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GRIPPER
G U I T A R
A F R I C A N
New Cape
JARABI
f#
4
The first parts of Jarabi to learn are the accompanying cycles of the piece.
A cycle is a short piece of music which is played over and over again.
The word for a cycle in Malian kora music is Kumbengo.
In Jarabi most of the cycles are played with the thumb (p) playing the A string
and fingers (i,m and a) playing the treble strings.
The names of the Kumbengos are taken from the full score of Jarabi.
The basic Kumbengo is K. There are numerous variations which will be presented here from easiest to hardest:
K8, K5, K2, K4, K7, K3, K6
The basic idea behind all of these variations is K which can be substituted for any of the variations when playing the
full version of Jarabi.
Each k is made up of a three part rhythmic cycle. The parts of K are as follows
(played on open strings)
Play each one separately:
i
p
i
p
i
p
k
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
2
0
0
0
4
0
4
0
0
0
4
0
4
0
0
Repeat signs are usually used to show that the music in between the sings is played twice.
In Jarabi they are used to show that the music between the signs is a cycle and can be played as many
times as you like.
E
B
F#
D
A
D
The full K cycle is divided into four bars, the first two the same and the second two the same.
This results in a bassline on the A string which will remain continuous throughout Jarabi.
E
B
F#
D
A
D
0
2
0
2
0
0
0
2
0
2
0
0
0
4
0
4
0
0
0
4
0
4
0
0
Change the harmony of the second cycle to create the final version of K.
E
B
F#
D
A
D
0
2
0
2
0
0
0
2
0
2
0
0
0
4
0
4
0
0
0
4
0
4
0
0
Learn the following variations of K by playing the three dierent Right Hand Patterns
separately, putting them together, and then adding the Left Hand.
k8
E
B
F#
D
A
D
0
2
0
2
3
0
0
2
m
p
0
2
3
0
0
4
0
4
3
0
0
4
0
4
3
0
i
p
k5
E
B
F#
D
A
D
0
2
0
2
3
0
0
2
0
2
3
0
0
4
2
4
3
0
0
4
2
4
3
0
When the right hand ring finger (a) is brought into the cycle, the second part of each cycle
will require a small bar chord.
This means that the first finger of the left hand is used to fret two strings at once (e and b).
0
2
0
0
k2
E
B
F#
D
2
A
a
p
0
2
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
4
k4
E
B
F#
D
A
D
2
0
2
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
a
i
i
p
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
4
2
4
0
0
2
0
0
4
2
4
0
0
0
0
k7
E
B
F#
D
A
D
0
2
0
0
a
i
p
0
2
0
0
2
4
0
0
2
4
0
0
k3
E
B
F#
D
A
D
5
0
4
2
4
4
0
5
0
0
4
i
p
2
4
4
0
5
0
0
2
0
2
4
0
5
0
0
2
0
2
4
0
0
0
k6
E
B
F#
D
A
D
0
2
0
0
a
i
0
2
0
0
2
4
0
0
2
4
0
0