This was always a really fun rhythm game….
|
1
|
+
|
2
|
+
|
3
|
+
|
4
|
+
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SING THIS! It makes playing easy. |
|
|
|
B
|
S
|
|
T
|
T
|
|
|
|
|
This is the Home pattern: |
|
Bass Slap [ ] Tone Tone [ ] [ ] [ ] |
|
|
|
B
|
S
|
|
T
|
T
|
|
B
|
|
|
Now we add ONE note: |
|
Bass Slap [ ] Tone Tone [ ] Bass [ ] |
|
|
|
B
|
S
|
|
T
|
T
|
B
|
B
|
|
|
And another. Just one note: |
Bass Slap [ ] Tone Tone Bass Bass [ ] |
|
|
|
B
|
S
|
B
|
T
|
T
|
B
|
B
|
|
|
Add one bass up front: |
|
Bass Slap Bass Tone Tone Bass Bass [ ] |
|
|
|
B
|
S
|
B
|
T
|
T
|
B
|
B
|
S
|
|
And one slap at the end: |
|
Bass Slap Bass Tone Tone Bass Bass Slap |
|
|
|
|
So sing and play. Singing each line gets it in ya. So to sing is to practice. Once the song is in ya, it can come out of your hands! The base pattern gets stuck in you with all that repetition, and can become a good 4/4 pattern to call up in a song. And you already know how to improvise it into a solo.
You are spectacular, creative musicians…..
Play the base rhythm for a while; slowly and perfectly. Just like that. Don’t worry. Just get the groove. Then after a while when you feel at ease with the pattern, move through the rhythm, adding one new note at a time, then try backing up, subtracting one note at a time. Play each line 4 times before moving on. Maybe throw a little variation in on the last one…..
Handling this pattern: I don’t give much attention to handing most of the time. Guinea teachers will tell you one way, Yoruba teachers will tell you anther. LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR TEACHER TELLS YOU! This is goofing-off style drumming – not traditional! I have found playing hand-over-hand, Guinea style, works best for me with this pattern, but Guinea style is what I am used to. Play the way that is best for you. “If it sounds good, it IS good.” Duke Ellington
The pattern would be played like this if you’re right handed:
Bass Slap [ ] Tone Tone [ ] [ ] [ ]
Bass Slap Bass Tone Tone Bass Bass Slap
Giving the spaces the same hand you’ll play by the last line. It makes it easy to be FAST!
This exercise is from the book, “Have Fun Playing Hand Drums” by Ben James
I have heard that 80%of disagreements are based on semantics. At least!
So as my pals and I are learning to communicate in the language of music, there are ideas we need to understand, and the words that refer to that idea. The word is the finger; the idea, the moon.
This is where we are now:
There is a name we all need to agree on to describe that chunk of patterns that we repeat before we go to the next pattern. We decided the other night to call it a PART [we are an eloquent group, we are]. It is PART ‘A’ or PART ‘B’ in the AABA pattern. Because I am nearing 52 and really new at learning this language, I referred to the “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Music Theory” by Michael Miller for this description, and as it turns out, we are not only eloquent, we are brilliant. And correct.
“Most popular and jazz music is based on eight-measure phrases. Your verse might be one eight-measure phrase; your chorus another. We keep track of the different parts of a song by assigning them letters [...which have nothing to do with pitch or notes].
“The very first eight-measure phrase in your song – which is typically the first verse – is labeled ‘A’. If the verse is repeated anywhere in the song, it retains its ‘A’ labeling.
“The second eight-measure phrase – typically the chorus – is labeled ‘B’.”
and on like that….
Many of the rhythms we play are based around groups of four; each group of four beats is called a measure:
|1 2 3 4 | => |b . t t| = one measure
So ‘Part A’ of a drum song we’re making could use this eight- measure phrase:
|b . t t |b . s . | b . t t |b . s . |b . t t |b . s . |b . . . |b . . . | = Part A
If we repeat Part A 4 times and tweek it a little at the end of the 4th line,we have a 32-bar SECTION, that we cleverly call SECTION 1.
|b . t t |b . s . | b . t t |b . s . |b . t t |b . s . |b . . . |b . . . | = Part A
|b . t t |b . s . | b . t t |b . s . |b . t t |b . s . |b . . . |b . . . | = Part A
|b . t t |b . s . | b . t t |b . s . |b . t t |b . s . |b . . . |b . . . | = Part A
|b . t t |b . s . | b . t t |b . s . |b . t t |b . s . |b . . . |. . . . | = Part Av [v=variation]
NOW that we have the nomenclature down, it will be easier to play the solo construction game.
SOLO CONSTRUCTION GAME 1
- Everyone plays SECTION 1 together at room volume
- Everyone continues to play SECTION 1 quietly, while one drummer plays freely, louder than everyone else.
- Repeat step 1, loud and in unison
- Repeat step 2 with a new player
Repetition of the Section embeds it into your verbal and muscle memory. It is now yours forever. Having played the circle of four, your body becomes accustomed to that length of time. It is not too much time, nor too little. New soloists don’t seem to be intimidated when the length of time they are playing is familiar. [And I don't say 'solo'. I ask people to please play louder than everyone else for a bit....]
The dance of structure and improvisation is care and protection. Playing music with others is a love affair.
Talk to me…
[Having said all that, I ask any MUSIC KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE. PLEASE FEEL FREE AND ENCOURAGED TO FIX ANY OF THIS THAT IS WRONG! This is very much like an English speaking person reading a French Language book, then trying to teach French. If I have not understood, it would be good the hear that Help is on the way!]
I asked each one our group to write a line for a group composition, and this is what they created:
The Divas – November 2011 —> Divas 112811 [either link should work]
Here are the individual patterns that made up the song. Each student had 16 spaces to enter either a bass, tone, slap or rest. Some of us were transcribing the rhythms we could hear in our heads. Others were letting the patterns emerge on the whiteboard. The resulting rhythm was beautiful by blending both. There were patterns that were simple, beautiful and foundational. Those were the stepping stones in the brook. I used the first pattern as the ride. It runs throughout the song in the background with a shaker on the pulse and son clave, to meet the “more cowbell” requirement.
Other patterns were elaborate and elegant. They had starts and runs and pauses where I wouldn’t expect them. I like my expectations rattled! Those patterns dove and flowed around the solid stepping stones. They broke over the banks, fell back into ride rhythm, then surrendered the song to shaker and bell….
That what Divas do, and this is how they did it:
| t t b . | t t b . | t t b | b . b . |
| b t s . | s t b . | b s t . | tt s b |
| b t t t | b . b . | b t t t | b . . . |
| b t t . | b s s . | b . t t | b b b . |
| t b t b | s s . . | t b t b | s s . . |
| t t . s | . b s . | . b t . | t t t s |
| b t . t | b . b . | t . b b | s s . b |
| b . t t | t . b b | . s s . | s s . . |
| . . b . | t t . s | t t . . | . b t s |
| b t t b | b t t | s s . . | b t t b |
| . b . t | t s . b | b t t . | b s s . |
You are amazing people. Thank you for playing music with me!
It is awkward for me to say that “I teach drumming.” I really don’t teach that. I share what I know from my experience, how to make music with people with instruments that have only two notes: on and off. I share techniques, patterns, ways to build a rhythm song, adding their instrument’s voice in the time and space framework the group has established… I remind people to listen to the beat and hopefully, help them find the confidence to express themselves on a rhythm instrument with other people. [As playing alone is called 'practice'].
I share “rhythmic-music-making” with children – babies and their parents, grade-school aged kids, adults and the “people who come as they are.” Euphemistically and practically described as “special needs.” [I squirm those terms, too. Who doesn't have special needs? Doesn't every child deserve a special education? Another term - "disabled" cracks my classes of special needs kids up. Nary a one of them has ever told me they have no rhythm, or tell me they can't play because they don't know how. Even before they have tried. I tell them about those responses from adults I invite to play and they say, "Ha! and they call US disabled!"]
In my adapted classes, I don’t try to get folks to play one of the West African rhythms I share in other classes. I don’t really try to get them to do anything. We just play together in a musical environment. It’s loud and noisy and messy and joyful and engaging and spontaneous and everyone is absolutely successful.
One of the fine and humbling artifacts I realized is that, if the way other people do things does not work for me, I need not have a great amount of strife trying to figure out what is wrong with me that I cannot get it. I simply find a way that does. Simple. I mean, if the shoes don’t fit, there is no need to blame my feet….
The S.T.E.P. classes – along with my other adapted classes – are the best of what I can be a part of. These are young people who “come as they are”. They come with Autism and Asperger’s and Down’s and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and CP and names and jobs and intentions and relationship issues and life desires…..
As far as I can tell, we all come as we are. I am grateful they take me as I am.
We played Friday, taking turns being the dunun lead. The dununs – the big bass drums that are the foundation to the West African rhythms I learned – are a powerful ground the hand drums can dance to and all around. I guided only by asking them to start with a steady pulse. After that, go nuts! But try to keep the pulse strong. Sometimes it goes that way, sometimes it is pretty random and jammy. Someone in the group holds a pulse; either me or an aide. It is home. It gives us a touchstone… I had set up a little kit that could be played with sticks [unlike the hands-only drums], with a few cowskin drums, a tambourine, the krin and a bell I think. Each kid took a turn. The last person in the circle was their teacher. She was – like many ‘typical’ adults – reluctant. The kids were incessant; drumming and chanting her name. Finally, she got to the sticks and completely gave herself to all of us and the music.
These kids have so much to share with others about fearlessness. What can you do that is wrong when we are all here together to play?
I have no reason to call myself the teacher…..
This is our favorite “technique” tool, and a beautiful song. Here are a couple different ways of seeing it, so “hearing” it will be easier…
For the written version, “Gun” [goon] = Bass, “go & do” = tone, and “pa & ta” = slaps. Play, play play!
In the Rhythm Kids class on Monday, my Yasha kid stated that “when we experiment” with which sticks or brushes to use on this or that instrument [or bucket or chair or window] “we are actually playing.” I like when kids say actually. They mean ACTUALLY. Like it is really real then. Experimenting IS playing, actually.
But structure gives us the context. The framework of our play. We wouldn’t be able to make up a very playable card game with half of us holding a ball….
I like structure. It gives me something upon which to improvise! We’ve been doing structure this month in the Tuesday Night class. These are the djembe codes for the song, Lolo as we learned it from Famoudou Konate’s book, “Rhythms and Songs from Guinea”
lolo codes . They are really slow and looped the number of times stated in the book [for consistency of practice]. If you’d like a written copy, let me know. If you were in class, you have it! Next month, we’ll see what sort of experimentation we can do playing with this song.
Two miraculous things happened when we played today: We play outside a bookstore in town every Saturday, offering drums, rhythm toys and play time to families passing by on their way to Market. We invite everyone. Today, an older man walking by was invited to play, and, like many adults, said, “I can’t.” But like me many years ago, he hesitated….
“Give it a try. Will you clap your hands together?” I began clapping to the beat my pal Luis was keeping underneath the rest of the song. He joined me. “That’s it! That’s all this song needs!” I pulled up the chair sitting empty before an eager drum. He began to play. He began to play…… He played with us the rest of the hour, and when I indicated it was his turn to ‘play louder than everyone else for a moment’ [my gentle invitation to do a solo] he began to play.
The next hour was class. We had three new people join our little circle this morning. A beautiful new drummer and a retired couple who had somehow gotten enchanted by what we were doing the week before. I listen with all the love I have in my heart to people tell me their trouble with drumming, and rhythm in general. The gentleman was older than I and I am older than I have ever been in my life…. maybe he has been here for 60 years. It was clear to me that for a good number of those years, he believed he had no rhythm. Who told him that? How long ago? How long has he believed that? How do you compassionately tell someone they have been lied to most of their life?
From my sister, Ruti Mizrachi: ”When we were stationed in Germany, an opera singer gave us a clinic on song. She said that everyone can sing — it’s just that we believe the tape we play in our heads from our childhoods: “You can’t carry a tune in a bucket!” Like that. She said she would prove it. “Who is the ‘tone deaf’ person in the room?” she asked. Everybody, including Bob, pointed to Bob. “C’mere, Bob,” she said. “I’m going to hum in your ear, and I want you to sing out of your mouth what you hear.” She did — and Bob did — and what came out of his mouth amazed all of us — most of all, Bob. It was beautiful! “Stop believing the tape. Everyone was given the gift of song by God.”
He played beautifully. He kept the foundation alive while some of my more experienced players reviewed a series of patterns we were working on. He played so we could play. He was the heartbeat of the song we were bringing to life. No pulse, no life…. In spite of what he was told to believe, he began to play….
You have rhythm. I promise. Put your hand on you chest; a little to the left. Then be still for a minute. Listen. Be still….
Before you play a drum or a shaker or sticks, be still for a minute. Listen. Before you say you can’t, be still for a minute. Listen. Do you believe that or did someone tell you to believe that? Before you answer, put your hand on you chest; a little to the left. Then be still for a minute. Listen.
Lefties click here
When practicing or playing on your djembe drum, don’t forget to use breaks. This is sound advice whether you’re practicing alone or with others. And if you’re performing it’s even more important. It tells everyone when your rhythm starts and when it ends. There’s nothing like starting and stopping on time. That is part of the magic of good percussion. It helps tremendously with timing!
If you’re not using breaks now then give it a try. Once again, you can google for information on breaks or you can use the ones we’ve supplied on this page. Just click on one of the images and when the larger image is displayed right-click and do a Save As… If you’re left-handed click on the link above the images to see the left-handed version of this post.
We use breaks all the time at Failla Drums. We use them during classes before playing rhythms together; we even use them before our warm up exercise (Baba’s Warm Up). And when we perform in public events we use them to let everyone else drumming know when to start and when to end. And often when Failla Drums is performing so is the audience who may be playing along with drums, sticks, bells or just clapping their hands. It’s sounds more professional. Without breaks there tends to be clatter at the end of songs. With breaks it’s crisp and clean endings. So play them loud so everyone can hear.
By the way, these breaks work great for rhythms in 4/4 time signatures. For 6/8 rhythms we use different ones, but we’ll cover that in another post. If you can’t wait try googling for more info. If you like our graphic format for djembe rhythms don’t forget to check out our Hand Charts, Graphic Rhythm Sheets, and Animated Rhythms DVD. They’re reasonably priced and free samples are available.
Go Go Do Do Do Go Pa Pa
Failla Drums
Drum Practice Tip #1
Drum Practice Tip #2
Drum Practice Tip #3
listen to this recording of “West Ganji” by Chicago Afrobeat Project
West Ganji 2
I am always saying, “Hold the Song.” This is a great example of what I mean.
They Start off clapping. The guitar comes in with a simple pattern that defines the framework – the pattern; the song. Da – dada. Da – dada. Da – dada da da. at :55 we get the drums coming in and the song builds. No one is adding more than enough. They’re introducing the rest of the players, and filling it out without filling it up. At 2:20, it starts to fill up! The initial pattern is no longer in the front but everyone is holding that pattern and playing it all over the place. Then at 3:03, it’s back.
This song also follows a great story structure, too. Ordinary world is that nice little intro pattern we were listening to. Then the adventure builds! New instruments show up, the plot thickens. As it continues, we get the rest of the story, and finish with a great resolve. We’ll get into that some other time….
