In complement of TOUGOUDOUM Numbers
3 and 4, here is a small outline and some exercises to feel "comfortable"
in the bars.
Let's go directly to a small drawing :
NUMBER
THE BARS/ III
THE
STICK SHOT
THE
SHUFFLE
WHEN THE DRUMMER MAKES TOO MUCH NOISE
!
HOW
TO CHOOSE WELL YOUR STICKS
1
4
—
The
name of Airto Moreira is indissociable of the Brazilian music and fusion of this
one with Jazz.
He
became professional at 13 (!), with a first group: Jazz Estrela. Three years later
he settled in Sao Paulo, then in Rio of Janeiro, before leaving with his wife,
the singer/ percussionnist Flora Purim, to New York.
Important
reminder :
the measure may contain 4, 5 or 25 times (that exists!), but the most important
is to spot the FIRST TIME.
The rest is a question of counting, feeling and habit.
THE
BAR NUMBERS :
1
—
2
The
list of the musicians having called upon Airto is very long, but quote anyway
Cannonball Adderley, Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter (with whom he founded the mythical
Weather Report), and, of course, the great Miles Davis. He has participated in
several reference albums in Miles' works, such as Bitches Brew, live/evil or One
The Corner.
During
two years Airto met and played with Jack Dejohnette, John Mc Laughlin, Keith Jarrett
or Chick Corea ; moreover he joined the latter in the formation Return To Forever,
with Flora Purim, Joe Farrell and Stanley Clarke.
It's
there that Airto met big musicians, principally Jazzmen, who quickly got used
to calling him for studio sessions. It's the beginning of the 70's, and many jazzmen,
in the line of Miles Davis, look for new ways for the Jazz.
Airto
Moreira was born in 1941 in a small town close to Sao Paulo, on the south of Brazil.
As
a lot of Brazilian children, he was familiarizedvery early to the music, notably
to the percussions and the singing, thanks especially to the encouragements of
his grandmother.
As
early as the age of 6 he animated a local radio program and won many competitions
while singing and accompanying himself with the percussions.
Before
creating his own band in 1974, he played with other big musicians, such as Carlos
Santana, Gil Evans or The Crusaders.
With
his formation, Airto moved on international tours and albums.
Tireless,
he remain a very required musician since the 80's, winning numerous rewards, playing
with the new generations of musicians, such as the Smashing Pumpkins, being equally
interested by the " World Music" and continuing to record and perform
with his new formation : Fourth World.
Draw
a circle, that will represent the grade that lasts the longest :
the WHOLE NOTE
This
circle can be cut in several pieces :
•
if one cuts it in two, it gives two parts, representing
two HALF-NOTES
•
if one cuts it in four, it gives four
parts, representing four QUARTER NOTES
Each
of these half-note represents the half of one whole note (2 half-notes are equivalent
to one whole note).
•
In mathematical, it is written like
this :
•
We may write
the quarter note like this :
Each
of these quarter note represents the quarter of one whole note (4 quarter notes
make one whole note).
Each of these eighth note represents the eighth of one whole note (8 eighth notes
make one whole note).
1
—
8
One
can also cut it in 16 parts (of one whole note), or in 32 parts (of one whole
note)…
Let's
return now to the bars, which are a cutting in uniform "sections" of
a musical piece.
•
They are written at the beginning of the score, or in course of the score preceeded
by a double bar line when the bar is changed in a same piece.
•
The bar numbers indicate two things, according to the bar type played.
•
•
In
the binary bar, they indicate :
•
The TIME, that is the beat of the piece. It
is the role of the inferior figure.
If
it is 4
(for example), the time is equivalent to a
quarter of one whole note,
that is to a ... QUARTER NOTE.
It's the more frequent case, and it's why the quarter note and the time are often
assimilated, while the time can be equivalent to other values.
If
it is 2 (for example), the
time is equivalent to a half of
one whole note, that is to a ... HALF-NOTE.
This bar type, very frequent in the Jazz, is very convenient for writing and reading.
__
__
>
>
>
__
If
it is 8
(par exemple), the time is equivalent to a
eighth of one whole note, that is to a.... EIGHTH
NOTE . And so on…
•
The NUMBER OF TIMES
BY BAR. It
is the role of the superior figure.
If it is 4,
there are four times in a bar.
If it is 7,
ther are… seven times by bar….
__
>
Several
factors determine the choice of the beat on eighth note, quarter note… That
depends on the rhythm chosen by the composer, on the melody, on conveniences of
writing and reading and on the tradition (in the western musical habits for example,
they privilege a lot the beat at the quarter note). If
this principle is understood, let's do an important remark :
the time is not the TEMPO. This one represents the piece speed execution.
For example, a tempo of 160 at the quarter note (160 quarter notes/minute) is
a fast tempo. We will return there later.
•
O
In
the ternary bar
(where the time is divisible by three), the principle is a little different :
O
•
the inferior
figure indicates
the value
of the third of the time.
If it is 8
(as in the more frequent case), the time is equivalent to one
eighth note multiplied by three, that is the value of
one dotted
quarter note (See
TOUGOUDOUM Number 4).
We say that the
time is at the dotted quarter note.
If
it is 4,
the time is equivalent to
one quarter note multiplied
by three, that is the value of one dotted half-note.
We say that the
time is at the dotted half-note.
__
>
Example
:
•
the superior
figure indicates the number
of reference notes in the bar (and not the time).
If
the inferior figure is
8, the reference note
is the eighth note ;
If
the superior figure
is 6, there are
6 eighth notes in the bar,
so 2 times by bar (because
one time lasts three eighth notes).
__
>
If
the inferior figure is
4, the reference note is the
quarter note ;
so, if the superior figure
is 12, there are
12 quarter by bar, so
4 times by bar.
__
__
>
>
As
we can see it, the system possesses his logic but is not perfect, some cases being
able to lead to confusion. However,
notice the most employed bars, with the correspondance
between both binary and ternary fields :
TERNARY
BINARY
2
TIMES
3
TIMES
4 TIMES
8
8
8
4
4
4
2
3
4
6
9
12
—
—
—
—
—
—
if
you have understood, let's do some exercices :
9
—
8
2
- In a
7
—
8
bar,
what is the time and how many time are there in the bar ?
3
- what are the bar numbers ?
4
- indicate the times :
5
- what is the common
point and the difference between a
12
4
—
—
8
4
bar
and a
Do
not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions...
Do
not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions...
Airto
Moreira is a fiery but very fine musician. Playing all brazilian percussions,
he possesses a crackling and precise play, always aiming to cultivate his musical
taste. Genius Instrumentist, researcher, subtle accompanist, he is immense and
with numerous facets, like his country.
•
Hold your sticks fermely and strike them
one against to another (as to give the tempo) : the sound is short, without resonance.
•
Now, take one stick in your left hand (for
right-handed ones) by the center with your finger tips ; then the hand forms a
cavity which makes resonate the note when hitting the stick.
Do
a little experience :
The
Stick Shot comes from this type of strike :
•
take the left stick (if you are right-handed
person) upside down, by the collar (the sound will be more "solid"),•
put the stick on the snare drum head in order to "cut"
the circle represented by the head in two equivalent parts while positioning the
tip of the stick towards the left edge of the drum (to about 8-10 centimeters),
•
verify the grip ( stick taken by the thumb and the index
finger) while bringing back the other fingers to form a cavity that will help
the resonance of the sound,
•
Strike the rim of the snare drum with a movement of the
wrist while keeping the tip in contact with the head.
The
produced sound must recall the claves used in the Cuban music for example : more
sonorous, drier and clearer. If
it does not satisfy you, don't worry : it depends a lot on the grip, on the position
of the stick (tip more or less close to the edges or center), and on the size
and the depth of your snare drum. It is necessary therefore "to search for
the sound" .
Listen
and observe also the big Reggae, Jazz or Salsa drummers to refine your technique.
Here
are few sonorous illustrations :
On
a rhythmic plan, the beat is ternary (times divisible by three).
From
a
If
we delete the second eighth note of each time,
we obtain the Shuffle beat :
12
—
8
Now,
two types of variants are possible :
•
playing the bass drum on the 1st and the 3rd times and the
snare drum on the 2nd and 4th, •
playing the bass drum on the
1st time and the snare drum on the 3rd, (it's the " Half-Time
Shuffle").
Here
a variant of Shuffle with a fill in a "Rythm’n
Blues" style :
•
The material in which are made the
sticks is essential. Usually, the sticks are made in hickory, principally sprouting
in North America, in maple, that is less dense that the hickory, in oak (especially
in white oak from Japan) or in beech, a very soft wood therefore less solid that
the hickory. The sticks made in oak, even if they are less used, possess serious
assets : they are done with a dense wood, and can be sufficiently heavy without
needing thickness. They are also very solid, even in comparison with the hickory.
It exists sticks made of carbon fiber, graphite or resin. More resistant than
wood, the synthetic materials are less sensitive and more expansive than the natural
sticks.
•
The stick weight is very important. Even if you play Metal,
it is necessary to prevent the tendinities in not using too heavy sticks.
•
The length of the sticks depends a
lot on the morphology and position of the drummer. It is necessary to be able
to attain without effort or movement the center of the toms and cymbals. A long
stick will give for example more power but will be less rapid.
•
Some sticks have an "olive" (stick tip) made in
wood, others in nylon ; the sensations are different, but one gets used to both.
The advantage of nylon : the olive is less fragile and the sound remains clear
even after several years. On the other hand the sound of wood is "warmer"
and more natural, especially when playing the cymbals.
•
The form of the olive is also determining for the sound, notably on the cymbals
: a round olive gives a "brighter" sound than a pointed one, but with
less "answer", and a " water drop" olive will produce more
deep sounds than an oval olive.
•
It exists thick sticks, privileged usually by the "big
strikes" (Rock drummers for example). Be aware of marketing : many trademarks
propose thick sticks but in not very dense wood ; result : the body (central part
of the stick) does not resist to the Rim Shots and the value for money is bad.
•
The "collar" ( situated before the olive) can
be more or less thick, that influences on the balance of the stick. A heavier
stick in the front will give a heavier strike. It is better to look for a good
balance between the neck and the olive for a good control of the sticks.
•
The neck, by where one usually holds the stick, can equally
be more or less thick, or cover by a "grip" or by a nonslip rubber.
The important thing is to be able to take control of the grip formed by the fingers
holding the stick. It is also necessary to take account of the size and force
of your hands.
•
The sticks can be varnished or not
(besides some drummers attempt to increase the live expectancy of their sticks
by dipping them in varnish). It is necessary to know that a nonvarnished stick
"hangs" better in the hand but resist less to the perspiration (certain
drummers are even allergic).
•
The sticks must be perfectly straight (roll them on a flat
surface to test them).
•
The more expansive sticks (with a signature for example) are not necessarily the
better ones. It is necessary to watch out for the offers and always to be on the
look-out in the music stores.
•
Think about to change the sticks if the olive, the body
or the collar are frayed or splitted and always have two pairs of sticks with
you, in case of break (you will see, as a rule, that you will break less sticks
with the time, as you will advance…).
One
can strike on the drums with almost anything. Besides, the most habitual is to
play with sticks !
It
exists a vast number of models of sticks, so don't hesitate to try in the store
and take your time to choose.
In fact, the stick is the extension of the drummer's
hand and must correspond to his morphology, his preferences and of course to the
music he plays. Many drummers possess several types of sticks according to the
atmosphere they want to create, others prefer to have the same sensations with
the same sticks.
Here
are some characteristics and recommandations about the sticks in order to help
you in your choice :
The
choice is therefore extremely wide ; one more reason for looking for the model(s)
corresponding the better to your sensations, and take the time to try several
solutions. It is a very personal choice.
Buddy "The Monster" Rich was
a drummer with phenomenal technique and rather demonstrative.
He
learned nevertheless to be more discreet in a somewhat violent way : once he was
accompanying Franck Sinatra, he started to play a series of " paradiddles"
(drum rudiments) on his snare drum, that was not to the singer's taste. Exasperated,
Sinatra ends up to punch the drummer's face, who fell down behind his drums !
PREPARE
YOUR BOXING GLOVES !
The
lesson was rough but finally good, since Buddy accompanied again Sinatra, who
helped him a lot in his career. This anecdote puts in light two essential qualities
of the drummer: listening to the musicians he accompanies and remaining in the
spirit of the music he plays.
•
if one cuts it in eight, it gives eight parts, representing
eight EIGHTH NOTES
1
- how much times contains
a
bar
?
bar
?
rhythmic scheme, played on the hi-hat :
Played
once with the right hand on the hi-hat, once on the ride cymbal.
Bossa
Nova
Jazz
Reggae
Songo
•
We may write the eighth note like this :
The Stick Shot is also called
Cross Stick or Rim Shot (See TOUGOUDOUM
Number 4).
This
technique marked many musics as Jazz, Reggae, Bossa Nova, Cuban music.
We saw in the last Number a classical
rhythmic of Blues. Another rhythmic is characteristic of the Blues : the Shuffle,
that one meets equally in Jazz and Rock. The Reggae is also very often played
on this beat.
The shuffle evokes the
American black slaves'walk shuffling chained up and walking in rhythm to regulate
rhythmically their songs. We hear also this beat in certain African rhythms.
