Rumba songs en clave...

If you don't find a specific forum, post your message here (please read all the forum list first).

Rumba songs en clave...

Postby KidCuba » Sat Jul 27, 2013 2:29 pm

[Posting this here, as there is no forum for singing...]

I have become more of a singer than player at our local rumba, though I would never dare describe myself a singer - I just try my best.

A lot of fellow students have asked me how I learn rumba songs. So I have started to put together "song sheets" for new songs I am in the midst of learning, Right now its “Maldito Solar" sung by Pedro Celestino Fariñas on Ecue Tumbas’ “Buenavista en Guaguanco" recording.

The sheet may contain errors, as I am not a professional musician and my ear is questionable at times. If you find errors, please let me know. I hope other students of the genre might find it helpful.

If your interested in checking it out, here is the link: http://www.larumbero.com/post/56565234371/maldito-solar-pedro-celestino-farinas-ecue-tumba
Triple Pulse Conga Practice- http://www.larumbero.com
User avatar
KidCuba
 
Posts: 311
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 5:06 am

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby jorge » Sat Jul 27, 2013 8:55 pm

I am not sure the theoretical reductionist approach of writing out every beat will be that useful, I have never knowingly seen a good guaguanco singer that learned that way. If that shortcut works, while you may not become wealthy, sharing it may make you very popular on this forum!

The traditional way of learning, ie loving the music, learning the clave, cata and drum parts and how they fit together, listening carefully to the singing while playing clave, learning the words (Cancionero Rumbero!!!) singing along with the coro while playing clave, and eventually singing lead while playing clave seems more promising. It is more about feeling, habit, listening, and internalizing the clave than about understanding and being able to write the song using some systematic notation. Some of the rhythms are not even precisely writeable using Western duple and triple time conventions, "la magia de tres mas dos" really is as much magic and art as mathematics. You can analyze, write, sequence and quantize it all you want and it still won't sound right unless you get the right feeling, and that is generally learned from listening to Cubans who have spent much of their lives perfecting their art, then lots and lots of practice. And don't stop playing, whatever you do.

Saldiguera and Virulilla said in an interview they had sung their songs together for 15 years before coming out with them on the first Muñequitos recording in 1952. It is a labor of love and good things take much time and hard work.

Guarachon, what do you think?
jorge
 
Posts: 1128
Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:47 am
Location: Teaneck, NJ

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby KidCuba » Sun Jul 28, 2013 4:54 am

**FOR SOME REASON I HAVE DUPLICATE POSTS** SEE THE POST BELOW...
Last edited by KidCuba on Sun Jul 28, 2013 5:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
Triple Pulse Conga Practice- http://www.larumbero.com
User avatar
KidCuba
 
Posts: 311
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 5:06 am

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby 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.
Triple Pulse Conga Practice- http://www.larumbero.com
User avatar
KidCuba
 
Posts: 311
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 5:06 am

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby windhorse » Sun Sep 08, 2013 4:01 pm

Like you sir, I've found a great deal of satisfaction in learning a few songs. And like you, I had to really dig into how the syllables fit into the beat structure, or I simply could not play at all while attempting the song. Without writing out the clave or bell, I sort of spazzed out like a form of musical dyslexia. I've never had real musical training, and the last thing I thought I'd EVER do is use my voice! So, I had to do what you did just get a foot in the door.

I noticed that the link you provided had a really long script. I've uploaded a few of my own scripts. You'll see that I stick syllables either just before, after, or centered right on each particular strike of clave or bell. It looks like you did something similar. Though, my version of Congo Yambumba just has clave once at the top, and you can look down to see where the words fit. But, with Compa Gallatano it's all written out long form. It's nice to see what others are doing with this, so thanks for putting it out there. Also, thanks to forum member Mike for Compa Gallatano - totally one of my favorites!

Note, that you can only upload 5 things per post, so the last page for Congo Yambumba didn't make it. If anyone wants it, let me know.

I just went through Compa Gallatano again, and I do believe there may be a mistake on that final coro. Seems like it should start on the Big three, not after the second strike.
Attachments
Sokemado.jpg
Sokemado
companyglyrics1.jpg
Compa Gallatano
companyglyrics2.jpg
Compa Gallatano 2
congoyaclave_Page_1.jpg
Congo Yambumba
congoyaclave_Page_2.jpg
Congo Yambumba 2
User avatar
windhorse
 
Posts: 1442
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2003 9:01 pm
Location: Boulder/CO

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby KidCuba » Sun Sep 08, 2013 9:11 pm

Thanks for sharing!

Which recording did you transcribe these from?

I would love to see your last page for Congo Yambumba, thanks again!
Triple Pulse Conga Practice- http://www.larumbero.com
User avatar
KidCuba
 
Posts: 311
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 5:06 am

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby windhorse » Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:49 pm

All different places. I got Congo Yambumba from Los Muñequitos from a live in NY recording, and another one I can't remember. That first, Sokemado, comes from a Luca Brandoli recording as well as a bunch of other folks who I've heard it from. I transcribed that Compa Gallatano from the amazing Jerry Gonzales Youtube video that has Patato, Roman Diaz, and Pedrito Martinez playing on it. But, again, I think I'm wrong on that last coro. Will look again soon.
Attachments
congoyaclave_Page_3.jpg
Congo Yambumba 3
User avatar
windhorse
 
Posts: 1442
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2003 9:01 pm
Location: Boulder/CO

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby jorge » Mon Sep 09, 2013 3:46 am

Just a few small corrections and additions on the credits for the Compa Galletano video from Calle 54. I would not ordinarily speak up but this is one of the sweetest rumbas ever recorded on video and out of respect, the credits should be correct and complete.

The late great Orlando Puntilla Rios (ibae) was singing lead in the beginning, followed by Pedrito Martinez. The late Felix Pupy Insua Brindis (ibae) and his frequent dance partner Rosalia are dancing. The bass player, Andy Gonzalez, is one of the most prolific and greatest salsa bass players ever and is Jerry Gonzalez' brother but Jerry Gonzalez is not in the video. Patato on quinto(s) trading with Puntilla on quinto cajon, Felix Sanabria on cata and almost everyone on coro. I don't know the chequere player, does anyone know his name?

Incidentally, you are right, there are mistakes in your transcription of the timing of the last coro. I haven't checked the first page of your transcription but since you mention the second page, I looked at that. I have no idea what you mean by the Big Three, but listen to Roman holding tres dos as well as tumbador on the 3 bata drums and conga. Clave is easier to discern soon after that coro starts, the chequere and Roman's spoon give you the clave more so than the cata. What you write as "Ma ni lo" starts on the second dash, ie the second, third and fourth quarter note of the first 4/4 bar, not where you have it. The "do ma" fall right on top of the 2 open tones of the tres dos, when they are there. What you have written as "ko ko ka in a" are all on eighth note upbeats and the last "a" falls on the third X in your notation not on the downbeat in the second measure. The whole second phrase of that coro has an upbeat feel, in western music terminology.
jorge
 
Posts: 1128
Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:47 am
Location: Teaneck, NJ

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby windhorse » Mon Sep 09, 2013 4:04 am

Thanks a bunch Jorge!
User avatar
windhorse
 
Posts: 1442
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2003 9:01 pm
Location: Boulder/CO

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby KidCuba » Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:55 am

Gracias Jorge.
Triple Pulse Conga Practice- http://www.larumbero.com
User avatar
KidCuba
 
Posts: 311
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 5:06 am

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby jorge » Tue Sep 10, 2013 4:35 am

My pleasure. Does anyone know who the chequere player is?
jorge
 
Posts: 1128
Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:47 am
Location: Teaneck, NJ

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby windhorse » Tue Sep 10, 2013 12:37 pm

I just went back to review that song, and boy did I have it wrong. Even the beginning is incredibly far from how they sing it. I usually play kata the other way, without downbeats, clave in one hand, and the hocket tresillo in the other. Maybe that's why I was so thrown. But the beginning of the song "ya" starts in a pick-up eighth right before the one (first clave beat), and "Compa" is right on the one. I have "Wai, Wai" starting right on the 3, (tres dos), and it's really right on the one. "Un" - pickup before the one, "pa" - right on the one again. And Jorge's got to be right about the Coro, because I get so twisted around, and don't know which way is up. Seemingly, nothing lines up with a downbeat there - which is how Jorge said it goes. Wow! What a song!
User avatar
windhorse
 
Posts: 1442
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2003 9:01 pm
Location: Boulder/CO

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby windhorse » Tue Dec 22, 2015 6:24 pm

It's been a long time since we last discussed "Compa Galletano" I really wanted to bring this song to my group, so worked in earnest this week to get the transcription correct.
And here it is!!!!: At the end of the list of rumba songs:
http://mrcrowder.us/music/rumba-songs/

After going back to read Jorge's corrections, I do believe we agree on at least the coro if not most of it. I used a program to slow the music down and used visual cues by marking out the 4 main beats for each clave where vocals occurred. I also double-checked this with a friend who's a much better musician than myself.
I have never seen another rumba song that fits so much in offbeats in and around the clave. Writing it out this way with the syllables fitting within the clave notes demonstrates the extreme difficulty we will have in playing clave and singing this one correctly. It would be much easier doing this one with my earlier transcription,, but it wouldn't be near this swave... 8)

Oh, and the chekere player is Pedro Valdes
Last edited by windhorse on Sun Apr 16, 2017 3:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
windhorse
 
Posts: 1442
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2003 9:01 pm
Location: Boulder/CO

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby jorge » Wed Dec 30, 2015 2:07 am

Another killer version of Compay Galletano by Pedrito Martinez Group.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkEsULgDk48
jorge
 
Posts: 1128
Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:47 am
Location: Teaneck, NJ

Re: Rumba songs en clave...

Postby CongaTick » Thu Dec 31, 2015 11:13 am

Absolutely stunning performance by the group.
CongaTick
 
Posts: 1256
Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2002 3:49 pm

Next

Return to Open Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 46 guests