Free Sample Notation

Here is the praise song Kelefa ba, in a basic and simple notation learning diagram.  Use this free example to learn the basic riff, the repeated phrase known as the kumbengo.  It is traditionally the first tune to learn and is believed to be the first song actually composed for the kora.

• Each note or chord is represented by a picture of the bridge, as seen from the player’s viewpoint.
• The red lines indicate the string to be played. T for thumb and F for finger.
• The note length is shown although it is not necessary to read music to learn the tune, as you can listen to it above.
• Listen to the tune as much as possible before trying to learn it; listening is a much under-used learning tool!  Hum it, sing it, it all helps when you come to try and play it.

If you would like to learn more, Kelefa Ba is available as a Video Tutorial.