Krakatoa - Styles - Afro-Funk-Rock - Low Rider
Links:
Go To: Styles-AfroFunkRock-LowRider-Shows:
Go To: Styles-AfroFunkRock-LowRider-BandRehearsals:
Go To: Styles-AfroFunkRock-LowRider-PrivateLessons:
See also FREE Lessons for general Instruction not specific to a particular Style.
Background
We've taken the African Kpanlogo (“pan-lo-go”) and put it to "Low Rider" by War, which was originally a Funk-Latin-Rock song, so the result is more of an Afro-Funk-Rock Style. See also Styles-AfroReggae-Kpanlogo.
Kpanlogo is the name of a Ghana, West African, single-sided, hand-carved barrel Drum with an antelope-skinned head that has a hoop, which is attached with strings to pegs that are then pounded into the shell to stretch the head. The sound is warm and rounded. The Drum is also played in a Ghana rhythm developed in 1962, usually played by 5-7 drummers but that also includes dance & singing.
Song's Accompaniment Style-Guidelines - See also Accompaniment Role-Guidelines:
Click here to practice along to an 
audio clip of "Low Rider" by War.
Song's Drum & Percussion Style-Guidelines - See also Instrument Role-Guidelines:
We're playing the African Kpanlogo and empasizing the Back-Pulses (Counts 2 & 4) for the Rock aspect, letting the Accompaniment bring out the Funk aspect.
Played in 4/4 Meter, it has a 2-Pulse Feel with 1/8-note Subdivisions: 1 + 2 + and 3 + 4 +. It’s built around a 3-2 Son Clave (as with much of Latin) that has a ¼-note Pick-up at the end, played on 2 differently pitched Bells to also create a tonal pattern. The “Mother” Drum part is like the Latin Tumbao (i.e., basic Groove), but together with the “Child” Drum, their Open Tone create the Melody!
Role 1 "Father" Drum Style-Guidelines:
Right-handed players: All played with right-hand, muted with left-hand.
|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | Count 1/8-note Subdivisions
|1 3 + | 1 3 |
|b B b | b B | b = muted with opposite hand
Role 2 Steady Time-Keepers Style-Guidelines:
Since most of these are not traditional, it’s best to use the general Instrument Role-Guidelines to determine a part. Here’s some suggested parts.
Metal – See also Role 5 below. Here’s a suggested Cowbell part. Make sure it’s tonally different and softer than Role 5’s metal bells.
|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | Count 1/8-note Subdivisions
|1 2 3 4 | 1 2 3 |
|m c m c | c m m c | m = mouth, c = center
Wood – Claves, Woodblock, etc. This will help bring out the Rock Style.
|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | Count 1/8-note Subdivisions
| 2 + 4 + | 2 + 4 + | Louder Back-Beats + lighter echo
Shakers – Suggest 2 different sounding Maracas. Keep the beads level or pointed down slightly for a tighter sound in the 1st Bar and bring up of a “fatter” sound in the 2nd Bar.
|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | Count 1/8-note Subdivisions
|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 2 3 4 |
|r l r l r l r l | T T T T | right-handed: r = right, l = left, T = together
Tambourine: This will help bring out the Rock Style.
|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | Count 1/8-note Subdivisions
| 2 4 | 2 4 | Back-Beats to get the audience to join in clapping
Rasp or Guiro:
|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | Count 1/8-note Subdivisions
|1 2 + 3 4 + | 1 2 + 3 4 + |
|L s s L s s | L s s L s s | L = Long scrape, s = short scrape
|D u u D u u | D u u D u u | D = Down-stroke, u = up-stroke
Role 3 "Mother" Drums Style-Guidelines:
The traditional medium-drum part has only be changed slightly to Support 2-side of the 3-2 Son Clave:
|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | Count 1/8-note Subdivisions
|1 2 + 3 4 + | 1 2 3 4 + |
|B s s B o o | B F F o o | B = open Bass, s = muted Slaps, o = Open tones, F = muted Flam
|r r l r r l | r lR lR r l | right-handed: r = right, l = left, lR = right-hand louder than left
Role 4 "Child" Drum Style-Guidelines:
The traditional high-drum part has only be changed slightly to add visuals and make it easier to remember:
|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | Count 1/8-note Subdivisions
|1 + 2 + 3 4 + | 1 2 + 3 4 + |
|o o o o u r r | u r r u r r | o = open tone, u = lift up high, r = rim or shell
|r l r l t r l | t r l t r l | right-handed: r = right, l = left, t = together
Role 5 Advanced Time-Keepers Style-Guidelines:
We’ve merged the traditional High & Low bell parts into 1 part for double-bell, with the High bell taking precedence over the Low where they share the same part:
This taps into the Latin Style the original song had.
|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + | Count 1/8-notes Subdivisions
|1 + 4 | 2 3 4 | 3-2 Son Clave + ¼-note Pick-up
|L L H | H L H | H = High bell, L = Low bell
Role 6 "Master" and Solo Drum Style-Guidelines:
The Quinto “Conga” Drum or Bongas will be used by the Master Drummer 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 3-2 Son Clave or the broadened Role 5 Bell Pattern. They can also “play off” the other Time-Keeping patterns or Dialogue with any of the other Drum parts or Accompaniment players.