congaplace.com

Posted: **Tue Jan 15, 2008 4:12 pm**

I’ve read numerous pro/cons on the use of metronomes, and various descriptions of beat machines that can make clave beats. I won’t get into the pro/con discussion, but I think there is value in having a timing device, which incorporates clave when practicing.

Most of those discussions seem to date from before the widespread adoption of the Ipod (or other mp3 players)

FWIW
I’ve made a collection of clave beat mp3 files.
Sounds were made with Percussion Studio, using Cowbell for clave beats, and Conga muffled bass tones for pulse………….They sound pretty good.
Files include son clave and rumba clave.(12/8 short bell tempos are a work in progress)
Tempos run from 100 BPM to 250 BPM

These could be loaded onto an Ipod and used with headphones or a speaker system for practice.
Having them on an Ipod makes them portable and also would preclude the necessity of having a separate metronome or sound machine .
They are arranged in increasing speed in 10 BPM increments, which make it easy to quantify hand speed practice, as well as gradually and incrementally increase it, or you could set Ipod to repeat if you want to concentrate on a particular speed.

I’d be happy to let others make use of these files, but what I need to know is how to upload these files onto the web so that others may access them.
….Web based FTP file sharing site?
….Directly to CongaPlace?
….Suggestions?

There are 8 folders, each containing 16 mp3 files
Each folder is approx 43 MB
Each file is approx 3-4 MB 3-4 minutes long (for the most part...time frames get shorter as beats get faster...something I didn't realize until mp3's were rendered...I ain't gonna change that...too much work :angry: )

Ideally I would like to put them on a web based file sharing site, that does not require a password or login in order to access files, so that I could just put a link to the files right here, and others may easily access and download.
I think it must be an FTP site, because (as far as I know) FTP allows one to access and download Folders containing sub-files.
Most of the free file sharing websites I have found only allow sharing of individual files.
Uploading or downloading all of the individual files would be laborious.
I would much prefer individuals to be able to download folders containing each collection.

If there is any interest in this, I’m in need of help or suggestions to make files accessible.

Anybody could do this on their own. It's not rocket surgery

All one needs is a Registered version of Percussion Studio ( in order to save the sound files you have created) and an audio file format conversion program to convert from wav to mp3...there are many.

Joseph

Posted: **Tue Jan 15, 2008 5:42 pm**

Joseph,

What a great idea!!! I- for one-- would find ipod loaded metronome claves very helpful as an aid to practice. I daresay others would. I'm sure this will bring a positive response from our puter-wise pros.

Posted: **Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:04 pm**

Second the "great idea" - if this happens and you don't own an ipod could you download to your computer and burn an old fashioned CD?

Timely- I was using my metronome last night with son clave and on a whim wanted to checkmy 'pulse' with stick on conga. finding the pulse in 4/4 was easy, but when I tried to tap out the pulse against the clave for 6/8 my hands and brain got stupid and I found it really hard. Which led me to think that having having pulse and clave in a metronome would be a great aid.

Posted: **Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:31 pm**

Great,great,eureka. Yes,it would very helpful & I would certainly loaded into my Ipod. Just a while ago me & a friend were discussing about how to start the Conga baqueteo, Bongó martillo & bells depending if the clave was 2/3 or 3/2. With your idea,it could be very easy to undertant how to play in clave. :cool:

Posted: **Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:43 pm**

Here is description of folders of files so far:
each from 100-250 BPM

2-3 Son Clave 4 pulse
2-3 Son Clave 8 pulse
2-3 Rumba Clave 4 pulse
2-3 Rumba Clave 8 pulse
3-2 Son Clave 4 pulse
3-2 Son Clave 8 pulse
3-2 Rumba Clave 4 pulse
3-2 Rumba Clave 8 pulse

Sound Voices:
Clave Beat = Cowbell
Pulse Beat = Open and muted bass conga tones

The difference between 4 and 8 Pulse:
4 pulse = 2 pulse beats to a 4/4 bar (4 pulses in one complete clave resolution)
8 pulse = 4 pulse beats to a 4/4 bar (8 pulses in one complete clave resolution)

Difference between 2-3 and 3-2 clave patterns:
The first pulse of each respective pattern starts with an open tone, the remaining pulses are muted bass.
This allows one to subtly identify the beginning of the respective 3-2 or 2-3 clave phrase.

The more I think of it, there is no end to the permutation of metronome tracks one could make.

This all started when I was working in Tomas Cruz Vol 2
…probably didn’t deserve to be there…but I was.. :;):
Marchas # 7 “Dengue” and #30 “Bomba” had special click tracks annotated to accompany the rhythms.
I transcribed them and put on Ipod to help me get the feel.

So the idea could be adapted to any combination of percussive voices with accompanying metronome like pulses.
Percussion Studio has some very good instrument sound voices also, not MIDI robot-like sounds.

To Burke:
Yes, you could load onto computer and burn CD, (If I ever figger out how to share ‘em)
but you would lose the ease of operation of playing with IPOD:
such as repeating a particular metronomic BPM speed,
pausing in the middle of a track, without having to restart from beginning,
making playlists of the metronome files that apply to your particular style of practice
…say you want to speed up your play in 50 BPM increments, instead of 10 BPM as they are sequenced in folders.
The ease and functionality of IPOD is hard to beat….

Joseph

Posted: **Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:43 pm**

maybe its time I podded :]

Posted: **Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:52 pm**

Upload them to rapidshare.com then post the link in this thread.
A very cool and easy way to share them, and it is free. I can handle 40 megabytes easy.

I don't think the forum software lets you post or embed them here directly.

You probably don't need an Ipod, all you need is mp3 playing software on your computer, Itunes is free and works on Mac's and PC's.

Edited By bongosnotbombs on 1200430609

Posted: **Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:18 pm**

Yeah Man !!!!!1 your a diamond Joseph. you hve just started a new craze , Im constantly tuned to my mp3 player day to day even at work for hours atime listening to as much Afrocuban music as possible , I recently ripped the audio for the 20 min Isla drum demo DVD . this a cracking idea mate I have tried to play along with my mp3 player to los mune etc....... but its hard to feel with expert congeuro playing in your ear. but the file you are offering will be just what ive been after .

Try uploding them to here then give us guys the password via PM I recomend
http://www.filefactory.com:80/file/196023

muchas Gracias mi Hermano

Marco

Edited By Congadelica on 1200435311

Posted: **Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:38 pm**

Joseph,

You hit the jackpot of ideas!

Posted: **Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:02 pm**

After F**king around trying to upload some of the mp3 sound files, I'm still cogitating as to the best way to put them up.

Rapidshare made it look relatively easy to upload 10 at a time, so I tried a sample of 10. After uploading it showed all 10 as the same file name. :angry:

For downloaders it's a hassle also, as they make one watch a countdown clock to download 1 file, while they try to sell you on their "premium service"

As I said most of those free file sharing deals only let you share individual files...not folders of files, which is what I have.
All permutations of clave beat files are: 8 Folders X 16 Files each = 128 files for complete package.

I know there is a better way....
Free hosted web page with links or files embedded?

Or what I'm thinking may be best...
Create a new bitorrent file, post bitorrent link here, and any bitorrent users can just click on link to download all files (320 MB of them)

I'll have to edumacate myself on creating torrent files, and making sure my system/program is set up properly so I become the initial seed for the files.

It ain't gonna happen today 'cause I have other stuff to do.

I heartily encourage anyone with a Registered version of Percussion Studio and an audio file format conversion program to convert from wav to mp3 to try making your own......it's a helluva lot easier than this upload / download quandry I'm now in.

Still lookin' for tech suggestions

Joseph

Posted: **Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:50 pm**

Hello Joseph,

You can go to The Conga Club and join for free. You would have to join then I would have to approve it.
I think you can load the mp3 files in a couple of places on the left of the site like database or files. I am not a computer person but you can try. Open a new folder and load the files in it. Anyone can join for free and download the files. I don't know if this will work but it is worth a try and it's free. It would be cool to have that on an Ipod.

The Conga Club

Congaman54

Posted: **Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:51 pm**

I have been doing just that for years and always thought that it was what everybody was doing already.
I always had claves programed in my computer and exporting the files to my ipod was a natural thing to do.
The only problem is that I was sharing my ipod with my girlfriend who uses it for running and she kept complaining when the claves came!
I still use my metronome though and will try and buy one of those clave generators for ease of use.
Each system has its advantages.
If you are having trouble with the 6/8 bell at fisrt, try puting a shekere or cabasa on the one it helps. But then take it out.

peace

Posted: **Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:11 pm**

Instead of a clave generator you might want to try a drum machine.
I got a used alessis SR-16 drum machine for $60 dollars. You can program any bell, clave or even palito pattern into it, or anything else for that matter, like odd meter pulses, etc.

The machine stores all these patterns. You can vary the tempo and sounds as you want.

It's a midi machine, so if you have an interface you could also transfer the patterns from it to your computer and then convert to mp3 and put it on the ipod.

Just a suggestion.

Edited By bongosnotbombs on 1200507139

Posted: **Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:29 pm**

The only problem is that I was sharing my ipod with my girlfriend who uses it for running and she kept complaining when the claves came on!

You gotta get her into "cross training"...run when the music is on
...when the clave comes on ...STRUT !

Joseph :;):

Posted: **Thu Jan 17, 2008 3:11 am**

An abridged version on Ipod Clave Metronome Files can be found at:

The Conga Club

...thanks for suggestion Gallichio...I'm already a lurking member!

Click link for files...you'll find them in there.

See my last post for updated info on files.

There are all manner of ways and means to get pre-recorded clave beats (or any other...palitos, cascaras, etc) to practice with. ..........This is only one way.
I call it the "appropriate technology" way.......creating it with the technology you have at hand.......instead of getting more "stuff".
Ipods are very prevalent now, so it seemed a good way to add even more functionality to that little Ipod item many of us already own.
...And yes, you could just put these mp3s on your hardrive and use them with any mp3 player software.

Perhaps Conga Club site could be a repository for other metronome track files: 12/8 short bell w/4 pulse, Abakua, palito, etc, etc, etc, ad infinitum.

Enjoy

Joseph

Edited By Joseph on 1202060069

congaplace.com

Ipod Clave Metronome!