Krakatoa - Styles - AfroCuban - Bembe
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Background
"Bembe" refers to Afro-Cuban folkloric music played at percussion jam sessions, parties, or any festive informal gatherings (also called "bembes") of singing, dancing, and drumming. "Bembe" can also refer to specific song forms. Many "Bembe" sub-Styles and techniques have developed over time through the merging of cultures - what we're playing is a basic form. "Bembe" Rhythms refer to generic 6/8 rhythms (many of which are borrowed from other Styles, such as Abacua and Guiro) that maintain the flavor of the traditional Bembe, but also fit the particular sub-Style and instrumentation.
We're playing 6/8 Meter or 6/8 Time (that's 6 1/8-note Beats in a measure) at a Tempo of 300 1/8-note Beats per minute or 100 Dotted 1/4-note beats per minute, though it can be played as slow as 90 Dotted 1/4-note Beats per minute up to 140 - That's FAST!
Song's Accompaniment Style-Guidelines – See also Accompaniment Role-Guidelines:
Most of the parts in some way, Support or “play off” the Clave Rhythm. Soloists should also do the same, often starting or stopping their phrases on one of these counts.
Listen to an audio clip of the "Mother" Drum Groove for practicing:
Click here to see the Chord Chart.
Key: Dm Brazilian Religious
|1 2 4 5 6 | 1 2 4 5+6 | 6/8 Meter counting
Song's Drum & Percussion Style-Guidelines – See also Instrument Role-Guidelines:
It should have a 2-Pulse or "Duple-Pulsation" Feel where the Dotted 1/4-note is the basic Pulse (that is, on Counts 1 & 4) - so Everybody stomp your foot LOUDLY to these Pulses. This 2-Pulse feel is the most common in 6/8 Compound Meter. Then each of these Pulses is Subdivided into 3 1/8-notes (that's Triple-Subdivision). For example, Counts 123 for the 1st Pulse on Count 1 and Counts 456 for the 2nd Pulse on Count 4. In the Bembe, there's also a 3-Pulse or "Triple-pulsation" Feel where each ¼-note (that's 2 1/8-note Subdivisions) is the basic Pulse (that is, Counts 1, 3, and 5) - this is brought out by the Accented down strokes of the Shekere (or Shakers) against the leg and supplementally by a Tamborine. The playing of 2-Pulses against 3-Pulses creates a 2:3 Polyrhythm.
The real "key" to knowing which measure you're in ... is to listen to the Clave Rhythm, which means "key" in spanish. Most of the parts in some way, Support or “play off” the Clave Rhythm. Soloists should also do the same, often starting or stopping their phrases on one of these counts.
Traditionally, the combination of the "Open" Tones from the 3 differently-pitched Drums creates the Melody. You'll also notice that the combination of the middle and low drum "open tones" creates a "swing" Rhythm similar to that in Jazz written in 6/8 Meter: 1 4 6|1 4 6|1 4 6|1, etc., but in the Bembe it's Shifted forward by 1/8-note to | 3 56 | 3 56 | 3 56 |, etc. You'll also notice that the combination of the high and middle drum "open tones" also creates a "swing" Rhythm | 1 4 6|1 4 6|1 4 6|1 that's forward-Shifted 3 1/8-notes to Counts |1 3 4 |1 3 4 |1 3 4 |, etc. The combination of the 2 Shifted "Swing" Rhythms is called a "cross-rhythm".
Here's an Audio-only Drum & Percussion composition of the Krakatoa Instructor's in which all parts are also being played by him, added in 1 at a time:
Here's an Audio-only Drum & Percussion composition of the Krakatoa Instructor's in which all parts are also being played by him, with soloing added in:
Role 1 “Father” Drum Style-Guidelines:
The Low Drum is known as the "Caja", which we'll play on the Low Tom with sticks with a simpler part that Support the 2-Pulse Feel and adds a simple Setup in the 2nd Bar:
|1 4 | 1 3 4 |
Role 2 Steady Time-Keepers Style-Guidelines:
The Shekere/Gourd rattle, 2 Shakers (1 louder than the other), or Rasp. The louder Beats create a 3-Pulse Feel to Counter the 2-Pulse Feel played by others, creating a 3:2 Polyrhythm:
|1 2 3 4 5 6 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 | 6 Beats to a Measure
|d u d u d u | d u d u d u | Shekere rattle: d = loud down-stroke to leg, u = soft up-stroke to hand
|r l r l r l | r l r l r l | 2 Shakers: r = louder right, l = softer left
|d u d u d u | d u d u d u | Rasp: d = louder down-stroke, u = softer up-stroke
Tambourine plays on 1 and 4 to bring out the 2-Pulse Feel.
A Wood/Plastic Time-Keeper could play something that Supports the 2-Pulse Feel and echoes it. Against the Metal Time-Keeper, there will be somewhat of a Dialogue:
|1 2 4 5 | 1 2 4 5 |
A Metal Time-Keeper could play something that Supports the 2-Pulse Feel but also does a Set-up to it. Against the Wood Time-Keeper, there will be somewhat of a Dialogue:
|1 3 4 6 | 1 3 4 6 |
Role 3 “Mother” Drums Style-Guidelines:
The Middle Drum is known as the "Mula", which we'll play on Djembes.
|1 2 4 5 6 | 1 2 4 5+6 | 6/8 Meter counting
|h s h o o | h s h ooo | h = heel-bass tone, s = muted slap with heel still down, o = open tones
|l r l r r | 1 r l r l r | right-handed player: r = right, l = left, r = right with left still on the head
|f b |f b | f = lean forward, b = lean back. This helps you feel & show the 2 Pulses
Role 4 “Child” Drum Style-Guidelines:
The High Drum is known as the "katchimbo", which we'll play on a Quinto “Conga” Drum with beater-sticks that won’t damage the head:
|1 2 3 4 5 6 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 |
|r r d d r r | d d r r d d | d = hit drum, r = hit rim
|r l r l r l | r l r l r l | right-handed player: r = right hand, l = left hand
Role 5 Advanced Time-Keepers Style-Guidelines:
|1 3 5 6 | 2 4 6 |
|m m c m| m m m| m = mouth of cowbell unmuted, c = center of cowbell (optionally muted)
The 6/8 Clave Rhythm here is a common type played in various 6/8 Meter Styles of music, for example: the Bembé, Guiro, Cha-Cha Lokua Fun, Afro 6/8, Palo, Imbaloke, Rumba Columbia, and Abakua.
It's also a condensed version of the 12/8 Meter Clave Rhythm played on the Ganugbagba Bell in the Gadzo music of the Ewe people of Ghana, West Africa.
On the Clave instrument, Cowbell, Double-Bell (or traditionally, the Guataca or hoeblade), play the accents with the Shank of the Clave or Stick and the non-accents with the tip. On the Cowbell, you can bring out the accents by playing them on the Mouth of the Cowbell (as non-Muted will also help, esp. Count 1 of the 1st Bar) and the non-accented notes on the Center or Neck (as Muted will help). Notice that often when 2 notes are played right next to each other, the 2nd note is Accented. If you use a Double-Bell to play the Clave Rhythm, play the Accents as low pitches and the non-Accented notes as high pitches, attempting the muting options to help differentiate them and bring out the "Big ONE" of the 1st Bar that restarts the Phrase-Cycle.
Role 6 “Master” and Solo Drum Style-Guidelines:
The Master Drummer traditionally plays on a Low Tumbadora or "tumba" for short, traditionally interacting with the vocals and dancers. We’ll use The Quinto “Conga” Drum or Bongas to Call Responses from Soloists and can also be used to improvise w/ the vocals and dancers. The Calls and Responses could be 1 Bar or more likely 2 Bars long, and usually respect the Clave rhythm – starting or stopping phrases on the notes played by the Clave. They can also “play off” the other Time-Keeping patterns or Dialogue with any of the other Drum parts or Accompaniment players.