Swing Rhythm - maybe helpful for some

[CongaBoy]

Hi guys,

I scored a spot on a swing/latin jazz band this week. Thought you might be interested in the rhythm i used in case you have to play a swing number.

pardon the language i use to describe my rhythms, I say it how it sounds.

Du_FaPo_Gu_Gi_ | Gu_Gi_Gu_Gi_
L L R R R R L R L

There's plenty of room to improvise.

Cheers!!

[ABAKUA]

CongaBoy,

what band is that and where are you guys gigging?

Have we met before?

[CongaBoy]

Hi ABAKUA,

The band is TresMambo with Peter Kartu. The gig is at BALD FACED STAG HOTEL. Parra Rd. Sun 25th Nov.

We haven't met but you and Hugo from TNT are like my benchmarks to become one day. You guys rock!!!

I've been playin for about 6 months. I got some lessons from Vince Sebastian a while back and most of my latin rhythms are from Peter K.

Do you teach?

[akdom]

Hi all,


When I play swing, which is not often.. lol, I just play a simple marcha with a 6/8 feel.... It maes it 'jump' a little and it fits perfectly.


B

[Whopbamboom]

Congaboy, I can't read your notation. Can you spell it out in 8th's or 16ths, or whatever it is you're trying to show?

[CongaBoy]

Hi Whopbamboom,

Lol, Like i said before, its a wierd way of describing a conga rhythm but works really well for me. This way, i can sing the rhythms while i'm at work or on the train and i know what it sould sound like if i played it.

Du = Bass or Heal
Fa = Finger Tip or Toe
Po = Slap
Gi = Open on conga
Gu = Open on Tumba
"_" = break
"|" = half a bar

Tumbao would look like this:
Du Fa Po Fa Du Fa Gi Gi | Du Fa Po Gu Gu Fa Gi Gi

Let me know if it makes any sence.

CongaBoy

[Firebrand]

I just do a regular tumbao but I "swing" the eighth notes.

Basically do the tumbao but almost like a shuffle drumset rhythm

Fits perfect.

I used to do it all the time with a University Big Band Ensemble I was part of.

Of course, it felt inauthentic :p but it worked.

[Whopbamboom]

Tumbao would look like this:
Du Fa Po Fa Du Fa Gi Gi | Du Fa Po Gu Gu Fa Gi Gi

This (in quotes) is easy to read, as it is easy to see that there are two measures of 8 eighth-notes in each measure.

But your original post of :
Du_FaPo_Gu_Gi_ | Gu_Gi_Gu_Gi_
L L R R R R L R L

... is still undecipherable. Looks to me like you have a measure of 9/8 and a measure of 8/8. Is this what you meant to write? Or are there two 16th-notes in that first measure somewhere? What are the 8th notes and 8th rests, and what are 16th notes and 16th rests? Or what note values are the "Du", "fa", "Po", etc.??