Feelin' Alright

[Fignewton]

Hello,

I'm new to the Congas and am having a hard time. I come from a piano background and can read music, I love some of the patterns I've come across that have been written with notation. That's easy for me. Once I see it notated, I can learn it. I know this is probably ass backwards, but it works for me.

Does anyone know where I can find the Conga part for Joe Cocker's Feelin' Alright notated? I love the rhythm, I just can't hear it right yet.

Thanks.

p.s. if any pros could listen to it and pass along the notation, that would be amazing as well!

[Derbeno]

Yeah great tune, It is a fairly straight forward adaptation of the standard two drum Tumbao with hardly any variation through out.

Check out this clip, there are quite a few glimpses of the Conguero to allow you to piece it together

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWFXFoRG7Zo

btw As we are on the pop Conga theme, I also like the Conga sound on Jerry Rafferty's Bakerstreet

[No.2-1820]

Steely Dan - Do it again - Has a great conga line, kind of songo-ish to these ears. 'Rare Earth' are another favorite of mine.

Barrie

[burke]

Pretty sure "do it again" is a straight Marcha ... could be wrong but is sure sounds like good old HTSTHTOO to me.

[No.2-1820]

I play HT ST OO OO The last two opens on the tumba first two on the conga. Seems to be what they were doing. I'd better go give it another listen.

Barrie

[Light Seeker]

I play HT ST OO OO The last two opens on the tumba first two on the conga. Seems to be what they were doing. I'd better go give it another listen.

Barrie

It's pretty much that, only beat 1 is an open tone on the conga, and sometimes there are extra open tones, like 32nd notes. And this rhythm is improvised upon throughout the song. But yeah, that's about it.

[No.2-1820]

That's right of course, and is actually how I play it, I forgot that open tone on the one, don't know why I forgot that, it took a while to get it smooth, I started going
: right left right for the OT S at the beginning but now go left left right, it was moving the same hand forward for the touch after the open that took a bit of muscle memory training but it seems to make more sense now, I think because I'm not ending with 3 notes on the right hand. A fun song to unwind with after focusing on clave based rhythms.

Barrie

[JohnnyConga]

first that is not the way it was originally played or reccorded...chek out Woodstock to hear what the brother was playing...as far as what this guy is doing...it's all backwards to me...and he doesn't know much from what i can see....Johnny Conga

[Chupacabra]

While you're checking out Woodstock, don't pass up the blazing performance of Santana's "Soul Sacrifice"!

[Whopbamboom]

Speaking of Joe Cocker's "Feeling Alright", (at least on the LIVE version), the song opens with a nice little jam on congas... and I just love the sound of those drums! Can anybody take a good educated guess (by ear) at what those congas may have been? Someone with a good ear told me they thought possibly Skin on Skin's, but perhaps someone else here might give some additional insight?

[Whopbamboom]

Ooops... MY MISTAKE--- the CD that I have with Feeling Alright has some live stuff, but the Feeling Alright track is NOT live-- it is the original recording. But I'd still like to know what those congas were exactly.

The liner notes that I have simply say that the musician was Laudir (I don't know who that is) on tumba (and on maracas).

[Marcus]

going fishing here!

That conga pattern is moving really fast for me, but it sure is a nice little pattern. If someone could lay out the basics for me, your karmic payback would be immense. Seems like there is a bass tone on the tumba then a slap with a really fast heel toe and few open tones, but it is just too fast for me. Can not tell where the 1 is.

thank you, marcus

[Derbeno]

The one is a palm or base note so you won't hear it through all the music.

The two open tones will be on the 4+ respectively.
Use this to orientate your self if you cant pick out the one.
so:
1+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+

[JohnnyConga]

Laudir O'liviera is a Brasilian percussionist also played in the band Chicago and with Sergio Mendes...this is him today and he is still with Chicago...

laudir.jpg (25.65 KiB) Viewed 38538 times

[JohnnyConga]

Mongo Santamaria's version .... https://youtu.be/xyIjYxda9_Y