Campana

[Salseroberlinense]

How can I get information about when to switch to campana and how to play it? Are there as many variations as with martillo or is it just the usual patterns?

[Raymond]

Normally, the arrangement (music sheet) will let you know. If no "music sheet", then when you are told by the director or is left to you based on what you feel.

One thing to be aware is that the campana or cowbell is played in uptempo parts of the arrangements. Most surely in the "body" or chorus/mambo/mona of the arrangment. Maybe in the intro of the song or arrangement, again, depending, what the arrangement says.

As a comment, those parts where cowbells are needed you will feel them by the swing of the piano and/or bass. If ist is going to be just the timbale bell and not the bongo cowbell will depend.

How do you go about switching....In the studio, while recording, you are allowed to play the bongo up to the last bar before going into "campana". (In actuality, the recording is stopped and/or you are allowed to do what it follows and possibly you will be allowed to "clean" and cover with bongo that "prep" time that you are playing the bongos to actually have the campana ready or any beats you mised of not playing the campana before you were switching....Live situations??? See below).

Sometimes the campana is recorded in another track and not the bongo track. In live situations, you have to know your timing when to stop to play the bongos and get that "campana" or cowbell and start playing. For some arrangements is easier for some it is not...Again, depends your counting of bars and/or what you are told to do by the director. Is just getting used to. (In my experience, I wait until the last bar, and because normally the bongo player needs to stand up to play the campana, I practically leave a bar to have that "campana" in that 1 to go strong)!

When you switch back, you have the situation but viceversa but need to get quicker sometimes to get back to bongo because normally you are supposed to play the campana until the very last beat before you switch to the bongo. (Again, the delay should not be more than a bar or bar and a half In silence while you are seating again and getting the bongos again).

I hope this helps! If any more questions...let us know.

Saludos!

[onile]

Alafia Raymond!
I hope that you are well and in an abundance of blessings!

I read your post and it called my attention to the section you wrote regarding arrangements/arreglos!
I have been gigging for eons now, como va el dicho......mas viejo que ayel, mas joven que manana! I was taught over the many years by severl congueros, but mainly an uncle of mine. Soy boricua, pero fui nacido en Arizona. I guess one of the things I never took advantage of was being taught to read music!

I get the impression that you are a percussionist with reading skills on top of playing skills. If so, are there particular exercises that I can do to help me to learn? I have also been playing for more than 30 years, but I've been getting by based on "sentido". Don't get me wrong, I'm good, but I could be better if I could sharpen my other skills!

Respeto!

Ache!

[Raymond]

Onile,

Not a great reader! I know my basics to get by and understand. To learn to read music??? Ummm...There are various resources in the internet to help you out. Just check in your browser. (That is how I got started)!

However, the best is a teacher! For this you have long and short approaches....The long one????? Learning the whole music theory (solfeo)....The short one????? Having someboby teach you how to read percussion notes direct to the point...(Learned the second way after trying the first method and being bored to death).

Is never too late to learn and you should never stop learning! Saludos (desde Puerto Rico).



Edited By Raymond on 1126606196

[onile]

Vaya Boricua!
Espero que todo este bien contigo y que te encuentres en muchas bendiciones!

El consejo es bien recibido! "you're never too old to learn" I will take to heart and get started! La cosa es que por 'aca los maestros de percussion son muy pocos, pero los que hay son egoisticos. Tratare buscar en el internet como suggestionaste!

Suerte!

Mil gracias!

Tony

[zaragemca]

Greeting Onille,I do understand your feeling in relation to teachers,becouse the root of afrocuban percussion,( since the time of the Guaguanco and Comparsas),always have been competitive,but now there are more resources to learn than before,I couldn't complaint,I was blessed,but it have been hard for others. Dr. Zaragemca



Edited By zaragemca on 1127075601

[onile]

Ashe! My brother, Ashe!
I've been playing now for over 30 years and have done well for this not being my primary source of income. The fact of the matter though is that in order to attain the true level one pursues, it's a necessary skill to be able to read. I'm working on it though!

Many blessings!

Tony

[Raymond]

Onile,

Check by putting in your browser, just like this with quotes and everything, "reading music". When I started I got a lot of good places that they teach you the basics. (Don't know if there is a software, with CD, etc, that could help you but is a start). One thing....most latin music is written in syncopation...that gets tough because the resources in the net are not syncopated....A good book, with the help of the teacher, is the "bible" Ted Reed's Syncopation..(You start with regular notation and he works you out into syncopated...Some things you will need a teacher or somebody to tell you how it sound...By the way, this is an old book or pamphlet there are no CDs...Nevertheless is the book for percussionists who want to learn to read..)

Hard time finding a teacher???? It sound like the "old kung fu" movies about master been "snob" about their art...It should not be that way...however, there are some people who do not like and/or don't have the patience to teach...

Keep it up...that is the attitude...I did that...after years of playing, I went for the reading...Have to admit...I got lazy and have not kept it but I have the basics and is just a matter of me going at it..(if time and gigs allowed me to)...

Saludos!

[onile]

Ashe Mi Hermano!
Gracias por el apollo! It's greatly appreciated! I will conduct the search you advised and continue my learning! This is such an incredible forum, to be able to reach out to brother drummers throughout the world, especialmente en Borinquen! Espero llegar algunos de'stos dias! Hace mas de 10 anos que no voy!

La bendicion mi hermano!
Tony

[onile]

Alafia Raymond!
Espero que este bien y en muchas bendiciones!

I found a really cool site for learning, http://datadragon.com/education/reading/shaping.shtml,
Thanks for the advise!

Many blessings!
Tony

[franc]

onile,
espero que todo este muy bien para ti y fam. i started learning music by myself, then when into school to go on learning. as you must know music is like learning math. they go hand by hand with the exception that in music uses time and speed. music has its' measure. notes have their values. ex.in music is divided in measures. in 4/4 a measure have four count and so on.it will take long to explain. see if you can enter http://www.david tulga.com ''counting musdic'' hope it will help you. also like raymond said . get the ''ted reed'' syncopation book. it is a great resource which most music school uses to teach. we use it in our school. hope this help some. my best and áche to you , mi pana!! franc

[onile]

Alafia Mi Pana Franc!
Espero que todo este bien contigo!
Thank you very much for the advice, I am trying little by little, to pick up reading techniques and every little bit helps!

I guess my problem is being able to look at music on a sheet of paper and have it make sense (being able to hear it from reading it). You're right, music has a lot in common with math. It's just that I look at a rythm written on a sheet of paper and it's difficult to read it, when the 16th and 32nd notes are written. Counting, counting counting, it's all about counting!


I will look for the Ted Reed book to help me in this effort, mil gracias mi pana!

La bendicion!
Onile



Edited By onile on 1129425162