A-Z of Rhythm -For Beginers

[bermudagold]

Well, here comes my contribution to this thread, a little bit of reggae education. I'm no professor but a dub mystic, feel free to correct me.

great post!....lots of people will find that informative...very generous of you.
I've dealt with lots of people who didn't understand the kick and snare on the same beat one drop style was synonymous with what their subconscious identification tells them something is reggae...they were implementing the other aspects without that and not liking the results
the kick/kick/snare of modern dancehall I've noticed creeping into more and more rnb and pop as its become perceived as imparting an island swing feel

[jancivil]

I apologize to the OP for the amount of arrogance you need to go through for your answers, I hope you find them...

I do learn a lot here but the egos are a problem and IT HURTS THE FORUM...look at how the rest of KvR looks at this forum...who is to blame for that...us who read the posts or those who post here frequently? I'm just saying...if it's getting a bad repo because of the fighting what good is this forum?.

as I said, there is groupthink that's grown over the years. Most of your 'contributions', if not all, to this particular board look like what you've done in this thread. You provide what, an assessment of a person that has offended you by thinking differently than you. What a giant waste of space. I don't think your assessment of things is very accurate. I have taken quite some time to show people exactly what the deal is, and I have taken the time to sort out things which muddy the waters. I have nothing to gain in terms of impressing someone. I do not believe KB Soundsmith has anything to gain either.

I'm not going to fall into the trap of discussing the person further than this, but you presenting as judge of the usefulness of this board is a particular expression of your own personal issues and it isn't a little arrogant. And ironic, as what you actually did was pick a fight.

[ras.s]

Well, here comes my contribution to this thread, a little bit of reggae education. I'm no professor but a dub mystic, feel free to correct me.

Are there some tutorials about the rhythmic piano/keyboard chords that are used in Reggae (and in which key they are)? And what synthesizer would you recommend for them?

I don't know if there are tutorials and if there are, I have no idea where they are. Years ago I did learn a lot by going through the MIDI files Messian Dread still provides on his site at http://messiandread.dubroom.org/index.htm

Some tips:

Piano and organ sounds are of the utmost importance. There's plenty of variety to choose from, I know you know, and both synthesized and sample-based recreations are just as good if they fit the mood of the tune. Pretty much any synthesizer will do, just adjust the release knob to extra-tight. A simple sine wave will get you far enough (if you really demand an example, I'll say de la mancha's subfreak).

Play inverted chords so you don't have to jump around the keyboard, follow the bassline, forget the key. Inverted chords in general sound often better because they aren't so easily distinguished as either minor or major, but situation is obviously important. Get a melodica (of the older Hohner-style). On guitar emphasize the high strings.

You can play either chuck or chuck-chuck. Experiment with it, I prefer a single chuck most of the time. And chords don't have to always go in pairs, also a good way to roll is to play three of one chord and then one of some other.


I won't go into transcribing any progressions and such, my methods are BRUTAL compared to the finesse of the folks here.


And Nielzie, nice video and good playing, too bad I can't even count up to tango.

[Tricky-Loops]

Well, here comes my contribution to this thread, a little bit of reggae education. I'm no professor but a dub mystic, feel free to correct me.

Are there some tutorials about the rhythmic piano/keyboard chords that are used in Reggae (and in which key they are)? And what synthesizer would you recommend for them?

I don't know if there are tutorials and if there are, I have no idea where they are. Years ago I did learn a lot by going through the MIDI files Messian Dread still provides on his site at http://messiandread.dubroom.org/index.htm

Some tips:

Piano and organ sounds are of the utmost importance. There's plenty of variety to choose from, I know you know, and both synthesized and sample-based recreations are just as good if they fit the mood of the tune. Pretty much any synthesizer will do, just adjust the release knob to extra-tight. A simple sine wave will get you far enough (if you really demand an example, I'll say de la mancha's subfreak).

Play inverted chords so you don't have to jump around the keyboard, follow the bassline, forget the key. Inverted chords in general sound often better because they aren't so easily distinguished as either minor or major, but situation is obviously important. Get a melodica (of the older Hohner-style). On guitar emphasize the high strings.

You can play either chuck or chuck-chuck. Experiment with it, I prefer a single chuck most of the time. And chords don't have to always go in pairs, also a good way to roll is to play three of one chord and then one of some other.

I won't go into transcribing any progressions and such, my methods are BRUTAL compared to the finesse of the folks here.

Thanks for the tips... To come back to rhythm, which percussion instruments are used in Reggae? For example Steel Drums, Bongos, Rain Sticks, Maracas? Because it's always nice to add some exotic percussion instruments beside Kicks, Snares, Claps, Toms and Hi-Hats...

[jancivil]

I kind of agree, but I think the point of this thread wasn't necessarily to leech from experience as such. More for folks to discuss how & what they do or don't do with regards to rhythm.

If we're going to close that discussion down every time, then there really isn't much point to this forum beyond product marketing/discussion and support. And while that wouldn't be useless, I think it would be a little sad.
neither will it harm them.

evidently nothing was closed down. I don't agree with your assessment of the impetus of the thread. I don't mind though, I said I didn't know to what extent people would provide and good luck.

In terms of actual information being *shared* the music theory board is quite rich, the opposite of your complaint. There is a reputation of contention which is not fictional, but at the moment this gets discussed and criticized particularly by people that function to share their opinion of what people do, that have an opinion of a person they want to share, and that haven't done anything really for anybody in this board. but they do find it amusing to do that.

The other subforums have fights about PRODUCTS, you know. But no problem.

[tapper mike]

Here's the thing about studying rhythm. In usage it is an embodiment of specific styles and instruments. In actual usage variance can occur even in the same measure of a song by the same performer on the same instrument (phrasing) To classify rhythm and rhythmic technique as "One size fits all" is to deny the role of rhythm. Rhythm is often the first thing we learn even before we pick up and instrument and yet studies in rhythm is a lifelong learning experience.

While concepts can be expressed in forum posts, notation studies and videos. They cannot be truly learned without practice and are often not fully realized without feedback from a reliable source.

Developing rhythmic approaches is a discipline requiring muscle memory and confidence amongst other things. If you do the same thing you've always done you'll always get what you always had. If you do nothing you'll get nothing in return.


A musicians greatest enemy can be himself/herself. Regardless of prior education formalized/informal or lack thereof. Blockage prevents them from attaining their potential and shields them from enjoying their accomplishments and redirects them from a path consistent with their persona. No you are not God. No, you can't play everything all the time everywhere. No one else is or can.

I'm reminded of Steve Allen - this one - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Allen

Steve Allen was at best mediocre in all of his talents and had many. I find his books, comedy and music camp and sophomoric at best. He couldn't do everything all the time. However, took great joy and pride doing them to the best of his abilities. Naysayers (like me) didn't stop him from making the most of his abilities and he has a large body of work to show for his efforts.


As a performer, musician and human being you are not responsible for what others think of you. You are only responsible for what you think of yourself. If you allow others perceptions to hinder you then it's you not them stopping you from attaining something it's you.

A word about attitude.
There is a big difference between "having to" and "wanting to"
Having to do something makes it a chore.
Wanting to do something makes it pleasurable.

You can change having to do anything to wanting to do it. That's about attitude. Walking into any project with a positive attitude has a greater potential for a positive outcome then walking into it with a negative attitude. You don't "have to" do anything except maybe suffer the consequences of your inaction. As soon as I click submit I'm off to study a new approach I'm developing. Not because I have to but because I want to.

[tomtoo]

Well, here comes my contribution to this thread, a little bit of reggae education. I'm no professor but a dub mystic, feel free to correct me........

Nice post !

[ras.s]

Thanks for the tips... To come back to rhythm, which percussion instruments are used in Reggae? For example Steel Drums, Bongos, Rain Sticks, Maracas? Because it's always nice to add some exotic percussion instruments beside Kicks, Snares, Claps, Toms and Hi-Hats...

A set of congas or bongos are important and they have their own ways of playing. There's also a drum called kette, which is between those in size and sound, but isn't really so prominent as it's rare outside of Jamaica and better suitable for Nyahbinghi music.

Cowbells, blocks, claves, tambourines and shakers (both the studio style and the huge one made out of a calabash) are sweet. Maracas is more often found in mento than reggae and steel drums is a calypso & soca thing - a xylophone will do that part nicely in reggae. I think I've never heard a reggae tune with a rain stick (or an ocean drum).

A lot of instruments can be brought to reggae music easily, like castanets, timbales, rototoms, various cajons or African drums like djembe, dun dun and sabar (I think they need to played in a section though) - it all depends on what is attempted to achieve.

Oh yea and a flexatone.

[Hink]

a kette looks like kind of instrument perfect for building yourself and they appear to be something one can build from scratch and personalize. Might be a nice project in the future which of course I will post in the diy forum here. We have some cool people posting in that forum making awesome stuff and willing to help without the strife...I never heard of one so thanks ras.s, I want to build one now

[Tricky-Loops]

a kette looks like kind of instrument perfect for building yourself and they appear to be something one can build from scratch and personalize. Might be a nice project in the future which of course I will post in the diy forum here. We have some cool people posting in that forum making awesome stuff and willing to help without the strife...I never heard of one so thanks ras.s, I want to build one now

If someone manages to build a DIY Cuica, please lemme know...because I LOVE Cuicas, they sound like a monkey...

[Hink]

a kette looks like kind of instrument perfect for building yourself and they appear to be something one can build from scratch and personalize. Might be a nice project in the future which of course I will post in the diy forum here. We have some cool people posting in that forum making awesome stuff and willing to help without the strife...I never heard of one so thanks ras.s, I want to build one now

If someone manages to build a DIY Cuica, please lemme know...because I LOVE Cuicas, they sound like a monkey...

quick hi-jack



more in the results of this search

looks like fun, never thought of it before

[Tricky-Loops]

If someone manages to build a DIY Cuica, please lemme know...because I LOVE Cuicas, they sound like a monkey...

quick hi-jack


more in the results of this search

looks like fun, never thought of it before

I think I have to head off to the next coffee shop...

[jancivil]

Dynamics, to be aware of the full range of sounds coming from the different pieces of the kit. The high hat is actually far more than 'hihat 1', 'pedal hihat' and 'open hihat'. Same thing with the snare and other cymbals.

The tone of the drums determines the approach to particulars. Rhythm considered entirely in the abstract will, after a point produce a kind of misconstruction. The very same 'velocity' and timing on this kit might not work so well on a different-enough kit.
Focusing on the hihat; the amount of closure and where you hit it and how hard gives a tremendous degree of variance.

The most recent thing I showed had a couple of people commenting on the swing, and the rhythm guitarist I've used specifically for reggae time specifically mentioned reggae. But the values were not swung at all, they were duple, straight up and down... it was a matter of accent and tone of the hihat that lent that feel or groove. "Feel" is involved with touch and tone. The experience of things actually vibrating, the physicality of it all, the cause and effect cannot be sussed in language, and creating the impression of it with sequencers is going to be effective according to how much of the experience, the for-real, you bring to it.

[tapper mike]

Reggae guitar can incorporate swing. Swing isn't always based on triplet values.

During a transitional period in jazz development when tempo's became faster jazz moved away from "bluesy" type shuffles in favor even quarter note values. Generally using Long-Short
or... Long - Short -Long -Long
It doesn't play on upbeats nor on subdivisions of the triplet.



The major difference in a straight ahead traditional reggae setting is that while jazz swing goes down on the down beat (1,2,3,4) a standard reggae rythum guitar picks down on the "and" or upbeat.

[ghettosynth]

I kind of agree, but I think the point of this thread wasn't necessarily to leech from experience as such. More for folks to discuss how & what they do or don't do with regards to rhythm.

Then that's a good thing to ask, but be specific. My gripe isn't so much about "getting paid" as it is about "exchange". The first post is a quote from wikipedia and a request for other people to do work. At least put in the time to formulate a good question or, at least, describe your situation and the kinds of things that you are interested in.