Well not really! I was asked by a few of my coworkers to join them in playing at out Hispanic Heritage Assembly this coming Thursday. There are only 2 chords in the song (B & F# with capo on 2nd fret.). There are 2 guitars, conga drums, trumpet, drums, bass, & a singer. It's a traditional hispanic song (the name escapes me?). I was asked last Friday to join...but here is the problem: The other guitarist doesn't know how to EXPLAIN music (ie. theory) but has been playing since a kid. The trumpet player is our music teacher but doesn't really know guitar (yet his family members play guitar). The other guitarist plays in a Dominican-style band and he doesn't use a pick...He rocks his thumb and fingers back and forth which I have seen done before. I don't have enough time to learn a new style of strumming so I created what I thought (and what the other guitarist said sounded like) a pick version of the same pattern. But today he and the music teacher told me my rhythm was not corect (my tempo is perfect but wrong rhythm). However the guitarist can't explain what I am doing wrong...he just say the rhythm goes Ba da dada...something like that with more to it. The music teacher said I am playing all 8th notes but when I asked him if I should add a 16th or whatever HE couldn't figure out what it was! This frustrated the heck out of me because I practiced the rhythm the guitarist told me was fine all this week but today it wouldn't work. Everyone at work is expecting me to play in this concert but I don't know if I can learn the song on time. There isn't even any tab or measure count that I can go by. I was just WINGING it the whole time (this was my first practice with the band) which honestly I thought I did pretty darn good considering I had no music and the wrong rhythm to work with! The 2 drummers said I did AWESOME and wouldn't change what I was doing. I was actually watching the other guitarist so I knew whan to change chords which I KNOW is a BAD habit because it makes me a second late with the chord changes. But I didn't know what else to do.
The beginning part of THIS recording I did for the effects thread is the rhythm I THOUGHT was correct (I improvised the rest for a song I want to write...in the idea stage now). I think I should have some synchopation somewhere in the pattern but can't figure out where and HOW to include it. (The other guitarist didn't even know what synchopation was!
I don't mean to make these guys out to be bad people...They are WONDERUL people and are being very patient with my learning. But I really want to do this concert and make this work. I now understand why knowing theory is important. If anything else its a language for communicating musical thoughts to others. However that won't do me any good now! :cry: :cry:
Signed
Músico Frustrado de Rochester, Nueva York
Sounds like you're nine-tenths of the way there in learning the piece.
Could you call someone to find out the name of the song and look up a recording or YouTube version of the song to listen to and practice the rhythm over the weekend?
Good Luck!
Margaret
When my mind is free, you know a melody can move me
And when I'm feelin' blue, the guitar's comin' through to soothe me ~
tough situation when they cant explain it clearly.
first off...congrads.second I think you are accomplished enought to play with them.
now how to explain what I hear and what you should do???
they want a ba dada rythym.
your example was a ba dada da.
to my ear it sounded too folk style.
the third 'da' is the problem.
play the first ba, hold for a beat and play dada.
actually I would sweep the first strum...that would lengthen it. then come back with two strums.
it isnt as robotic as I am making it sound.
more blended.
man, this is hard explaining.
the second part of your clip sounds great. a good feel to it.
sorta put that into the first part and it wont sound so typical folk guitar.
sorry if this isnt making sense.
I talk with my hands.
ok here is an edit. you beat count is ok. so forget a bit about what I wrote.
here is a link that ,in my mind, captures the feel you are looking for..and your band mates too.
the lady is playing a ukelele, and a killer job too, bot pay attention to the two rythym players on each side of her.
that is the feel Im talking about.
hope the link works:
Have you got time to get a recording of them playing it?
Is it possible they are playing a 3/4 and your trying to make a 4/4 go with it?
Thanks dogbite for your reply...however like I mentioned the Ba dada is only PART of what they want...I really don't remember how he actually wants the rhythm to be. It is VERY close to what I had played in my recording but the music teacher told me not to play straight 8th notes in all of it. The rhythm is a common hispanic rhythm played in latin music similar to my recording. I know there HAS to be some sycopation in there (some sort of palm mute or something) to give a quick percussive effect to break up the "folk rhythm" as you called it.
margaret,
There isn't anyone I can call. I really don't hang out with anyone (probably why I am not in a band...or married for that matter!).
Thanks
Well, my computer speakers were not working so I didn't hear anything. All I can say is to just do what you've been doing. If you feel you're doing OK with the song then just stick with it. Sometimes it's good to have a different rhythm than the other guitar players (and others) are playing.
"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."
If they can't explain it, can either of them tap or clap out the rhythm they'd like you to use? You can then record it (or even tap it out onto your drum machine) and then use that to practice with. Just a thought and hopefully not too stupid a suggestion...
Peace
Thanks for the advice guys but I won't see them until Monday at work and I want to get SOMETHING close to the original rhythm. I think I might have it here. Let me know if I got rid of the straight 8th (I believe I did) and if it sounds more latin/hispanic? Also, my pick keep hitting the body of the guitar which can be heard in the recording. I am assuming that with the full band playing it won't be heard that much correct?
Thanks
Mike
That clip sounded good, with a Spanish or Latin feel.
You say the guitar player said, Ba da dada?
That sounds like a 3/4 beat to me. So you would cound 1, 2, 3 and, with probably a little accent on beat 1.
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
/ / / / / / / / / / / /
d d d u d d d u d d d u
* * *
* = put accent on strum
That's just a guess, hard to know without hearing the song.
Go get a recording tomorrow and post back.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Mike,
It's hard to say if it's exactly what they want without hearing what they are aiming for, but I think what you've got is achieving what you've described--a Spanish feel with syncopation.
Margaret
When my mind is free, you know a melody can move me
And when I'm feelin' blue, the guitar's comin' through to soothe me ~
Mike
That clip sounded good, with a Spanish or Latin feel.
You say the guitar player said, Ba da dada?
That sounds like a 3/4 beat to me. So you would cound 1, 2, 3 and, with probably a little accent on beat 1.
1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 1 & 2 & 3 &
/ / / / / / / / / / / /
d d d u d d d u d d d u
* * *
* = put accent on strum
Come to think of it Wes when the trumpet player counted us in he went 1-2-123and which IS 3/4 time correct?
Mike
That's what I get from Ba da dada. But that strum doesn't sound very latin.
Call the guy and tape it off the phone.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Mike
That's what I get from Ba da dada. But that strum doesn't sound very latin.
Call the guy and tape it off the phone.
Like I said WesI won't see them until Monday and the concert is Thursday...it will be VERY close...Plus the Ba da dada I should remove from this post. Everyone seems to think that is EXACTLY what I am looking for but like I mentioned in the original post...there is MORE to it than that.
Thanks
Mike
The trumpet guy could be describing this;
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
/ / / / / / / / / / / /
d d d u d u d d d u d u
* * * * * * * *
This sounds more latin than that first strum I showed.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
