Music from Brazil (Samba)

Learning Objectives

• To learn the names of traditional Samba instruments

• To learn the play the rhythmic patterns of Samba music

• Compose and perform own Samba piece as a group

Samba facts

• Q. What country is Samba music from?

Samba facts

• Q. What country is Samba music from?

• A. Brazil

Samba facts

• Q. What year was it ‘invented’?

Samba facts

• Q. What year was it ‘invented’?

• A. 1930 – a group of musicians led by Ismael Silva founded first Samba school; Deixa (‘day-shar’) Falcar

Samba facts

• Q. What 2 continents are involved in creating Samba music?

Samba facts

• Q. What 2 continents are involved in creating Samba music?

• A. Africa and South America – similar to Blues, slaves taken from Africa in 19th Century to Brazil

Samba facts

• Q. At which time of the year is Samba usually performed at carnivals and street parties?

Samba facts

• Q. At which time of the year is Samba usually performed at carnivals and street parties?

• A. Just before Lent (@January/February)

Samba facts

• Q. What word beginning with ‘P’ means ‘lots of different rhythms playing altogether’?

Samba facts

• Q. What word beginning with ‘P’ means ‘lots of different rhythms playing altogether’?

• A. ‘Polyrhythms’

Samba facts

• Q. What term, which is also used in African music, describes the act of one person performing and other people performing afterwards?

Samba facts

• Q. What term, which is also used in African music, describes the act of one person performing and other people performing afterwards?

• A. Call and response

Samba facts

• Q. What term beginning with ‘C’ describes the mixture of rhythms in 3 and rhythms of 4?

• A. C_ _ _ _ - r _ y _ _ _ _

Samba facts

• Q. What term beginning with ‘C’ describes the mixture of rhythms in 3 and rhythms of 4?

• A. Cross - rhythms

Samba facts

• Q. What key term beginning with ‘O’ means a repeating pattern or rhythm?

• A. O s _ _ _ _ t o

Samba facts

• Q. What key term beginning with ‘O’ means a repeating pattern or rhythm?

• A. Ostinato

Other facts

• Conductor – whistle and/or hand gestures

• Rhythmic ‘togetherness’ and teamwork – key ingredients!

Tamborim

Surdo(‘Sir-doo’)

Ganza

Agogo

Timbales

Reco-reco‘He-ko He-ko’Apito

Caixa (‘Kye-sha’)

Repinique(‘Hepini-kay’)

Samba performance

• We will be learning a simple class Samba and then you’ll get the chance to develop your own.

• We will be working with a shaker pattern and a drum pattern incorporating all the main elements of a Samba.

Samba performance

• When you develop your own Samba you may want to incorporate some of the rhythms on the next two slides and improve your POLYRHYTHMS and CROSS RHYTHMS.

Basic Samba rhythms

‘Low, Hi, Low, A-go-go’

‘Have you seen a dog, a great, big dog?’

‘Rhyth-m bo-nan-za’ x2

‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5….ba-na-na’

Advanced Samba rhythms

Structure to use

• Intro: call and response (“How are you?” “I’m fine” x2, “Yes?”, “Sure!” x2 and 7 beats)

• Main groove – all instruments• Break – 8 beat rhythm played twice• Main groove – all instruments• Break – 8 beat rhythm played twice• Main groove – all instruments• Mid-section – call and response section• Main groove – all instruments• Break – 8 beat rhythm played twice• End (same as the intro?)

Rhythms!

Each person will need a different rhythm for the main groove, break and mid-section

There isn’t as much improvisation in Samba as there is in African – remember your rhythms!

Have a balance of more straightforward and complicated rhythms – big drums can keep the beat going

Task!

Be aware there are 12 in a group – it’ll be rather loud….!

Make sure the start, bit between sections and the ending are smooth and well-rehearsed

Make sure both groups have a share of the different timbres/sounds of instruments

Any questions?

Task!

Go!!!!

Task!

How many instruments can you remember…?

Try to memorise as many as possible in 30 seconds

Ready…?

Go!

Tamborim

Surdo

Ganza

Agogo

Timbales

Reco-recoWhistleCaixa

Repinique

Name the instruments!

Surdo

Name the instruments!

Tamborim

Name the instruments!

Agogo

Name the instruments!

Caixa

Name the instruments!

Ganza

Name the instruments!

Timbales

Name the instruments!

Repinique

Name the instruments!

Apito

Homework!

Create a Samba band flyer/poster

Imagine a Samba band is coming to Farnborough Hill to perform

Information to include: a date/time/place for the concert, limited information on the origins of Samba, instruments, pictures and why people should come to listen!