Cougar WebWorks 
Dance
workshop
At the Argenta (B.C.) Fall
Faire on the fall equinox weekend, drummers and dancers enjoyed
a workshop designed to match basic dance moves with
particular rhythmic effects. A circle of 15 dancers warmed up to
_____ _____ _____ _____
| | | | | | | | | | | |
G - g d g d G - g d - -
Click
for sound:
RealAudio - Track2-1
Then breathing to a count of two, in and out, slowing to a four count, for relaxation and internal timing.
The first dance sequence used the same rhythmic form as the warmup above, but alternating with all bass notes for a while, while dancers moved close to the ground, and all high rim notes, while dancers flung their arms into the air and whirled stretching high.
Next the dancers explored side-to-side and forward-and-back movements, to a rhythm with a swing feel:
_______ _______
| | | | | | | |
G d P - - D g d
Click
for sound:
RealAudio - Track2-2
This rhythm, normally an Afro-Latin fast rock piece, was played at a moderately slow tempo; then as dancers
_______ _______
| | | | | | | |
G d P - G d g d
Click
for sound:
RealAudio
- Track2-3
The final movement sequence alternated between contraction and expansion. In Bob Moses' organization of rhythm patterns (see his book, Drum Wisdom), "Contract" is a term for patterns that emphasize the second beat of four (example: Candombe); and "Expand" rhythms emphasize the fourth
_______ _______
| | | | | | | |
G D - - G D
g d contract
Click
for sound:
RealAudio - Track2-4
G d g T - d g d expand
Click
for sound:
RealAudio - Track2-5
Dancers wheeled freely now in a fast melee, while drummers accelerated the pace of the expansive rhythm. Finally dancers went into freeform while drummers and percussionists jammed on a samba. Most dancers then drifted back into the world of the fair, while a few dedicated sprites carried on, inspiring drummers
Return to Top
Return to Rhythms of the Week, Page One
David
Thiaw Workshop:
David is a Senegalese master
drummer now based in Calgary. In early October he gave a great 3-day
workshop in tiny Johnson's Landing, B.C. We were a mixed class of
15 drummers ranging from no experience to six years. Within the
first session he had us all learning a dozen new patterns and playing
them well together, moving back and forth among them with dynamic
flexibility. His approach was unique to workshops I've taken in
this aspect of combining traditional rhythms creatively in new compositions.
We had all learned to play thirty new rhythms and breaks by the
end, fluidly and together and with rapid recognition between them.
Here is a sampling of the rhythms David Thiaw teaches. While he discourages written notes during the learning, he uses cue cards with the names of the rhythms as an integral part of his teaching. And he offers notated rhythms with personal sets of cards (and tapes) to those interested, after the workshop. My
_______ _______ _______ _______ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Iba (8-bar): D g - - - - D g D g - - - - - - D g D g D g D g D g - - - - - - _______ _______ _______ _______ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Dribble (8-bar): d g d g d g d g d g D G D G D G D G D G _______ _______ _______ _______ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | D g D g D g D g D g Duké D g D g D g g Duké Duke Dukeke _______ _______ _______ _______ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | D G D G D - - g d - g - d - g - Merengue _______ _______ _______ _______ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | D - - g d - g - D - g - d - g - Makru _______ _______ _______ _______ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | d - d g d - d - - - d - d - - - Door
Return to Top
Return to Rhythms of the Week, Page One
In drum jam situations, as well as in composing arrangements of rhythm patterns, it's most useful to have a repertoire of flexible tools. Among the most serviceable are the following: the "universal break," and two all-purpose accompaniment
The universal break can be useful either as a crisp ending, or as a transition between patterns, or simply
_______ _______ _______ _______
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
g - g d - d - d g - d - g - - -
Click
for sound:
RealAudio - Track2-6
Djembe master Mamady Keita plays it like this:
_______ _______ _______ _______
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
g - g d - d - d g - P T P - - -
This pattern is versatile. The hand order is not important. The basic four bars above can be extended with four more (a note on the one followed by rests) as follows:
_______ _______ _______ _______ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | g
or, these patterns can be doubled or tripled. David Thiaw teaches an extended Universal Break that uses the basic eight bars above twice, then a repeat of the first four twice, finishing with
Moving to the accompaniment parts, the following are said to be the original djembe rhythms, which may be true judging by their widespread use in African and Latin rhythmic ensembles. These are basically the same rhythm, notated slightly differently
_______ _______
| | | | | | | |
P - - T P - g d
Click
for sound:
RealAudio - Track2-5
_____ _____
| | | | | |
P - g T -(D)
Click
for sound:
RealAudio - Track2-8
Return to Top
Return to Rhythms of the Week, Page One
I like sevens because they combine the dynamics and feel of fours and threes, and because they cut between the expectations of twelve and sixteen beat phrases. Note the grouping of notes into 4-4-3-3, then 3-3-4-4. These divisions are rather arbitrary but follow some of the internal patterning of notes. Another way to see the time signature is as 7/8: but to look for seven regular beats doesn't quite capture all
_______ _______ _____ _____ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | D g d - D g d - D g d P d G D - T g - P T g - P T P T g D - - P - g T g D - D g d g D - - d - - g - D - d - g g D - d - - g d - D - d g d g (T) (T) (T P) _____ _____ _______ _______ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | D g d G d g - G d g D - d g T - T g d P - g d g D g d g
Return to Top
Return to Rhythms of the Week, Page One
During this week's practicing and jamming,
a couple of interesting combination patterns came up, mixing parts
from Aconcon and Koukou. For those who don't mind taking liberties
with the traditional pieces, try these for some novel effects, starting
with two or three djembes:
(P, T = slap; g, d = rim; G, D = bass)
_______ _______
| | | | | | | |
P T P T g d P Koukou 1
P G P d Aconcon 2 (reversed)
-------------------------
_______ _______
| | | | | | | |
P T P T g d Aconcon 1
P d P G Aconcon 2
P T P T g d P Koukou 1
Return to Top
Return to Rhythms of the Week, Page One
Return
to Rhythms of the Week, Lesson Two
Go
to Rhythms of the Week, Lesson Four
Go
to Rhythms of the Week, Lesson Five
Go
to Rhythms of the Week, Lesson Six
Go
to Rhythms of the Week, Lesson Seven
Go
to Rhythms of the Week, Lesson Eight
Go
to Rhythms of the Week, Lesson Nine
See lots more rhythm notation and drum lessons in my Roots Jam rhythm books, with optional audio files (CD or mp3). And read my latest tips and insights about drumming: African Drumming Blog. Learn from my early learning experiences as a hand drummer, with the free ebook, Friday Night Jam.
