There is a growing movement to notate, and thus COUNT, the music correctly. Here are some examples of books with correct notation/counting:
"The Tomas Cruz Conga Method Vols. 1,2,3", written by Kevin Moore. I’m credited with "conceptual guidance" in these books, so naturally, I agree with its notation and counting system.
There is a growing movement to notate, ….. correctly
Joseph wrote:If…there is a growing movement to notate correctly, I am wondering about the logic for the seemingly opposite notational symbolism from these two highly regarded (in my estimation) sources.
What you will see in charts (if there are any), are, ...,,,rhythmic note values. And this is what has to be correct and uniform, because this is established; not only for percussion, but for all instruments for centuries of music making.
When I looked at the notation, I just sighed: O.K. here we have another conga notation system, again.
If, on the other hand, you or anybody decided to try and create the definitive conga notation system for the rest of the world, I would wish you good luck, but don't cry if not everybody pays attention.
Aspiring conga players today are lucky; they got videos, and they have books like this; they have better teachers, visiting Cuban players, and tons of recordings
western notation can be very useful to express complex harmonic concept but falls very short in expressing the subtlety of rhythm.
see a charlie parker's solo transcription and put it next to a coltrane's one: they both may look like a flow of 8th notes. how parker swing the notes compare to coltrane is impossible to tell unless you hear them playing...
zumbi wrote:even great western composers like bach and mozart were great improvisers.
their solo pieces would sound different from day to day and what they would write down was just a reference not something to be seen as "holy revelations" as it has later become in the world of classical music.
beny more, could not write or read a single note, he would arrange and conduct his band by singing to every musician his own part.
the same is true for great bandleaders like louis armstrong, art blakey and countless other...
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