Bongo in 6/8 - What bongo pattern to play in a 6/8 jam?

[Jongo]

I want to add some bongos to a 6/8 jam some friends and I play. I know some conga patterns that I have adapted to play on bongos but I am wondering if there is something else that would be better to play like on a 6/8 descarga?

[ABAKUA]

For jam purpose, you could try some bata like patterns and adapt em to bongo.

From a traditional stand point, its the 6/8 bell pattern you should be playing. Either clave on cencerro (bell) in 6/8 format or the 6/8 pattern on bell.

[zaragemca]

Just for the records,the 6/8 time signature have been incorporated in several genre,without having to necessarily incorporate Yorubas' bells patterns.There is Irish-music, symphonic-music,Mexican-music(Guapanco),Venezuelan music(Joropo),Perubian music(Walts peruano), and jazz music(Jonh Coltrane,Miles Davis,Chick Corea,Herbie Hancock,etc. All of them in 6/8.The 6/8 meant, the 'time-signature' in which the music is structure,(not necessarily Yoruba-Music,..or that a bells patterns have to be there).



Edited By zaragemca on 1107546130

[Berimbau]

Zaragemca is once again, correct on all counts. The term 6/8 applies only to music with a pulse of six eigth notes, and does not necessarily indication an African influence. Culturally, such music could come from nearly any musical source I know on the planet. The presence of a polymetric approach and the implementation of an asymetrical time line pattern WOULD be evidence of a rhythm's West or Central African origins. Such diagnostic markers of African influence are pretty evident in many examples of Caribbean and South American music, and not just the obvious ones. These time line patterns can be rendered on any hard, sonorous surface, and not just bells. They may be clapped, beaten out with a palo on the side of a tumbadora, or even sounded with a spoon on a bottle. In a certain harp tradition of Vera Cruz, Mexico, a second musician will often provide such an accompaniment by beating two sticks against the harp's hollow bottom. Although her African population has long been absorbed into La Raza, Mexico recieved a staggering amount of the human captives, especially Angolans, during the early years of the African slave trade.

Saludos,


Berimbau

[ABAKUA]

Staying on topic at hand would be great, even better if the original topic was answered.

on a 6/8 descarga?

Bongo in 6/8

He made no mention of what genres use the time signature nor what countries and cultures incorporate the time signature.

[zaragemca]

Saludos,that's the reason we did the reference,the bongos could be used in any type of music or signature without having an african connotation.The word 'Descarga' mean jamming, which could be done in any type of music,(not necessarily cuban,or afrocuban.),so claves or bell patterns does n't need to be included.



Edited By zaragemca on 1107803465

[Berimbau]

Exactly!


Berimbau

[Jongo]

OK, so in this 6/8 tune we are playing the timbale player is playing the bell and keeping time, we have a conga player and a shekere player. So far we have not used bongo very much in this piece so I am wondering how could we incoporate it more? Abakua mentioned some bata patterns but I don't play bata and am not familiar with any bata patterns. So I will have to check into that. Another question I have is how much should the bongo improvise? We have a player that has good technique but when he improvises loses the time, speeds up and tries to play over everybody else so I am hesitant to let him improvise too much. I appreciate everyone's suggestions. Gracias
Juan

[ABAKUA]

So I was correct in understanding that this 6/8 'jam' you have is of afro-cuban genre/format?

[Jongo]

Yes that is correct

[zaragemca]

Saludos Jongo,now that you mention which is the genre you are making reference,(afrocuban),I could tell you that the pattern followed by bongosero,would depends on what is the pattern performed by the congas,I could not provide a rightfull answer unless I know what the congas is doing,playing basic tumbao,or Yoruba's,Arara's patterns,etc.



Edited By zaragemca on 1108664535

[Jongo]

The conga is playing a Palo rhythm, I don't know if that is Yoruban or Carabali or what. I am not well versed in the origins of some of these rhythms so I appreciate your help.

[Berimbau]

Hey Jongo,
I don't know what happened to Zaragemca, but Palo is part of the Bantu heritage in Cuba, originating in the Kongo/Angolan region, on each side of the mighty Zaire River watershed.


Saludos,


Berimbau

[Obi]

I want to add some bongos to a 6/8 jam some friends and I play.

1+2+3+:1+2+3+:
S mmo :S mmoo:
M MMH M MMHH

(M= macho, H=hembra)

or try something like Elube

1+a2+a3+a:1+a2+a3+a:
S mmoo :S mmoo :
M MMMH M MMMH

This next one leaves plenty of room for improv ;

1+2+3+:1+2+3+:
S S o :mm oo:
M M H MM MH (OR)
M M H MM HH

(I tried to line these up the best I could) I hope this gives you some good basic ideas to foll around with.

I do like to keep my bongo grooves simple, allowing my fingers to "do the talking". Simple grooves allow more freedom for little flashes and flares throughout the rhythm and make a great basis for solo. :laugh:

Obi



Edited By Obi on 1108937992

[zaragemca]

greeting Jongo,this is exactly what I was trying to convey in my initial rectification,(what is the specifics genre we are talking about?),as Berimbau,point out that is in reference with Bantu -music which is more lineal (4/4), and not required to be written in 6/8, the 6/8 was reserved for the Yoruba's and the Arara-Ewe patterns.



Edited By zaragemca on 1109027639