Playing in Fix
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:43 pm
I realize this is a decidedly westernized way to view Afro-Cuban music, but playing in “Fix” (half way between 4/4 and 6/8) is quite intriguing for me. I number of years ago I took a class on the history of afrocuban music with this guy ( http://finearts.uvic.ca/music/contacts/ ... loss.shtml ). He had a graduate student that had figured out a way to track and graph clave rhythms. He showed is a really interesting finding; simply put, as 4/4 rumba clave was played faster and faster, it gravitated towards a 6/8 pattern, like that in Abaqua or as part of a 6/8 bell pattern. For me in demonstrated a continuity from Yambu to Guaguanco through to Columbia.
I’ve come to believe that the distinction between 4 and 6 is a western ideology that has been imposed on African music, and afrocuban music, as I’ve experienced “fix” while playing in both settings. I’ve also heard afrocuban rhythms where the supporting parts are mixed together, for example, a 6/8 bell pattern with the 4/4 cata pattern from guaguanco, or a Columbia cata pattern with guaguanco clave etc. Unfortunately I don't have an example on hand. I think this may be why the term "cycle" is used i.e. bantu cycle, rumba cycle as it denotes more of a continuous and circular understanding of the rhythms, but I may be wrong. Being a western trained musician, it is quite a fun effort to work with other players to find “fix”, it creates such an interesting tension in my mind trying to play that way.
So, a couple questions:
For those of you experienced playing in “fix” does it get easier and eventually come to feel like any other normal time signature?
Do any of you have some examples of afrocuban rhythms in “fix” that you would like to share?
Any other comments are welcome as well.
RR
I’ve come to believe that the distinction between 4 and 6 is a western ideology that has been imposed on African music, and afrocuban music, as I’ve experienced “fix” while playing in both settings. I’ve also heard afrocuban rhythms where the supporting parts are mixed together, for example, a 6/8 bell pattern with the 4/4 cata pattern from guaguanco, or a Columbia cata pattern with guaguanco clave etc. Unfortunately I don't have an example on hand. I think this may be why the term "cycle" is used i.e. bantu cycle, rumba cycle as it denotes more of a continuous and circular understanding of the rhythms, but I may be wrong. Being a western trained musician, it is quite a fun effort to work with other players to find “fix”, it creates such an interesting tension in my mind trying to play that way.
So, a couple questions:
For those of you experienced playing in “fix” does it get easier and eventually come to feel like any other normal time signature?
Do any of you have some examples of afrocuban rhythms in “fix” that you would like to share?
Any other comments are welcome as well.
RR