ 00:15-00:21 ]00:06
àtèlé
The àtèlé plays a musical role that is implied in the meaning of its name; àtèlé means "follower." It is the only other drum that may improvise. But such improvisations are usually very limited, occurring as occasional deviations from a predominantly repetitive part. In spite of the use of occasional variation, the àtèlé's part is basically repetitive.
Listen once again to the pattern of the àtèlé .
Composer: Anonymous
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"ifa Divination Dundun Drumming" [ 00:29-00:45 ]00:17
gúdúgúdú
As mentioned earlier, the gúdúgúdú is the only member of the ensemble with a pot-like or globular shape. The drum has other distinctive features. Firstly, it lacks the pitch-varying strings (osan) of the hourglass-shaped members of the ensemble. A black mixture of tree sap and charcoal is affixed to the center of the membrane, making it possible for the drum to produce two different pitches. Unlike the other drums in the ensemble, the gúdúgúdú is played with two leather string beaters rather than with a wooden stick. As a result of these physical features, the gúdúgúdú is distinct for its dry and piercing sound. The gúdúgúdú, like the other secondary drums, also plays an unchanging ostinato part in each piece or dance movement.
Listen once again to one of the typical patterns of gúdúgúdú .
Composer: Anonymous
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"ifa Divination Dundun Drumming" [ 00:51-01:01 ]00:10
ìyáàlù
The ìyáàlù is the leading drum and it is usually played by the most competent member of the group. In leading dùndún performances, the ìyáàlù player provides improvisations in addition to ensuring that the secondary parts of the remaining members of the ensemble are regular and steady. You will notice that the ìyáàlù sound is the deepest and most powerful of all the sounds within the ensemble.
You may now listen once again to the ìyáàlù part .
Composer: Anonymous
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"ifa Divination Dundun Drumming" [ 02:04-03:32 ]01:27
Now listen to a complete dùndún ensemble in the performance of Ifá dùndún drumming . In listening to this full ensemble you should try to identify each of the patterns of the secondary drums that you listened to earlier. Experiment with tapping each of the rhythmic patterns of the secondary instruments on the table.
African people made instruments from materials available to them, like wood, gourds, animal horns and skins.
