Sergio Krakowski-Pandeirista

[Diceman]

Just want to say thanks to Congastu, for the tip off that Sergio was doing a workshop while passing through London.
Still a student in Brasil (doing a PhD) he has the most amazing technique on pandeiro which he developed himself and passed on during the day.
Great player and communicator, I havent put my pandeiro down since.
Check him out..... Not sure how to do this
Sergio Krakowski
Thanks man
Diceman

[Berimbau]

Hey Diceman!
I quess the biggest secret to the new type of pandeiro techniques employed by players such as Sergio and Marcos Sussana is that the holding hand does far more work than is usual. You really have to constantly be turning the pandeiro to get the jingle clatter to form a "ride" pattern. This frees the percussing hand to become independent of the ride pattern and thus able to embellesh it or to place offbeat accents without disturbing the basic groove.
Although much of this new pandeiro style was derived from rock, pop, and hip hop drumset patterns, some of it also stems from older Nordestino traditions, especially those from Pernambuco State. Still another source is Indian music, some rhythmic concepts being employed by Sussana, who also plays tabla. All in all these new pandeiro techniques are quite the post modern phenomenology.



Saludos,



Berimbau

[Diceman]

Berimbau,

Thanks for history, it is good to know where the roots are.
The holding hand technique, as you say, is the basis and much less work is needed from the 'hammer' hand as the platinela ostinato is dealt with by the holding hand.
Sounds easy, but a real challenge to unlearn old traditional techniques, but then I love challenges!!
Do you play yourself-what a complete instrument.

Diceman

BTW I am kind of missing your 'tourettes' comments now the spammers have been sent to hell

[Berimbau]

Hey Diceman!
Yeah I have been playing pandeiro since the early 1970's. I was fortunate enough to study with first with Airto, then with Glen Velez, and Erastao Vasconcelos (Nana's brother). Later on during my fieldwork years, a whole panolopy of lesser known, but nonetheless stellar tambourinists.
Yes, to master Susana's techniques you have to first "unlearn" a lot of muscle memory used for traditional samba. Samba occupies it's own set of parameters, and to get out of that particular paradigmatic approach, try mixing in some odd time material with your practice routines. Start with a 5/8 or 7/8 samba. Also try using some double strokes with your finger tips. This wasn't too difficult for me as I had already studied Airto's sort of non-traditional technique that doesn't employ the heel of the hand. Airto only uses his finger tips and thumb to play the basic samba "ride" pattern. He also turns the drum a lot with his left hand which my studies with Glen Velez also reinforced.
Do you play any drum set, Dice? A lot of Sussana's concepts come right from Stewart Copeland! Well before I discovered Brasilian music, I played drum set and admired any number of Jazz and Rock drummers. Over the years I unconsciously extrapolated much of my drum set skills and experience to use in my Brasilian pandeiro performance. It just sounded good and made sense while playing in non-Brasilian popular music contexts. Today I will incorporate a lot of what N Scott Robinson has dubbed "unified technique." That is, I mix and match some "thumb over" or "European grip" techniques more normally associated with other cultural contexts like African-American Gospel tambourine or the Spanish Panderetta. My playing is now completely "contaminated," as Nana would have it!!!!
My later studies of the more traditional Pernambuco pandeiro with some really great pandeiristas in Recife and Olinda further unlocked my playing completely. You have to develop a lot of independance to play Coco, Maracatu, Ciranda, Embolada, Cavalho Marina, etc. I think that
Now here's a Brasilian ex-patriate living in London with a nice video on traditional pandeiro approachs that are quite nice for chops building:

TITLE The Brazilian Pandeiro
SUBTITLE www.bridgesto.com
AUTHOR Jorge Cortesao
PUBLISHER Bridges to Productions, 57A temple road, London NW2 6PN UK
cortesao@cortesao.fsnet.com http://www.bridgesto.com
As to the spammers....well they're gone for now and not even Dr. Z irriates me that much....now if you really want to piss me off, we could always talk about Bush.



Saludos,



Berimbau

[tamboricua]

I quess the biggest secret to the new type of pandeiro techniques employed by players such as Sergio and Marcos Sussana is that the holding hand does far more work than is usual.

Another new technique modern pandeiristas are employing this days (at least for me) is getting bass tones by using the fingers instead of the regular thumb bass stroke. Did Sergio went over this?

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

[Berimbau]

Hey Tambouricua!
Sussana uses this technique and it is derived from the main stroke used on the baya drum in Indian tabla drumming. The hunched fingers attack the vellum backwards going towards the player in a fast cobraesque strike that allows the skin to reverberate in the bass register.
I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Sergio does much the same. Any comments, Diceman?


Saludos,



Berimbau

[tamboricua]

Hey Tambouricua!
Sussana uses this technique and it is derived from the main stroke used on the baya drum in Indian tabla drumming.

So that's where is coming from?

It certainly does open a lot of new possibilities on the instrument.

Beri, it's Marcos Suzano.

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

[Berimbau]

Thanks for the corection Jorge! My wife tells me I have to use spellcheck, but I rarely do as SO many of my posts show!!!!!!



Saludos,


Berimbau

[congastu]

yo diceman,

Glad you enjoyed the workshop! Im off to the one in manchester tomorrow with tilo [you might know him, amazing german drummer, spent several years in london with Sam Alexanders maracatu band amongst others, and a top fella]

we are both expecting to unlearn a whole heap of stuff!! perhaps luckily, my holding hand has no muscle memory in it to start off with!!

will report back soon, stu

[Diceman]

Congastu,

Enjoy yourself, and thank again, mate.

Tamborica,

Sergio's technique differs from traditional technique inasmuch as he turns the pandeiro constantly with the holding hand to give platinela sixteenths, and plays equal open tones, closed tones and slaps with thumb or fingers. This means you should be able to play same sounds on the on-beat and the off-beat. This opens up a shedload of rhythmic possibilities.
Incidentally, Berimbau, he pushes his finger up and away from the body to get the open, and in fact tapes up his fingers to stop the finger nails and pads from separating.
The other difference is that choked sounds are not played by placing the holding hand finger on the underside of the skin, but by hitting the skin in a different part of the head ie the middle. The thumb of the holding hand is used for changing the pitch of the skin for melodic open tones.

Berimbau,
It was you who mentioned the spawn of Bielzebub, not me!!!

Best
Diceman

[Diceman]

Berimbau,

Small world, man, I know Jorge Cortesao very well, he is my neighbour!!

Diceman

[Berimbau]

Hey Diceman!
Well then all my best to your neighbor Jorge Cortesao, who's video I enjoy much! Thanks also for the clarification regarding Sergio's thumb technique. When I was last in Brazil some six years ago no one I iknew was using this technique in Bahia or Recife, now I underestand it has spread very rapidly throughout Brasil!
All of my information on the new Suzano method comes from one of his workshops Layne Redmond videotaped, Scott Feiner's site, and Jonathon Gregory's book. Up till now I haven't met Suzano but would love to take a lesson with him! Please keep us posted on your pandeiro studies.



Saludos,



Berimbau

[tamboricua]

In as much as he turns the pandeiro constantly with the holding hand to give platinela sixteenths.

Diceman,

Would you please elaborate on this constant sixteenths note patterns holding hand motion?

I had seen couple of different approaches to it. Mostly up and downs as Airto does. Forward and back motions, and turning sideways as you described.

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

[Diceman]

Tamboricua,

The holding hand grips the pandeiro as usual but with all fingers. If you hold it horizontal and then start to twist your wrist so coming towards you stop at about 45 degrees, then twist it back to horizontal= 2x16ths.
Speed up this motion so you get a regular quiet chick, chick from the platinelas. If you hold your other hand, without moving it, above it so it touches the upper and lower rim, you get a better, more definite ''chick'' sound.
That mon ami is the 'constant sixteenths note patterns holding hand motion'
It feels difficult at first, but leaves the other hand to play the melody.

Hope that helps

Diceman

[tamboricua]

Tamboricua,

The holding hand grips the pandeiro as usual but with all fingers. If you hold it horizontal and then start to twist your wrist so coming towards you stop at about 45 degrees, then twist it back to horizontal= 2x16ths.
Speed up this motion so you get a regular quiet chick, chick from the platinelas. If you hold your other hand, without moving it, above it so it touches the upper and lower rim, you get a better, more definite ''chick'' sound.
That mon ami is the 'constant sixteenths note patterns holding hand motion'
It feels difficult at first, but leaves the other hand to play the melody.

Hope that helps

Diceman

Diceman,

I'll work it out!

Thanks,

Jorge Ginorio