Krakatoa - Styles - African - Adowa
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Background
Adowa (ah-doh-wah) is a dance music of the Ashanti people (part of the Akan cultural group, speaking the Akan language) of Ghana, traditionally in funeral music but now during all occasions.
Song's Accompaniment Style-Guidelines - See also Accompaniment Role-Guidelines:
Traditionally, the Dancers place their strong foot on the strong Pulses (counts 1 & 4) and their left foot on the weaker beats.
Listen here to an audio clip of the "Mother" Drum Groove for practicing:
Click here to see the Chord Chart.
Key: Am7
|1 2 3 4 5 6+ |1 2 3 4 5 6 |6/8 Meter counting
Song's Drum & Percussion Style-Guidelines - See also Instrument Role-Guidelines:
Traditionally played in 12/8 Meter with a 3-Pulse Feel or one that ’s Shifted in the 2nd Bar, we are breaking this into a 2-Bar Phrase in 6/8 Meter to make it easier to count and having some instruments play a 2-Pulse Feel in 1 or both of the Bars to create a Polyrhythmic effect against those playing a 3-Pulse Feel. There is some Off-Pulse Syncopation, Set-ups, Pick-ups, and Build-ups to help define the 2-Bar Phrase. We’re not using traditional instruments, so we have to adapt them to our Instrument Role-Guidelines.
Role 1 "Father" Drum Style-Guidelines:
Traditionally, this is played by 2 Donno or double-headed, hourglass-shaped, string-tensioned, “squeeze”-tunable, “Talking” Drums played with a “V”-shaped stick are also used to create a Tonal Phrase that also keeps a 2-Pulse Feel (counts 1 & 4).
In our version, it’s suggested they play a 2-Pulse Feel in the 1st Bar and a lighter 3-Pulse Feel in the 2nd Bar and use the Low Tom for added volume.
|1 4 |1 2 3 4 5 6 |6/8 Meter counting
|F F |b r b r b r | F = loud Flam, b = softer bass, r = loud rim
|T T |r l r l r l | right-handed: r = right, l = left, T = together
Role 2 Steady Time-Keepers Style-Guidelines:
Traditionally, 2 Dawuro (Akan) Bells are used – 1 for Steady 3-Pulse Feel Time-Keeping (counts |1 3 5|), the other for Advanced Time-Keeping (see Role 5). They are boat-shaped iron bells with a slit along the upper surface, looking like a taco shell, played with metal rod. In order to keep time better, I suggest muffling against the body on the Off-Pulses or using a Cowbell and playing the Pulses on the Mouth with the stick shoulder and the Off-Pulse as a lighter echo in the Center with the stick tip:
|1 2 3 4 5 6 |1 2 3 4 5 6 |6/8 Meter counting
|o m o m o m |o m o m o m | Dawuro: o = open tone, m = muted tone
|m c m c m c | m c m c m c | Cowbell: m = mouth, c = center
Ntorwa (Akan) gourd rattle with small pebbles or seeds inside, played by rotating the wrist in a circular, snapping motions to make a soft, swishing sound. It often plays the same or slight variation of the Dawuro Bells to add a thicker or “fatter” pad to the harshness of the bells.
In our version, it’s suggested we use 2 different Maracas that play together for a stronger 2-Pulse in the 1st Bar, then alternating for a lighter 3-Pulse Feel in the 2nd Bar:
|1 4 |1 2 3 4 5 6 |6/8 Meter counting
|T T |R l R l R l | T = Together, R = loud Right, l = weaker Left
Tambourine isn’t traditional, but if it’s added, I suggest: keeping a steady 2-Pulse Feel (Counts 1 & 4), which will create a 2:3 Polyrhythm against the 3-Pulse Feel others are playing in the 2nd Bar:
Rasp isn’t traditional, but if it’s added, I suggest: Keeping Time but Supporting the 2-Pulse Feel throughout. You can try all down-strokes, or down-up-up, etc.
|1 2 3 4 5 6 |1 2 3 4 5 6 |
|L s s L s s | L s s L s s | L = Loud, s = soft
Wood sounds like Claves, Wood Blocks, etc. aren’t traditional either, but if it’s added, I suggest Supporting the “Child” Drum part, acting as Off-Pulse echoes:
|1 2 3 4 5 6 |1 2 3 4 5 6 |
|a s s a s s | a s s a s s | a = air fake, s = soft
Role 3 "Mother" Drums Style-Guidelines:
Petia (Akan) Drum is a short, single-headed, medium to high-pitched wooden Drum, played with sticks. Higher pitches are created by pressing with one stick while the other hits the drum. Traditionally, the Groove is Supportive of the 2 – Pulse Feel: |1 3 4 | as | high low low |. We are using Djembes and Congas, adding quite a few things. There’s a 2-Pulse Feel in the 1st Bar and 3-Pulse Feel in the 2nd that is being Supported. Counts “1 2” clearly definte the beginning of the Phrase. Counts “6+” are a Set-up to “1”. The claps are place-keepers and add showmanship. The softer bass tones int he 2nd bar are really place keepers to the louder Off-Pulse Open tones that create Syncopation.
|1 2 3 4 5 6+ |1 2 3 4 5 6 |6/8 Meter counting
|B B c B c oo |b o b o b o | B = loud Bass tone, b = soft Bass, c = clap visual, o = loud Open tone
|r l r r l |r l r l r l | right-handed: r = right, l = left
Role 4 "Child" Drum Style-Guidelines:
Apentemma (Akan) drum is medium-sized, single-headed, played with hands for muted and open tones, traditionally Answering the Pulse (counts 2 3 and 5 6). We’ve added air fakes for place-keepers and hitting the shell of rim to simulate the higher pitches. The drum parts help the band hear the end and beginning of the 2-Bar Phrase.
|1 2 3 4 5 6 |1 2 3 4 5 6 |6/8 Meter counting
|l r r l r r | l r r l r r | right-handed: l = left air fakes, r = right-hand
|a d d a s s | a s s a d d | a = air fake, d = drum, s = shell or rim
Role 5 Advanced Time-Keepers Style-Guidelines:
Traditionally played on 1 Dawuro (Akan) Bell playing more Syncopated variation of the basic pattern played by Role 2. We’ve added a few other notes to help with Time-Keeping and create a 3-Pulse Feel in the 1st Bar (which creates a 3:2 Polyrhythm against other instruments with a 2-Pulse Feel) that’s Shifted in the 2nd Bar (Supporting the loud Open tones of the “Mother” Drum). This can be played on any Time-Keeper that will contrast what else is already being played:
|1 5 | 2 4 |Traditional
|1 3 5 | 2 4 6 | Our versions
Role 6 "Master" and Solo Drum Style-Guidelines:
Traditionally, the Master Drum is a pair of large, heavy wooden, differently pitched, drums called “Atumpan” that rest on stands are played with “V”-shaped sticks. The drums serve as “Talking” Drums: giving signals, reflecting dance movements, even quoting proverbs because they can be made to sound like the people’s language. A special offering is made to the spirit of the tree to insure the proper use of its wood in carving the drum. Also, a special “eye” (a bare spot) is left on the drum where the drum’s spirit resides.
We listen for parts that need to be Supported because they are weakening. We also listen for ways to steady the Tempo – emphasizing the 2-Pulse or 3-Pulse Feels, or all the Beats. You can also add Build-ups at the end of the Phrase |1 2 3 4+5+6+|. You can Answer back to any Groove you hear. The sky’s the limit!