Ten Four Jembe Patterns

Drummers may contemplate the "oil and water" nature of 3 vs. 2 or 4 - does one play one over the other at the same pulse as a round, pad out a 3/4 bar pattern to 4/4, or stretch the 3-beat pulse to match the bar length? In practice, one does all of these things, but the easiest to learn first, is to hold the same pulse and allow the bar lines to fall where they may, creating a "round" ("where's the One?") effect that is less confusing (and easier to notate) than changing the pulse.

I came up with part 1 of "Ten Four" as an exercise, and much later, woke up with part 2 in my head, without realizing it was also the same 3+3+4/4 signature. I added part 3 as a stick drum part to complete the song, along with a cross-beat call, and matching pure 3/4 and 4/4 patterns to drop on top.

Ten-Four cross-call, 4-beat to 3-beat ("krunk a dunk - GuDuGu, PaTaPa, go!") 

F Ss  BbB SsS (3-beat follows...)

|_-_-_|_-_|_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_...

Ten-Four pattern 1 (jembe, alternating hands)

B TtT F TtT B B TtS     B TtT F TtT B B TtS B TtT F TtT B B TtS  ...

|_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_-_-_|   |_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_-_-_|_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_-_-_ ...

Ten-Four pattern 2 (jembe, alternating hands)

B TtT TtTtT TtTtS S     B TtT TtTtT TtTtS S B TtT TtTtT TtTtS S  ...

|_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_-_-_|   |_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_-_-_|_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_-_-_ ...

Ten-Four pattern 3 (jembe, fixed hands)

B B s B B s BBs BBs     B B s B B s BBs BBs B B s B B s BBs BBs  ...

|_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_-_-_|   |_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_:_-_|_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_:_-_ ...

Ten-Four pattern 3 (2 stick drums, or 1 stick drum with mute as alternate sound)

X X O X X O XXO XXO     X X O X X O XXO XXO X X O X X O XXO XXO  ...

|_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_-_-_|   |_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_:_-_|_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_:_-_ ...

Once up and running, add these alternate hand for a "round" effect...

Ten-Four "Jan Pierewiet" 3-beat

B TtS                   B TtS B TtS B TtS B TtS B TtS B TtS ...
|_-_-_                  |_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_...

Ten-Four  4-beat

B B StS                 B B StS B B StS B B StS B B StS B B StS  ...
|_-_-_-_                |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_ ...

Ten-Four pattern -1 (offset variation of pattern 1)

TtT B TtT F TtT B B     TtT B TtT F TtT B B TtT B TtT F TtT B B  ...

|_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_-_-_|   |_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_-_-_|_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_-_-_ ...

As yet I haven't tried a bell pattern with this, but perhaps this would work, picking out the "1 and then 2 and then " 6/8 pulse over the 3/4 sub-bars of the thing:

Ten-Four bell 1

x  x  x  x  x   x       x  x  x  x  x   x   x  x  x  x  x   x    ...

|__-__:__-__:_-_-_-_|   |__-__:__-__:_-_-_-_|__-__:__-__:_-_-_-_ ...

...or...

Ten-Four bell 2

x  x  x  x  x x x x     x  x  x  x  x x x x x  x  x  x  x x x x  ...

|__-__:__-__:_-_-_-_|   |__-__:__-__:_-_-_-_|__-__:__-__:_-_-_-_ ...

...or something more spacious or kinky to taste.

PS: For those who prefer vocal notation, those patterns again...

Ten-Four cross-call, 4-beat to 3-beat ("krunk a dunk - GuDuGu, PaTaPa, go!") 

Pre.  Te Pe .  .  Gu Du Gu .  Pa Ta Pa 

|__.__-__.__-__.__|__.__-__.__|__.__-__.__

Ten-Four pattern 1 (jembe, alternating hands)

Gu .  Pe Te Pe .  Pre.  Pe Te Pe .  Gu .  Gu .  Pe Te Pa .

|__.__-__.__-__.__|__.__-__.__-__.__|__.__-__.__-__.__-__.__

Ten-Four pattern 2 (jembe, alternating hands)

Gu .  Pe Te Pe .  Pe Te Pe Te Pe .  Pe Te Pe Te Pa .  Pa .

|__.__-__.__-__.__|__.__-__.__-__.__|__.__-__.__-__.__-__.__

Ten-Four pattern 3 (jembe, fixed hands)

Gu .  Gu .  Ta .  Gu .  Gu .  Ta .  Gu Gu Ta .  Gu Gu Ta .

|__.__-__.__-__.__|__.__-__.__-__.__|__.__-__.__|__.__-__.__

Ten-Four "Jan Pierewiet" 3-beat

Gu .  Pe Te Pa .  

|__.__-__.__-__.__

Ten-Four 4-beat

Gu .  Gu .  Pe Te Pe .  

|__.__-__.__-__.__-__.__

Ten-Four pattern -1 (jembe, alternating hands)

Pe Te Pe .  Gu .  Pe Te Pe .  Pre.  Pe Te Pe .  Gu .  Gu .  

|__.__-__.__-__.__|__.__-__.__-__.__|__.__-__.__-__.__-__.__

Enjoy!

PB Session 15 Aug 2022

These are the patterns we played as the PB Drummers 15 August 2022, and what we can learn from them!  Notation is described here, with the reasons for yet another notation here.

We started with Djina Foli, the "space-clearing song" as taught by Tim in the city. It's a tough pattern to start with, unless you've played it before; I remember struggling to remember it, especially as Tim makes a point of not really teaching it, but it has a performative purpose.  

Djina foli space-clearing song; West Africa, 4-beat

B T B Tt Tt S   S   B Tt Tt S   
|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_

We play Tim's version, with a couple of tweaks; changing the slaps and tones of the call into a call and response, and using an in-pattern signal to indicate when the call is repeated in the middle of the song, then again at the end.

Then we did an anchor, call and response, which teaches several useful things.  I don't know where the main pattern comes from, but I remember Glynnis and Craig from Bevil's circle playing it as a pattern series several years ago.  

Anchor (call-and-response game) 4-beat, ends on the next "one"

B Tb bTtB  B Tb bTtB       B Tb bTtB       ...
|_-_-_-_|  |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

Response A (call-and-response game) 4-beat, follows the "one"

  TtTtS              TtTtS                 ...
|___--!_|  |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

Response B (call-and-response game) 4-beat, follows the "one"

  F   F                             F   F  ...
|_-_-_-_|  |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

The pattern itself helps break out of the expectation that emphasis beats (in this case, bass) will always fall on the strong hand, as typical beginner patterns tend to leave the weak hand "lazy".  I've arranged it as a call-and-response exercise, from which one may learn how to "frame", i.e. to return to the correct point in the flow when existing a solo. 

From the start, we've played 4-beat and 3-beat patterns, and the next exercise is how to switch between these, via my "cross-call".  We started with a 4-beat "Baladi pattern 2" (a pattern that goes with Baladi, tho not actually part of Baladi itself)...

Added to Baladi; Middle-Eastern influence, 3+3+2 4-beat

B TtT B TtT TtT   B TtT B TtT TtT B TtT B TtT TtT ...
|_-_-_:_-_-_:_-_  |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

...then after the cross-call...

Cross-call, 4-beat to 3-beat ("krunk a dunk - GuDuGu, PaTaPa, go!") 

F Ss  BbB SsS (3-beat follows...)

|_-_-_|_-_|_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_...

...switched to "Jan Pierewiet", an easy 3-beat that feels unambiguously 3/4.  

Jan Pierewiet 3-beat

B TtS   B TtS B TtS B TtS B TtS B TtS B TtS ...
|_-_-_  |_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_...

The cross-call also starts "Ten Four", which we'll do later; that song preserves the same "simple time" pulse, while teaching how different bar lengths can create a "round" effect.  For now, flipping from 4-beat to 3-beat bar lengths without losing the pulse is a good start!  One can link any 4-beats to 3-beats via the cross-call; I chose these patterns as they are so similar, also to show how one can extend or truncate patterns to fit different bar lengths.

Once the 3-beat was rolling as a "1 and 2 and 3 and " 3/4, I threw in some "1 - then 2 - then " swing and "1 and then 2 and then " 6/8 cross-currents, before we blended in Mboshi:

Mboshi part 2 (Congo) 3-beat

B B TtS S Tt  B B TtS S TtB B TtS S TtB B TtS S Tt...
|_-_-_|_-_-_  |_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_|_-_-_...

Next, we did some rumbles and drop-in patterns, as Manan teaches in the city, based mainly on the main pattern from Jembe that we first learn as Bevil's "Pineapple Apricot".

Jembe pattern 1 (West African) 4-beat

B SsTtS   B SsTtS B SsTtS B SsTtS B SsTtS ...
|_-_-_-_  |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

Alas, I'm not Manan, so couldn't do the voice signals accurately for the entry timing!

We did Kuku next, adding two of Bevil's patterns to enjoy how these fit together.  The main pattern of Kuku teaches how to hold space in a pattern, without pinching it short; deliberately pinching space (especially between slaps) is how one can signal to speed up the tempo.

Kuku; full moon song, Ivory Coast, 4-beat

B Tt  S           B Tt  S B Tt  S B Tt  S B Tt  S ...

|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_  |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

Kuku, Bevil's response pattern

B   B   S s Ss    B   B   S s Ss  B   B   S s Ss  ...

|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_  |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

Kuku, Bevil's response-to-response pattern

  TtB b B Tt  S     TtB b B Tt  S   TtB b B Tt  S ...

|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_  |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

We haven't taught the third of these patterns yet, but that's what I was adding in.  That pattern is unusual in that it has no beat on the "one", thus useful to teach that oddity.

We returned to call-and-response with Frooa, an easy 4-beat pattern that has two "pass the part" parts, of which we did the first.  It also has a nice additional pattern that I added at the end.  

Frooa; "pass the part", West Africa, 4-beat

B TtB S           B TtB S B TtB S B TtB S B TtB S ...
|_-_-_-_          |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

Frooa; passed part 1

TtTtS S           B TtB S TtTtS S B TtB S B TtB S ...
1_-_-_-_          |_-_-_-_1_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

Whereas "anchor, call and response" teaches how to drop in from not playing, and correctly frame for exit, Frooa's "pass the part" teaches how to switch patterns mid-flow, and how to still hear one pattern in your head while playing something else!

We ended the session with bells, then "Bevil's Song" (sequential parts, change on hand-wave), 4-beat...

B B Tt  B         B B Tt  B       B B Tt  B       ...

|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_  |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

B B Tt  B Ss      B B Tt  B Ss    B B Tt  B Ss    ...

|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_  |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

B B Tt  B TtTt    B B Tt  B TtTt  B B Tt  B TtTt  ...

|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_  |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

B B Tt  B TtTtTt  B B Tt  B TtTtTtB B Tt  B TtTtTt...

|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_  |_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_|_-_-_-_...

...brought the session to a close.

Emaul Attackments: .HTM vs. .PDF Risk

My bank used to send statements via email as .PDF, but now sometimes switch to .HTM(L) file attachments instead. Here's why that's an elevation of risk...

Both HTML and .PDF files can contain auto-running JavaScript, elevating the risk from "reading a document" to "running a program".  But whereas one can (and should) disable JavaScript in Acrobat Reader, it's impractical to do that for the web browsers that typically "open" HTML files.  

Microsoft's Chromium-based Edge does not run JavaScript in .pdf files, at least as at August 2022, so these files are still safer than HTML even if "opened" in Edge.

Inspecting the bank's HTML "statement" in Notepad shows JavaScript followed by an encrypted mass of content, which could be (and do) anything.  Here's the start of a "real" bank statement "document"...

-script type="text/javascript"-
document.write(decodeURIComponent(atob('JTNDaHRtb... 

...munged to invalidate HTML syntax for safety; here's a suspected malware sample...

-script type="text/javascript"-
document.write(decodeURIComponent(atob('JUVGJUJCJUJGJT...

...can you tell the difference?  Why should I have to trust embedded code to "read a statement"?

Automated messages containing attachments and/or links are always hi-risk, as it's so easy to forge what the recipient sees as "message text" - and already I see fake "email statements" from "my bank", given the message dates don't correlate with statements as seen via the bank's web site.

So, let's hope the bank re-thinks this strategy, rather than reprise "Banking On Java"

The HTML problem

Using HTML everywhere as "rich text" for "documents" started with the "everything is a web page" mania of Windows 98, where HTML Application files (.hta) abounded, and HTML Templates (Folder.htt) were dropped into file system directories and namespace folders to create a "web" look.  This was when Internet Explorer was meshed deeply into Windows, to support Microsoft's claims it was not a separate bundled program competing unfairly with Netscape.  HTML also became the new .chm Help at this time.

Using HTML as rich text for "documents" creates a wide safety gap between the low skills needed to use a system, and the higher skills needed to use it safely.  The seeds of this lie in the Object Oriented Programming concept, where "documents" are "objects", and all objects can have Methods (code) and Properties (variables).  Normal programming practice is to interface with such objects by asking their methods to expose their internals - and so "reading a document" becomes "run code".

JavaScript

How risky is JavaScript - doesn't it just work safely within a single document or page?  Well, it's powerful enough to be the sole code for Progressive Web Apps, that are expected to become ubiquitous as the "desktop" programs we use today - and malware use is already rife.