Rumba feel - the subtleties of the real rumba

[ABAKUA]

The feel can only be passed person-to-person, in-person.

-David

Dont forget also.. it will come over time and your immersion and exposure to it. Play it, live it, breathe it. Metate en la clave, envuelvate alli y siembra.

[taikonoatama]

Yeah, you're right, David. I need to take some private lessons from someone around here and just work on feel one on one. That would be the best way.

This discussion has really made me realize the importance of playing with people better than me. If I'm always playing with people at about the same level (in terms of feel), and they're playing kind of stiff (like me), then it just reinforces the stiffness.

Update on 12/13/2005: I'm starting private lessons with Michael Spiro tomorrow. We'll see if he can help me get it together.



Edited By taikonoatama on 1134531710

[percomat]

Hi. Concerning feel, it helped me a lot to learn some rumba patterns while playing clave with one foot. In a band I'm playing, they say the rhythms sounded very different when I played clave as well as the rhythm, then they understood more of la rumba. Because the rhythm doesn't make any sense without clave, then it would be more or less a straight rhythm. Try playing clave, tres-dos and salidor all at once, maybe that would help getting the right swing.

[windhorse]

I learned from a friend of mine to sound out the beats of the clave, salidor, and tres dos with your mouth. "duh, duh, dodidit, dodidit, doh"
And from another to play the clave with the left hand on the side of a drum, and play with your right hand the tones of the Salidor and Tres Dos.

These can help with the bodie's feel.
Good discussion.
Thanks,
Dave

[rumbaman]

Hey guys much blessings to all . This is a great post .

I always was unsure of that pulse in rumba and it took me a long time to feel it . My instructor always plays clave when we do class . I definently do not consider myself at the level of zranmeka ,abakua, or jc ,but i will tell you that it takes patience and time. The clave and pulse is so important 'cause thats how you establish your feel . It must be hard to play these rythums if you do'nt have that influence . Yes the rythums that we are talking about got realy bad raps socialy, but there is no denying that they move us emotionaly.

You can not feel it with a computer playing the pulse it cannot happen.

You have to try to find someone who is proficcient in these rythums if you want to play and feel them right.

And when you start feeling them then you will see how good that drum realy feels.

Good Luck rumbaman

[JohnnyConga]

As a teacher of the drum, I can tell you that with the concept of "feel", to me you either have it or you don't. I always tell my students "I can't give you the feel", if it doesn't come natural it has to be "developed". I try to help them develope it come spring and summer when I can take them outside and we "formo la rumba", play some rumba. Which is actually NEW to Seattle. Before I got here NOBODY played any rumba here. Just drum circles. Now that I have a few students that have spent the past year studying with me this spring looks really good for them to "hone" their skills and turn into decent "rumberos".... right Ivan?..hahahahaha...Cause WE BE JAMMIN!...."JC" Johnny Conga...

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... mberos.jpg

[onile]

Alafia Abures!
May you all be surrounded with an abundance of wonderful holiday blessings my brothers!

Trying to describe Rumba Feel is like trying to describe the concept of "Air", you can't see it, unless you live in Southern California, or Phoenix, Arizona :p :laugh:

You can feel air, breathe it, but you can't see it. The next best thing to going to Cuba and studying con los maestros, or getting together with rumberos in your community, is to emmerse yourself in the music. Be it CDs, or DVDs, listen with your heart and mind, only try not to become a victim of "Paralysis through Analysis", it's very easy to be affected by this. If you listen with the sole intent of counting this or counting that, you'll miss the nuances. Listen to the groove, feel the clave in relation to a particular drum pattern, listen to the singer, the coros, but more so, enjoy it. You can't rush progress, we all progress at our own pace, just try and enjoy the ride my brothers!

I must admit, I am not the authority, nor am I professing to be, I am merely offering my humble opinion if, as previously stated, you are not able to go to Cuba etc. etc. As brother Windhorse's "tag" states...."if you play the notes....you'll miss it"

¿Ay cariño o no-ay cariño?

Onile!



Edited By onile on 1134165181

[zaragemca]

Saludos,keep the wave there JC,I went through the samething in 1997 when I came back to Houston,there were Drum/Circles,but not an established place to teach Advanced Afrocuban,Caribbean,Brazilian,and African Percussion,now some of my students are teaching and jamming with me,or other bands..Dr. Zaragemca



Edited By zaragemca on 1134165492

[Tone]

Hi Taiko,

I had thought of doing a recording in my studio, but it takes time to organize.
I have a session planned in January with my teacher Robin Jones, who has a great feel, but I will need his authorisation to circulate it. I haven't asked him about that yet.

Hopefully I will do it, try it and circulate it.

You will be the first to know.


tone:0

[JohnnyConga]

Hi Tone ...Do you know of Jodi Linscott?......She took lessons with me way back in 1974, when she was in KoKoMO, and shw was in New York...she has even gone on to play with The Who and Clapton and many others....."JC" Johnny Conga.....

[Tone]

Hi JC,

nope, never heard of her. Why? Should I?

Tone

[Diceman]

Hey JC,

I knew Jodi when she played in KoKoMo. I did a UK tour with them way back when.

Beautiful person, and nice player.

Any idea what she is doing now?

Sauve
Diceman

[JohnnyConga]

As far as I know she still lives in London and tours with Elton John ,The Who and everybody else..I have seen her on TV in those concerts from Europe to raise money for Africa, and other concerts, just about a month or two ago..."JC" Johnny Conga.....

[82-1089072427]

Aloha,
Zaragemca..... Do you play the Conga's as good as you spell?
:p

[Diceman]

Cool JC,

I'll look her up.

Diceman