THE GREAT MYSTERY OF DRUMMING
It’s about the flow of Time, not just keeping the beat.
The Great Mystery of DrummingIt’s about the flow of Time, not just keeping the beat.
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THE GREAT MYSTERY OF DRUMMING
- Thread starter Analogous
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dvraghavan
Active Member
Having learnt Mridangam in my childhood, I can attest to how important time is. The complex "thirmanams" and "korvais" that my teacher created used to be fascinating for any mathematician. As if playing in "Chatusram" (4 beat) and "trisram"(3 beat) wasnt enough, he used to emphasise playing in "kandam" (5 beat) and "misram" (7 beat) Gati as well. Very fond memories.
Lovely topic
timing of any system is actually very apparent in this and when it all comes together music flows so well. when the timing is off, there is usually something odd about it..music somehow becomes more predictable in flow when it is all right.
Dave Brubeks time out- Take 5 is perhaps a standout out where drumming seems "different" in terms of tempo but still keeps in time and when timing is not in sync this music falls apart.
Have you heard this piece ? would love to hear your view on it from an indian percussion perspective
for reference
dvraghavan
Active Member
surfatwork
Well-Known Member
The key thing in drumming / percussion is to always remember that you are there to support. Not be a solo virtuoso. Restraint.
A showoff drummer is a liability.
The beat in the video above (take 5) is kandam, in south Indian naming. 1,2-1,2,3. Count of 5. The drummer is playing at double speed to give the whole performance the illusion of speed, while keeping it slow enough for the others
A showoff drummer is a liability.
The beat in the video above (take 5) is kandam, in south Indian naming. 1,2-1,2,3. Count of 5. The drummer is playing at double speed to give the whole performance the illusion of speed, while keeping it slow enough for the others
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This piece happens to be my favourite. Never understood why? In fact I wrote about Take five some time ago.
One of the biggest jazz singles of all time, "Take Five" by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, was recorded 65 years ago today. Brubeck's son is sharing his father's archive online.
Just one more anecdote about take 5 "Desmond is credited with composing “Take Five,” but Brubeck says the tune was a group project with Desmond providing two main ideas"
"the US State Department sent the group on a tour of Eurasian countries to give them a taste of American culture. Brubeck enjoyed the exposure to other musical forms and decided to do a whole album using some of the unusual rhythms he’d gotten to know on the trip. In addition, his drummer Joe Morello liked to play in 5/4, often ending shows with a drum solo using that time signature. (It’s not clear to me why Morello liked that rhythm so much.) Anyway, Morello kept asking Brubeck to compose something in 5/4, and finally another member of the group, saxophonist Paul Desmond, came up with a couple of themes that he thought would work. While Desmond is therefore usually given sole credit for the music, Brubeck himself was very clear about his own input:
“Paul came in with two themes unrelated, and I put it together as a tune and made a form out of it,” Brubeck says. “He came in with two themes. He didn’t know which was the first or the second. He didn’t know they’d fit together. Dopa, depa, depa, dopa, lom, bom, bom, bom. That’s one theme. I’m the one that put them together and said, ‘We can make a tune out of this. . .
Fun fact: For the 45 RPM single sent out to radio stations as promotional material for the album, “Take Five” was featured on the A side even though even Desmond thought of it as a “throwaway.”
www.debisimons.com
"the US State Department sent the group on a tour of Eurasian countries to give them a taste of American culture. Brubeck enjoyed the exposure to other musical forms and decided to do a whole album using some of the unusual rhythms he’d gotten to know on the trip. In addition, his drummer Joe Morello liked to play in 5/4, often ending shows with a drum solo using that time signature. (It’s not clear to me why Morello liked that rhythm so much.) Anyway, Morello kept asking Brubeck to compose something in 5/4, and finally another member of the group, saxophonist Paul Desmond, came up with a couple of themes that he thought would work. While Desmond is therefore usually given sole credit for the music, Brubeck himself was very clear about his own input:
“Paul came in with two themes unrelated, and I put it together as a tune and made a form out of it,” Brubeck says. “He came in with two themes. He didn’t know which was the first or the second. He didn’t know they’d fit together. Dopa, depa, depa, dopa, lom, bom, bom, bom. That’s one theme. I’m the one that put them together and said, ‘We can make a tune out of this. . .
Fun fact: For the 45 RPM single sent out to radio stations as promotional material for the album, “Take Five” was featured on the A side even though even Desmond thought of it as a “throwaway.”
The greatness of Dave Brubeck's "Take Five"
Jazz has its superstars, and Dave Brubeck is one of them. I learned about the greatness of his "Take Five" in writing this post.
www.debisimons.com
arunkvivek
Well-Known Member
Wonderful article. I love the articulation. The words: "drummed in italics" got me to dig on my imagination to visualize how it would have been to listen to it.
I always look at Percussion as Differentiation and Melody as integration.
Percussion just seems to point how much space is there within time - to cram so many beats within a minute and still provide variety of patterns without breaking the flow. It is so potent that listening to percussion over 10 minutes give a satiation of full concert. The duel between Zakir Hussain and AK Palanivel in this video last for about 40 mins but if you listen to it fully, it feels like one has travelled in Rajdhani for 36 hours. Just overwhelming!
On the other hand melody seems to transcend time like it is nothing - to stretch the notes over time but still stay in tune. It is slow intoxication that kills a few hours like a few minutes.
I always look at Percussion as Differentiation and Melody as integration.
Percussion just seems to point how much space is there within time - to cram so many beats within a minute and still provide variety of patterns without breaking the flow. It is so potent that listening to percussion over 10 minutes give a satiation of full concert. The duel between Zakir Hussain and AK Palanivel in this video last for about 40 mins but if you listen to it fully, it feels like one has travelled in Rajdhani for 36 hours. Just overwhelming!
On the other hand melody seems to transcend time like it is nothing - to stretch the notes over time but still stay in tune. It is slow intoxication that kills a few hours like a few minutes.
Taufeeq Quereshi's shows are a master class in percussion. not just the hit but also the timing of the silence between them. If you listen to the Album Space released by times music in their Elements theme of music you get an idea of that
I was very fortunate to hear a live concert during College days when Zakir Hussain and taufiq did a session using drums and claps during Mood Indigo. Years later heard him at the percussion festival again and was mesmerized all over..
I was very fortunate to hear a live concert during College days when Zakir Hussain and taufiq did a session using drums and claps during Mood Indigo. Years later heard him at the percussion festival again and was mesmerized all over..
General_sound
Well-Known Member
Dave Brubeck “Take Five” is an iconic master piece. A favourite of mine, I do recommend a listen.
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