Singing the Parts - sounds hokey but it works.

[bongosnotbombs]

I know how to read music, and I think every musician
should have at least some knowledge of it.

But a technique that I initially resisted I now find very valuable is verbally enunciating the rhtyhms.

I picked this up from my saturday class with Carlos Aldama..

Eh Mmm BahBah!.....

Well thats a tumba rhythm, any guesses what it means?

Open Bass SlapSlap Tip(Ghost)

quarter quarter 2eight's and quarter rest, with the bass occuring on the one, the open is on 4, but with the rest it sounds like a phrase beginning with the open.

I think something gels in my mind when I actually speak the rhythms as I practice with the clave and bembe, and it seems to engage my memory more.

Also when I listen to tunes and try to transcribe the music turns into little sentences instead of terms like heel toe bass, etc.

Windhorse also made a very good comment whenh he visited SF a few months past (btw he is a school teacher, I hope he does'nt mind my mentioning)

...anyways he is very into the folkloric music and he said he felt speaking the rhythm parts eventually helps people learn the skill to sing the choro as they are playing.

So at first I thought it was kind of cheesy saying all these meaningless words, now it's invaluable.

I know there is a big Indian / Tabla tradition of learning this way. I would assume it is prevelant in Africa and Cuba as well.

It works for me.



Edited By bongosnotbombs on 1191010393

[bongosnotbombs]

sorry, wrong forum, should be in techniques.
Can a moderator please move it to the right forum?



Edited By bongosnotbombs on 1191010348

[burke]

My fav trick for polyrthymes
2 against 3
moms apple pie
flam L R R
4 against 5
pass the goddam butter
Flam R L R L R

[burke]

WHOOPS

Pass the goddam butter is 3 against 4

I think 4 against 5 is:
pass the goddam butter a -gain

[jmdriscoll]

I have heard from more than one experienced conguero that vocalizing your rhythms can help you play them. "If you can say it then you can play it" is the understanding on vocalizing rhythms. boom..pa ka ta ka boom... bop...bop ... boom..pa ka ta ka boom... bop...bop... is some of the sylables that I use to vocalize rhythms that I'm trying to learn. My teacher uses a different mix of vocalizations when he's trying to get me to absorb a concept. Although I don't verbalize every rhythm as I play, I do think that it is truly beneficial. I tend to kind of hum when I'm playing. I think that Djembe players have some sort of established, more "defacto" system of vocalizing patterns.

MD

[JohnnyConga]

I was taught basically "if u can say it, you can play it!".... oompa-keen!...Johnny Conga...

[Omelenko]

Years ago, to improve my left hand on the tumbao Mongo told me to play the phrase "Pu ra Ma du ra" with just my left. It translate to "heel fingertips fingertips heel
fingertips". It certanly improved and cleaned up my tumbao and specially my left.
Viva Mongo y "Pura Madura"
Saludos,
Dario.
Enclosed: Mongo and yours truly



Edited By Omelenko on 1191036521

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

[Derbeno]

On a dvd that I have form the great Babatunde Olatunji he employs the said method of singing the rhythm
Pa ta goon pa ta

[Roka]

Check out another one vocalization system
KPLA KA TU KA :
http://www.cnmat.berkeley.edu/~ladzekpo/PrinciplesFr.html

The full course:
http://www.cnmat.berkeley.edu/~ladzekpo/PrinciplesFr.html

[Jongo]

My first conga teacher would make me say it and play it and that was great practice and I still make use of that technique. He would also "scat" and I would have to follow him on quinto and it would be the foundation for a little solo. It was challenging and fun.