NUMBER
BINARY NOTATION,
TERNARY PLAYING
THE
COORDINATION /II
THE
AFRO-CUBAN 12/8
HOW
TO TUNE YOUR DRUMSET/II
Christian
Vander was born February 21, 1948 to Nogent-sur-Marne,
near Paris. He his an unclassifiable drummer ; besides the drums are not his
only means of expression : he composes his music at the piano and writes the
texts in an language which appears in dreams and relates the ideal of the planet
Kobaïa.
Very
physical, the Christian Vander's play is founded on a faultless technique, fruit
of an untiring work of the drum rudiments.
It is very current, for writing and reading convenience, to
write this type of rhythmic in a binary form,
while they are played in a ternary form (times
divisible by three).
But
Christian Vander is also a drummer who thinks, about the music and the musicians,
without indulgence and with a great musical honesty.
"The
best rhythm I know : the sea, the wind. No problems about tempo."
"The code of honor in Music : not
to be heard and understood 100%."
"There are many more music schools
than there used to be, but not more musicians."
"The drums, our instrument,
are even greater than we are. They are the extension of our being. Without
them, we would never be able to hear our own vibrations. Condemned to silence…
how terrible ! One must respect one's instrument.".
The
music and the drums playing of Christian Vander have the same characteristics,
the same inspiration : fire and shadow, transe and refusal of the norm. These
aspects reflect themselves so in his game within Magma that in Jazz bands.
Jo
Jones, "Swing drummer in the 30s, is considered as the father of the modern
drums ( see period 1935). He was
a model of fineness and of effectiveness, notably within the Count Basies' orchestra.
This
effectiveness was particularly evident at the time of his solos. In the beginning
of the 70s, the drums manufacturers began (already) to organize concerts presenting
the leading drummers of the moment, such Tony Williams, Art Blakey or Buddy
Rich.
The
message is clear : no matter the support used, the important thing is having
something to say ...
Each
drummer expressed himself of course in his own style. Jo Jones, for his part,
astonished the public while entering on scene with his sticks and … a hi-hat
pedal ! Each time, "Papa" Jo received a triumph from the public.
The
name of Christian Vander is often associated with the one of Magma, formation
created with the singer Klaüs
Blasquiz, between others.
Do
not forget to work slowly and, for the left-handed drummers, to invert the phrases.
Less
known by general public than the Rumba or the Chachacha, the afro-cuban ternary
rhythmics are often played at the time of the religious ceremonies, taking roots
in Africa (Yorouba and Fon principally).
These
rhythms crossed the oceans with the millions of slaves interned to America,
between others to Cuba.
As
we saw it the last Number, the drums are part of the instruments with sounds
said "indeterminate". Every element of the drumset can be tuned on
different notes. Put aside the cymbals, that will be the object of a next section.
-
Usually, the melodic interval between the toms is the FORTH. For example: G
- C - F for the toms.
•
Here one example of drum tuned in
this way :
•
The same drumset can sound differently,
with another chord
:
•
You can tune the drumset with a tuner or a keyboard to obtain precise notes.
But maybe is it better to trust your ears and your taste ? Note
anyway that it is current to tune the bassdrum with the lower note of the bass
guitar (E).
•
Some drummers tune the medium tom higher
than the small tom, this that creates a melodic gap (move) interesting during
the fills.
•
Others will use a special melody to rediscover
the ideal chord :
The
possibilities are infinite, especially if you add other colors, as concert toms,
timbales … The choice is done in any case according with the music that
you play.
CHRISTIAN
VANDER
Very early, Christian Vander had the occasion to meet Elvin Jones, drummer of
John Coltrane, who both marked forever his career, as
Then
let's leave him the word :
Then,
a rhythm played in 12/8
(4 times by measure/one time = one dotted quarter note)
will be written in 4/4
:
To
indicate that it is necessary to interpret the rhythm " ternary" ,
one usually adds
the mention :
If
one meets sixteenth notes (for example 4 SIXTEENTH NOTES),
Here
is an example :
In
the same logic, the rhythm can be written in 2/2
(two times by measure/the time is based on the half-note), called equally
barred C :
At
first glance, one notes that the silences, for example, are less numerous on
the partition, and the reading is facilitated. Moreover the basic beat is slower,
that helps "to put" the playing on the tempo. This
writing is very useful for the pieces with a quick tempo. One meets it
in the domain of the Jazz of course, but also in Latin musics.
one
will play them "binary".
If
one must play ternary figures (for example THREE EIGHTH NOTES),
one
will specify, in the logic of the binary writing, that the interpretation is
ternary.
__
>
__
>
•
•
Here
a series of simple exercises in the idea but that you can induce very far if
you develop them. It is a matter to play a "fixed"
part with one of the members and "to play
around" with the other members.
From
this basis, you can already play a lot of things, for
example :
For example play quarter notes with the bassdrum, as the
basis :
Now
play the left foot on the charleston pedal. You
can of course play quarter notes, but also eighth notes in a ternary measure
for example :
Of
course, you can change phrases and basis : here the basis
is the upright hand, the phrase is constructed on the bassdrum and the
left hand on the snare drum :
More
difficult : this time, the basis is played by the two
feet, on a more syncopated rhythm :
When
you feel comfortable on these phrases while playing them in loop, insert them
in your play, for example playing three measures of rhythm, then a measure of
Fill.
We
will talk again about the coordination in a next Number of Tougoudoum.
Here
is a rhythmic adapted from an afro-cuban 12/8
(take the time to play the right hand part separately),
they
marked the music. The mysticism of Coltrane and the apocalyptic play of
Elvin Jones are still present
in the spirit and the music of Christian.
with a Fill inspired by an Abakwa rhythmic figure
(population of Cuba of nigerian origine) :
We will follow now the work begun in
Number 6 about the coordination
(playing between the hands and the feet).
Many African rhythmics are constructed
on a ternary beat.
