CUICA - Rhytms

[IzaMi]

Hi There,
It is the first time I enter in this forum and I hope that you can help me. Is there someone that has got some rhytms material and excersice for the CUICA instrument?
I would be grateful to receive your commentaries,
Many thanks
IzaMI

[James M]

Hola Izami,

There are alot of different rhthms for the cuica

Cuicas often play alot of triplet quarter notes:
Here is the basic samba Pattern:

x.x.xx.x|.x.xx.x.|

A typical cuica pattern
3 3 3 3
[.mm][mmm]O..O....[mmm][mmm]0..0....

This is another common pattern for faster sambas

0m000m.m|0m000m

m = muted (high note)
O = open note
x = generic note
. = rest (8th note rest, except in the first bar of the cuica pattern where it is a triplet quarter note rest)

The cuica is a hard instrument to play

Some good exercies would be to play

m.m.m.m.|0.0.0.0.
.m.m.m.m|.0.0.0.0
m.m.o.m.|0.0.m.0.
..mm..mm|..00..00
3 3
[mmm][mmm]|0.0.0.0.
3 3
[m0m][0m0]0.m.0.m.

m..00..m|m..00..m

Exchange the m and 0 in the exercises

Cuicas play alot of improvisation, so be experimental!

[zaragemca]

I like the dynamic application of the Cuica in Brazilian Music,the problem is that in a Samba-Bateria,or Drumming Ensemble,without mic.,people will not be able to hear it.



Edited By zaragemca on 1080588129

[James M]

Not in a carnival bloco! I have a smallish cuica and I've been wanting to take it to a drum circle, but i don't have quite the technique to experiment. My problem is with the cloth catching at the end of the reed. I can't get past that. It's great in small samba settings with a minimal number of percussionists, but yeah, being mic'd is still helpful.