Rhythm Part 2

Rhythm Part 2

Welcome Back to my articles on Rhythm. As a quick reminder to you, the main function of this group of articles is to look at the problem facing many musicians of modern electronic keyboard instruments, when to use a background RHYTHM.

Let's bring logic in here.

If you are set up with a nice Flute or Tibia setting and are about to play "The Lord's My Shepherd," you are generally looking for the slow smooth flow of the music, generating a feeling of peace. Now, in most cases that is right, but DO NOT be frightened to experiment. Hymns can be looked at as religious Folk-Songs. Many Folk-Songs are great to a background rhythm, and before any of you think I am anti-religious, I love singing hymns, attend church, have played the organ in church before now, and ran services.

Perhaps we should look at that favourite, "The Christmas Carol."

Now I have mentioned this one already in my article on Mood, My Dad bought an LP record at Christmas, in the late 1960's called "Tijuana Christmas" by the Torero Band. It was brilliant, containing fast moving Christmas Carols with good Latin style rhythms, plenty of trumpets, marimbas and tubular bells. It was so good, that Granada Television in England, used it as the background music for their Christmas TV Program adverts. I still love it after all these years. A classic piece off this, is a real goody "Good King Wenceslas". It is played around a real Latin Swing rhythm, and sounds fantastic. I have attched it to this article and when you listen to it, it gives you that get up and go feeling, and yet you can still sing to that, Dah-Da Da Dah-Dah Dah-Dah-Dah-Dah-Dah, Dah-da, Dah-Da, Dah-Dah. And you will enjoy it. After all, isn't enjoying music what it is all about?

Also remember that once you start playing with an automatic rhythm, it does not mean that you are stuck with it. For example, on my video clip of "Frosty The Snowman" which is on my You Tube Channel, and on this Organ Blog, you will see me apply a subtle rhythm change part way through, to the Swing rhythm that I am playing with and some Fill-ins to allow registration alterations. In this particular case, it allows me to change the dynamics of the playing style, otherwise, in a long piece of music after three or four verses, you can sound boring and repetitive to yourself, as well as those listening.

The subject of Rhythm will be continued again on my next article, because once you get the hang of it, you will gain confidence in yourself.

Finally, do you have to have the Background Rhythm all through the piece of music?

The simple answer is NO.

I often play the piece of music "How Soon" and start with no accompanying background rhythm, playing it in a easy moving Slow-Foxtrot style, then after the first verse, I bring in a Rhumba rhythm with its delays and pauses, and as if by magic the feeling of the piece has changed.

NOW JUST BEFORE YOU THINK THAT EVERYTHING I DO IS WRITTEN IN STONE.

I also do the same piece "How Soon", starting with no background rhythm, in an easy moving Slow-Foxtrot style and then after the first verse, bring in a Swing rhythm, which gives a more aggressive style to the piece, and just to really blow your minds, I often START it in a Rhumba Rhythm, and then bring in that aggressive Swing rhythm. That is the beauty of the Electronic Organ, and other multi-voiced instrument

Bye for now, see you soon

Robin

Rhythm Part 1

Rhythm Part 1

That age old problem facing many musicians of modern electronic keyboard instruments (and note that I am including Digital Pianos and Keyboards here) is when to use a background RHYTHM.

I am lucky in that sense as I can always feel the natural rhythm in the music, and can play either way easily. Being a Ballroom and Latin American Dancer also helps. (That was how I met my Wife). The problem is that Automatic Rhythms can make life so easy, at least that was what I thought in the early days of playing a Thomas Organ with Color-Glo (Yes I spelt it the American way as that was how it was on the organ).

That wonderful Ta-Tat-Tat-Ta, Tat-Tat Ta ,Tat-Tat-Ta, taking you past the Tick-Tick-Tick-Tick of the trusty metronome was a real boost. Suddenly on the organ as you tried to do the basic, Pedal-Chord-Chord, Pedal-Chord-Chord. Pedal-Chord-Chord, on your Moon River Waltz, the music gained more depth and a certain richness, as the tempo was steadier. Fine you say, BUT, what happens when you want to stop the rhythm, or re-start the rhythm. You see that is where a live percussionist (Drummer for the uneducated!!!) is different, as he or she can slow down, pause stop, fill in, restart or just adapt to the mood of the music and the musician they are accompanying. Mind you as my son is a percussionist with a Ludwig Drum kit, that can raise a WHOLE LOT of other problems.

So, back to rhythm. Many people can tell the difference between a Waltz, with its 3 / 4 timing, that is a constant 1-2-3 fitted into every bar of music (A bar being 4 beats hence 3 / 4 time) and a simple 4 / 4 time such as a Swing. The problem is recognising the various other rhythms. The list is large and includes Rhumba, Tango, Samba, Bossanova, March, March Polka, Dixie, Ballad, Slow Foxtrot and Jazz Waltz, to name but a few. Now I have to say that, over the years, different organ manufacturers have tinkered with rhythms on their products and having played many different makes of organ in my younger days, I have my favourites. As far as my own organs went, on the Lowrey Citation Spinet, I loved the Mambo, and Go-Go (you could also mix the rhythms on this). On the Lowrey Coronation it was the March Polka and Waltz. On the Lowrey MX1 it was most of them, on my current Technics GX5 it is the Bossanova, March, Rhumba, Cha Cha. , Jazz Waltz, Swing and Tango.

My answer to your selection problem, is listen to an example of the music being performed by somebody else such as an orchestra or rock band, whilst having your eyes closed. Listen to the rhythm and musical movements, then while you are still thinking about the melody, place your rhythm section on and listen to all the variations of each rhythm pattern that is similar to your piece of music. Adjust the tempo (speed) as necessary to match the one in your head, then listen for the one that most matches your memories of the piece. Believe me, there is no easy answer.

As an example, I love playing the piece of music "You're The Only Good Thing That Happened To Me. I have the Jim Reeves version but I was lucky enough to meet that great Organist Steve Lowdell, and he plays is beautifully in a smooth Waltz style on his Cassette/CD "GEMS". Now the Waltz rhythm on my Technics GX5 is fine, but the accompaniment to the Waltz is nowhere near as good as on my old Yamaha HC4 (Which I have now donated to my son and his wife following their recent marriage.) Although the Waltz rhythm itself is thin, the flowing arpeggios of piano that go with it, compensate dramatically.

I will finish this now by saying that this subject of Rhythm will be continued on my next article and on my Organ Blog, and I hope that I have given you a few things to think about. Remember, ROME was not built in a day.

My Link for you today is from my You Tube site

It is I Love You Because featuring a Swing Rhythm

See you soon

Robin