Bembe bell (4/4 triplets) drum pattern
An Afro-Cuban bell study shown as four quarter-note beats, each divided into three pulses. This is the 4/4-triplet equivalent of a 12/8 grid. Press Play to hear it with a sampled drum kit at 110 BPM, change the tempo or swing, and follow every hit on the grid.
How to count the Bembe bell (4/4 triplets)
Count it as: 1 la li 2 la li 3 la li 4 la li. The pattern is one bar of 4/4 (12-pulse triplet bell grid).
The Bembe bell (4/4 triplets) pattern, hit by hit
Each character is one step of the grid and each group is one beat. X is an accented hit, x a normal hit, o a quiet or ghost note and - a rest.
| Voice | Pattern |
|---|---|
| Kick | x-- x-- x-- x-- |
| Cowbell | X-x -xX -x- X-x |
| Low tom | --- x-- --x --- |
Tempo and feel
Rolling and circular. Hear the bell as one phrase rather than twelve separate clicks. The default tempo is 110 BPM. Slow it down until every hit is controlled, then raise the tempo a few BPM at a time.
How to practise the Bembe bell (4/4 triplets)
Clap the bell timeline. Add the low voice only after the bell is stable. Keep both halves of the cycle balanced.
Variations to try next
Reverse the bell direction. Move the low voice to floor tom. Play the bell on ride bell.
Where to hear this feel
Records in this family include Mongo Santamaria - Afro Blue, Tito Puente - Ran Kan Kan and Chucho Valdes - Mambo Influenciado. This is a style study written for practice, not a transcription of any one recording.