(upbeat music)
- Hello.
This is Kofi Anang again.
Today's lesson,
we'll be learning the hand position on a drum.
Now, we are gonna create
rhythms, using the alphabets of the drumming language.
So, this how it goes.
Repeat after me.
So, first you're gonna sing it
before I show you, on a drum, how it sounds like.
The first one, we're gonna hear is called Do.
So repeat after me, Do.
The second one is called, Pantan.
Repeat after me, Pantan.
The third one is called, Piti.
Repeat after me, Piti.
The next one is called, Ngle Ngle.
Ngle Ngle!
The last one is called, Kpa!
Repeat after me, Kpa!
Alright, now I'm gonna play it on a drum,
so you can hear how it sounds,
the alphabet sounds like on a drum.
These are five alphabets.
Do, I'll say it and then I'll play it on the drum,
So you can hear it.
And you can do the same thing, on a table.
So you flatten your hand on the drum,
and hit the center and you get a bass drum, bass sound.
Do!
Pantan!
Kpa!
Piti!
Ngle Ngle!
So these are the five alphabets
that constitute the drumming language.
That's what we use as drummers,
to create all this fancy,
beautiful music that you hear us playing.
But if you don't know how it goes, you wouldn't know.
So let's do that one more time.
Do!
Pantan!
Kpa!
Piti!
Piti Piti!
Ngle Ngle!
And when I say the alphabet,
you can hit a drum repeat after me.
When you listen very careful, the drum say the same thing
it repeats after me.
So, that's what we use
in creating all this beautiful instrument--
I mean--beautiful music that we play on the drums.
Very good.
Now, I want us to play a rhythm, using the alphabets.
If you don't have a drum in front of you,
or you don't have a table in front of you,
or you do not want to use your knee or your thigh to play,
just sing it along.
And that's all you need.
And you can learn the rhythm anyway, by singing it.
Because that's how you return, the rhythms.
If you don't sing it, you can't get it.
You have to be able to sing them.
So, we're gonna go,
Do! Pantan!
So when you start piecing the alphabet together,
then they become a song.
When you say Do, by itself, doesn't mean anything.
Pantan, by itself, doesn't mean anything.
Kpa, by itself, doesn't mean anything.
There's no song yet.
Until you start putting them together.
So it'll go,
Do! Pantan!
(drumming)
Do! Pantan!
Piti Piti! Pantan!
Kpa! Pantan!
Ngle Ngle! Do Do!
Now, let's use about three alphabet
to create a beautiful rhythm.
We're gonna use,
Do! Pantan!
Or let's say,
Kpa! Pantan!
Do Do! Pantan!
Kpa! Pantan!
Do Do! Pantan!
Kpa! Pantan!
Do Do! Pantan!
(drumming)
Kpa! Pantan!
Do Do! Pantan!
Kpa! Pantan!
Do Do! Pantan!
Kpa! Pantan!
Do Do!
(drumming)
You see, it's becoming a song!
So now, I'm gonna play, really play it.
So you can see how it really will sound like.
If you really, kind of, use it in the right way.
(drumming)
Kpa! Pantan!
Do Do! Pantan!
Kpa! Pantan!
Do Do! Pantan!
(drumming)
Thank you for listening.
My name is Kofi Anang, and I'm glad to share this with you.
So, now you know how this drumming language works.
Now, when you really want to learn how to play the drum,
this is the way to know.
If you really learn the right techniques of the drum,
you'll be able to play the drum.
Thank you again for listening, and see you next time.
(upbeat music)