6 8 Afro Cuban "Bembe" (1of2) - Beyond the Beat

[RCRhythm]

"Cass-Kair-Eh."

Just playin', man lol.

;)

[PurpleSn00zer]

So its almost like the right hand sticking of a double paradiddle just an extra right at the end

[ClaytonSkinner]

@PurpleSn00zer That's a pretty good way to look at it.

[lilo0505]

יפה מאוד 

[Seafroggys]

When I first learned this, I played it in the 3/4 feel as written. But that next lesson, my teacher told me the feel is actually in "4" and it would follow the dotted quarter notes. So while I was technically playing the music, it didn't have the right feel. So I went over it again in a more triplet based 4/4 feel and figured it out, although I kinda forgot about it for years until I recently revisted it (and posted a video).

[ClaytonSkinner]

@Seafroggys It definitely makes more sense to write it using 12 8 or triplets. It's just counting it that way is a pain in the ass. At least for me anyways.

[kato0291]

I've been studying the bembé pattern a lot recently, and I find that, for me, it makes a lot more sense to count it in 4, not 6, producing a feel not unlike a 12/8 shuffle with subdivisions of 4. The beats fall on the notes you end up playing on the hats, which, as I've been told, is more authentic. The feel in traditional Afro-Cuban grooves ends up being more polyrhythmic and rich as a result.

It also makes it a bit easier later on when adding more left hand action.

Great vid tho!

[ClaytonSkinner]

@kato0291 I included examples of some of the patterns written in the 12/8 pattern on the PDF. I personally find counting in 6 to be a bit easier so I included both because everybody's different. I probably should have gone through the 4/4 method with a little more detail.

[PositivelyBored]

@ClaytonSkinner

youtube  /watch?v=kP4qr3HBg5Q&feature=r­elated

check it out.

[peanutpeanut123]

@kato0291 I would totally agree. To count 1 2 3 4 and/or trip-a-let trip-a-let trip-a-let trip-a-let, makes me feel the groove a whole lot more. Plus it clears up the hat pattern easily, why concentrate on putting it on the 1 and 4 of each bar, when you can play it, and feel it it quite naturally on the beat ie on the 1 2 3 4. Once the ride pattern is comfortable this goes together rather simply