by KidCuba » Sun Jul 28, 2013 5:09 am
Hola Jorge!
I agree, feeling is paramount in rumba. To be a good rumbero (singer, dancer, musician) you have to have sentimiento. The ultimate goal of each singer is to personalize the song to their own voice, style, etc...
We all learn differently and the process of writing the songs down and aligning the lyrics to clave - help me internalize the song. I also listen to a song I am trying to learn at nauseam in the car, over and over for weeks. While listening to the song,I sing the coro and eventually the lead as I play the clave on the car's gear shift with a soft wooden dowel using my right hand. I get pretty obsessed with a song when learning it. I even go as far as losing sleep due to tapping clave on my body and singing it in my head when I am laying down for bed. The wife loves that one. Eventually I practice it to live drumming with other students of rumba, before I dare try to put it into play at a rumba.
The notes I posted, by themselves, are not going to make anyone a good rumba singer. They help me get a better feel for how a song fits into clave, as I my ability to pick up musical nuances by ear is not too good; a bad attribute for anyone involved in music. I figure if my notes might help others, in conjunction with traditional methods, why not put them out there? There can never be enough resources. After all, many great rumberos have helped my own development - without every asking for a penny. Not that I am comparing myself to those greats, or even calling myself an actual rumbero.
Not brag, but it has been my highlight as a student thus far and I need to share it with others who understand and love the music. Recently at a rumba where Lazaro Galarraga was present - I was singing "Cafetal" when he walked in the door. He didn't kick me off the lead, helped in the coro for that song, along with the coro to a few mambos I threw in. So I was inspired by that moment, seeing that he did not run me off. Miguel Bernal was also on quinto cajon at the time, so it was a dream come true. I am working harder than ever as it relates to this music.
I would love to hear how others go about studying, in the hopes it might help me learn better.
Thank you for sharing your insight and knowledge.