Le Cri - Tougoudoum Number 10

Ringo Starr, whom true name is Richard Starkey, was born to Liverpool on July 07, 1940. His fragile health is worth him many stays to the hospital, where he will have for the first time the occasion to play the small drum.

The tie is a round line that links two notes, as a rule played on the same element of the drum (note of same sound). It is always placed above or to the under of the notes heads.

Max Roach is an immense drummer, an of those that reflected the most about their instrument.

We saw in the last Number a first prolongation sign : The DOT.
Here is an another sign, working in a different way, called the TIE.

The technique of the Rim Shot consists in hitting simultaneously the head and the ring in a dry and precise gesture. The obtained effect is more slamming than the simple sound of the head hit, the space between the stick, the ring and the head creating a resonance :

In the 70's, the music became more spectacular, notably at the time of the huge shows of bands like Earth Wind and Fire.

The cymbals are done of alloys from different metals, as bronze, tin or copper. The proportion of such or such metal influences of course the quality and the sound of the cymbal.

The cymbals can be very different types, with multiple sounds, effects and usages. Go and see the section " Discover the instrument" for more informations and listen the differences of sounds.

• verify that the center of the cymbals do not touch directly the stem of the cymbal stand,

• do not store your cymbals on the edge, to avoid distortion under their own weight,

• give regularly your cymbals a soft wipe, to preserve their brightness and delay a more serious cleaning,

Then began a fabulous adventure, during which the Beatles invented or deeply influence all the styles of Rock existing until today, from the psychedelic music to the Hard Rock. Besides we encourage you to read the history of this band, that symbolic light on the music, history and society from the years 60th to ours days.

As you may noticed it, the Rim Shot is not the Stick Shot, other technique for which one puts the stick on the head (See TOUGOUDOUM Number 5). One uses the same resonance phenomenon, but for a completely different effect. The two terms are confused very often.

Even if it was recovered by commercial considerations to create the Disco, the Funk remains a major element of the music of the 20th century. A long time considered as dated and surpassed, it is since the years 80th very used (vicious tongues will say looted) through the multiples samples that one hears behind the voices of the Rappers.

When two notes are linked, the value (= the length) of the second note is added to the first one. For example, a quarter note linked to an other quarter note will last in all … two quarter notes (that is a half-note in total).

The linked notes can have different lengths, for example : a eight note linked to a sixteenth note.

• while recovering your drums of a sheet after playing, you will protect the cymbals from the dust,

• the cleaning is one of the joys of the drummer work. In fact, the cymbals tarnish and becomes oxidized under the effect of humidity and dust ; the varnish becomes fades out, or the cymbal turns green. Special products are sold in the commerce, adapted to the contained alloys in the cymbals. Especially, do not use any products, used for the coppers in the house ! Use preferably the product of your cymbals brand,

• a cymbal can be covered with a varnish or not ; verify that the product corresponds to your cymbals,

Besides the drums was for him, especially in the 50's and 60's, the means to express the revolt and the rebellion faced with the racial segregation reigning in the United States at this time.

Thus he composed several works in this direction, where the drums are the extension and the expression of his thought, notably the fine Freedom Continuation, claiming of afro-american identity.

• to clean a cymbal, go from the center and rub (strong, indeed very strong) in circles, going towards the edge of the cymbal ; next, pass a humid rag, then a dry and soft rag,

• do not leave none other than you to transport, arrange or "wedge" (in a car for example) your cymbals ! The friends often shows great willingness, but also are sometimes clumsy…

He begins the drums towards the age of 10 years, to found in 1957 a first formation : The Eddie Clayton Skiffle's Group.

While playing in various Rock' N Roll and of Skiffle bands, style in fashion in the years 60th in England and in Germany, he used to meet with the Beatles in the clubs of Liverpool or of Hamburg. Therefore he had no difficulty to integrate the group when the first drummer of the "Silver Beetles", Pete Best, leaves the band, even if the first fans had trouble to accept him.

The Rim Shot (or Rimshot) is a special strike technique, used in all musical styles. One plays it essentially on the snare drum, but it can apply also on the toms.

Ringo, whom nickname was due to the numerous rings that decorated his fingers, possessed a personality and a play that fully contribute to the music and the life expectancy of the Beatles : he was the life and soul of the band, that ironed out the tensions and counterbalanced the strong personalities of John Lennon and Paul Mac Cartney.

After the separation of the bandin 1970, Ringo continued a career solo and accompanied many artists, such Carl Perkins, Elton John or Ozzy Osbourne. He also recorded several solo albums, of which some were big successes, such Photograph or Beaucoup Of Blues, all to alongside the 70's.

Some tended to say that Ringo Starr is not the better drummer of the world. It is true that some drum parts of the Beatles were recorded by studio musicians or Paul Mc Cartney himself. But don't forget that he was playing during the concerts !

There exist other tie types (as the legato), with different expression or accentuations effects.

Take the time to work slowly and to move away the neighbors, for it is a matter of a precision work rather ungrateful before succeeding in doing it !

Of course, the grip is assured during the strike, the other fingers remaining in contact with the stick (unless you want to use the rebound).

Usually, the Rim Shot is an accentuated note, but not always ; it is rather an effect, with of multiples shade, even if it became omnipresent on the 2nd and 4th time of the Rock measure.

The sound of a cymbal is characterized by her attack (reaction of the cymbal more or less dry after the strike), and its resonance (lenght of the sound after the strike).

Recall anyway the principal types of cymbals : the Ride and the Hi-Hat cymbals (double cymbals on a stand) principally play the rhythmic, the Crash, the Splash (in general smaller) and the China are used for effects and accents.

The choice of such or such cymbal depends therefore principally on your preferences and usages. In this domain particularly (a good cymbal costs a lot), it is essential to take the time to inform you, to listen to the maximum of possible sounds, and to trust your ears.

Today manufacturers and dealers propose "packs", assortments of cymbals, to equip the drums. These packs are practical for the beginners, the choice (well) being done by professionals. They risk on the other hand not to suit you if you wish a more personal sound from your cymbals.

Generally speaking, do you orient towards good brands. You there will pay the price, but your cymbals will follow you during all your life, especially if you correctly look after them.

• avoid putting too often the fingers directly on the cymbals, to avoid green tracks due to the perspiration, which are difficult to obliterate,

Besides, the personality and the style of Ringo Starr's play was certainly what suited the music of the Beatles. Ringo's play is simple, the breaks and fills are clean without being impressive, this that is not the aim of the drummer anyway ! The melodies of the Beatles certainly would be less granted with a more technical or more demonstrative drums play.

Add that he has besides written or sung several big Beatles' "hits", as Yellow Submarine or With A Little Help From My Friends, resumed by Joe Cooker.

After a long interruption, he re-started his career at the end of the years 80th with his All-Starr Band, regularly reformed for tours always warmly welcomed by the public.

At the listening, one remarks quickly that the "style" of the drummer is there, with a simple but always reconnaissable play as well as an inimitable beat, that is the hall-mark of great musicians.

The Funk is a music, coming from the evolution of the Blues towards the Soul Music in the years 60th. "Black" Music par excellence, trance music with a very strong sexual connotation, it is incarnated since always by the immense James Brown, followed by others, such George Clinton (with Parliaments and Funkadelic) or Sly and the Family Stone.