Solo Part with the Djembe Drum

I just opened that video and played the solo for you—here’s exactly how I do it, bar by bar, so you can copy it tonight when you learn djembe.

Tempo: Chill 90 bpm (count 1-2-3-4 nice and fat). Strokes:

• B = loud bass (right hand center)
• S = loud slap (left hand edge)
• s = quiet slap (ghost)
• d = double-stroke (down-up on the same hand)

Solo – 4 bars, then repeat or improvise

Bar 1 – Call Right B – s – S – s Left – – – – (translation: “BOOM – crack – CRACK – crack”)

Bar 2 – Response Right B B d d Left – – S S (boom-boom double-bass, left answers with two quick slaps)

Bar 3 – Roll build Right s s s s s s s s Left s s s s s s s s (eight super-quiet ghosts, crescendo from whisper to medium)

Bar 4 – Explosion & stop Right B – S – B – S – Left – B – S – B – S (alternating loud hits, then total silence on the last beat—let it ring!)

How I make it sing

1. Stay glued to the rim between hits (micro-vacation).
2. Right hand never leaves the center zone—down for loud, up for the second ghost.
3. Left hand lives on the edge—wrist twist for every slap.
4. On the silent beat, lift both hands an inch—the pause is the star.
5. Smile—solos are conversations with the drum.

Loop bars 1-4 twice, then freestyle: swap the doubles, throw a flam, or drop a triplet roll. That’s my whole solo toolbox in 16 beats.

Grab your drum, hit record, and send me your version in the comments! Full break-down + slow-motion is inside djembemaster.com. Now go steal the show. 🥁