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Sofa.mp3 - Percussion Studio generated version

Sofa

Djembe 1                             Djembe 2
[ t t s s . . s . t t . s b . s . ] [ s . . s s . t t s . . s s . t t ]
Djembe 3(can use k's instead of s's) Djembe 4
[ t t . b s . . . t . t . s . . . ] [ . . s s . . s s . . s s t t s s ]

Djembe solo
[ s . s . s . s . s . s . s . . t t . t t . . . t t . t . t . . t
t . t t . . k . t . k . t . . t t . t t . . k . t . k . t t s s ]
Djembe solo 2 (repeat each line several times)
[ t t . b s . . . t . t . s . . . ]
[ t . t t s s . b s . . s t t . b ]
[ b . . s . . t . b . t s t t s . ]
[ b . . s . . s t t . t s t t s . ]
[ s s . b s s . b s . t s t t s b ]
[ . . s s . . s s . . s s t t s s ]
[ T . t t . t . t t . s s s . . . ]

Dununba                              Sangban
[ . . . . . . o . o . o . o . o . ] [ o o . . x . . . o . o . x . . . ]
[ x . x x . x x . x . x . x . x . ] [ x x . x x . x . x . x . x . x . ]
Kenkeni                              Ballet style
[ . . o o . . x . . . o o . . x . ] [ t t . . s . . . t . t . s . . . ]
[ x . x x . x x . x . x x . x x . ] [ . . . . . . b . b . b . b . b . ]

Break (T = tone flam; S = slap flam)
[ b . . S . . . . t . t . t t . . b . . S . . . . t . t . t t . .
t t s s . . t t s s . . S . . . t t s s . . t t s s . . S . . .
T . t t . t . t t . s s s . . . ]
Break Dunduns
[ b . . . . . . . t . . . . . . . b . . . . . . . t . . . . . . .
t . . . . . t . . . . . s . . . t . . . . . t . . . . . s . . .
t . . . . . . . . . s s s . . . ]

- Sofa is a very old Malinke Rhythm that according to some takes you back to the time period in which warriors (in Malinke "Sofa") rode horses. These warriors had large plate-shape drums (tavela) that were also used for the sending of messages. When Sofa was played, the horses "danced" with their warriors to the rhythm. Sofa was also played when a great warrior or hunter in the village passed away (from: Famoudou Konaté; Rhythmen der Malinke).
- The rhythm was played for the warriors on horseback. It was supposed to support the brave and strong men who went to combat, as well as praise them for their success and bravery when they came back. In the old days it was accompanied by a Bolon, a string instrument. The Bolon was played by "Griots de Guerre" (war-griots) who knew the story, the song and the praise of the war and warriors since generations.( Uschi Billmeier/Mamady Keïta: A Life for the Djembé).
- Other sources mention another meaning for Sofa: it was played in honor of the king.
From Mamady, Paul Nas; 3rd part and break from Matthew.