Members LightningFast Posted September 11, 2006 Members Posted September 11, 2006 I know nothing about hispanic/latin rhythms, nor how to teach rhythm. I'm doing a favor and helping someone learn how to play such music in his church. Tips and suggestions wanted on how to teach him. Even a good website would be helpful. He knows most of the commom chords but can't keep a decent strum (he calls it scratching). I tried to explain rhythm to him but was at a lost for words. I just do it.
Poparad Posted September 11, 2006 Posted September 11, 2006 Brazilian and Cuban music (the two main styles of latin music) are very deeply rooted in complex rhythms. These styles are strikingly different from most Americans styles of popular music, and take a long time of study, and most importantly by far, playing to truly understand. I don't mean to be harsh, but if you have no idea how to teach basic rhythms, I don't see how you will be able to succesfully teach a very advanced rhythmic style. Moreover, it is more or less impossible to teach a style of music that you have absolutely no experience with. If you want to study these musics on your own for your own gain, I would highly encourage it, but teaching them is a ways off just yet. Also, for a student who can barely play simple, basic rhythms, I fail to see how he would be able to grasp anything of music based on complex polyrhythms. Trying to jump in now would be putting the cart miles before the horse, to be figurative. He would be better served if you were to focus on teaching him simple, basic rhythms in order to establish a strong foundation for future study of latin music.
Members 1001gear Posted September 11, 2006 Members Posted September 11, 2006 I have a feeling you might mean Mariachi type stuff and frankly most any Latin music is too sophisticated for novices. Pro drummers would trainwreck some of the stuff out there. You can start perhaps with folk tunes that are familiar in you area and focus on steady tempo and clean articulation. Stay with the quarters and halves until he can produce a smooth accompaniment. Just got a glimpse of Poparads post so ditto.
Members coggins Posted September 11, 2006 Members Posted September 11, 2006 A few years ago I did a music workshop with a group of primary school students (5-12 yr olds). We first asked them to clap on all the beats (1 2 3 4). The older kids were okay but the time was pretty loose. The young ones had no hope. Then we got them to clap a 3:2 clave rhythm ("hair cut please two bits"). After they got that into their heads they were unshakeable! I played a tumbao bass part, and the other guy took a drum solo - and all the while we had a hall full of kids clapping solid time. Sometimes the simple rhythms aren't as easy as the complex ones. Now your first problem is the term "latin music".Salsa? Rumba? Rhumba? Son? Brazillian Tango? Argentine Tango? Mariachi? Samba? Bossa Nova? Pop Latin...?? Have you got recordings of some of the stuff your student wants to learn?Check those rhythms out. Don't just learn to play along, learn to count and play. Write them down! If you don't know standard notation, that's okay, make something up. The point is, be able to say "hit the chord on 1, the and of 2, and 4" or whatever.Depending on the style, it may take you half a day to figure out where beat 1 is. Listen to each instrument separately to work out where the strong beats are - the bass and drums won't necessarily be your guide.Some general notes:Teach rhythm by subtraction. Start by strumming all the eighth notes, i.e.1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |d u d u d u d u | d u d u d u d u |(d=down u=up)Then repeat, but muting with left hand. Then accent (don't mute) only the beats of the rhythm you are trying to play.e.g. back beat1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |d u d u d u d u | d u d u d u d u |X X O X X X O X | X X O X X X O X |(X=lh mute, O=lh play)e.g. 3:2 clave (ubiquitous african/latin rhythm)1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |d u d u d u d u | d u d u d u d u |O X X O X X O X | X X O X O X X X |The point is, feel all the spaces between the chords.
Members keshav dhar Posted September 11, 2006 Members Posted September 11, 2006 Paul Gilbert gives some good examples of Spanish guitar applications in his Terrifying Guitar Trip video. You might want to check that out. He makes it clear that his fingerpicking technique is limited to only his thumb and index finger, so keep that in mind...
Members LightningFast Posted September 11, 2006 Author Members Posted September 11, 2006 Great info, especially coggins. I think the 8th note example is perfect. I can work with that. Luckily they are not playing full hispanic music (a combination of all the styles mentioned by others), the drummer keeps it simple and more western (american). The singer who also plays guitar doesn't do any complicated latin rhythm, just enough to give a hint. I think I'll be able to teach this guitar player how to play along as an accompiniment guitarist.
Members sheikyerbouti Posted September 11, 2006 Members Posted September 11, 2006 Show him the clave rhythm for a bossa nova which is felt in four, then maybe samba, which is felt in two for faster tunes. Both are simple repeating rhythms and will pass as "latin sounding" If your guitarist just repeats a few bossa patterns it won't mess with the band too much, and he could get away with it for a whole night Here's a site with some bossa clave.http://www.guitarpeople.com/jazz/jazzprog.asp For this to work, if the drummer is good enough, he should keep the "surdo" on his bass drum kicking. That would be a group of two on each quarter note, with an emphasize on the third beat. Good luck ;-)
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.