CHICO ARNEZ s ‘ M ULANO presents FULLY ILLUSTRATED bi, complete Questions & Answers HANK EDMONDS Chas. Colin ‘ { Ee Atk —— an f Si $10 00..QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS , BEGINNING WITH BONGOS Question wnat are Bongos? Auswer Te vongos are two small drums of different sizes attached to each other, YVYS SITTING POSITION Question How do you sit to hold the bongos? Answer ‘A good position for holding the bongos is on the front edge of the chair, with the ankles together, and with the knees apart, Question How are the bongos hy vy \ \ They are held between the knees, with the smaller drum on the left, ‘The drums should rest about four inches below the the kneecaps slanting downward at the front. Answer Copyright © 1959 by NEW SOUNDS IN MODERN MUSIC, 315 West 53rd Street New York 19, N.Y. International Copyright Secured Made in U. S.A. {All Rights Reservedee ‘ BASIC “RIGHT-HAND~ STOK E Question How is the right-hand stroke made? Answer The right-hand stroke is m ade by by i i forefinger hard on or near the edge of the smelt Prekeh with the tip and letting the finger bounce away, S*iking ANOTHER WAY______ Question : What other way can the right-hand stroke be made? ight~hand Answer Another way of making the right-hand stroke is by bouncing the third finger of the right hand off the small drum in the same manner. BEST SOUND Question How should the right-hand be held to produce the best sound? BOUNCE LIKE A BALL IKE “LOOSE WRIST” Answer The wrist should be loose and it should work Coa ahinge. The hand throws the fingertip at the 4° ‘ike a balls as if the fingertip were to be bounced |ALTERNATE INDEX & “3rd” FINGER Question aniig™ 40 you alternate the index and third fingers of the right Andwer You alternate the fingers of the right hand by striking first with the INDEX FINGER, then with the THIRD FINGER, RIGHT HAND _ :) FINGER \ 3RD FINGER THE BONGO SHOULD NOT BE STRUCK TWICE IN SUCESSION BY THE SAME FINGER! 60065 |; DOWNBEAT See IF UPBEAT ALTERNATE DRUMS ALTERNATE. FINGERING {| small drum large drum “upper note” “lower note” Question How do you alternate on the amall and large drum? f*™ STRIKE Grd ( FINGER smatt DRUM LARGE pRum / right hand tng the small dram then strike the large drama Answer Mice striking th oa ee Tingere a te wight Hees.<4” BEATS with RIGHT HAND SMALL DRUM 1st 3 BEATS Question How do you play four beats with the right hana? 1 sls Best 21nd B 3 23rd Beat 4s BEAT 4=4th Beat LARGE p UM Answer The small drum is struck on the first beat with the INDEX FINGER, on the second beat with the THIRD FINGER on the third beat with the INDEX FINGER. The large drum is struck on the fourth beat with the THIRD FINGER. “LEFT HAND” POSITION Question How do you form the left-hand position? Answer The INDEX FINGER remains raised while the small drum is struck by the THUMB, bouncing the thumb hard as in the right- hand technique. The thumb hits further into the center of the drum left index fi left hand “thumb” stroke Question iow ac you make the left-hand thumb stroke? Akbwer _rre outside of the THUMB (the side near the right hand) is bounced off the small drum, MAKE SURE THE LAST 3 FINGERS ARE RAISED: Make sure the SECOND FINGER remains high and out of the way. LEFT HAND SMALL BONGO NOTESLEFT HAND “LAST 3 FINGERS” Question How do you make the left-hand stroke with the last three fin- gers? Answer The LAST THREE FINGEES of the lft hand are bounced off the drums Make sure the thumb is raised, Make sure the second finger is also raised. RAISE THUMB =| SMALL BONGO THUMB STROKE & “3°FINGER STROKE Question How do you alternate the thumb stroke, and the stroke with the last three fingers? Answer When the THUMB strikes, the are aie he THOME Serie oe Re RR rand. J ihe FORE-FINGER remains raised throughout acting 2 8 pivot. CoN alternate fin gering RAISE LAST 3 FINGERS RAISE FOREFINGED“RIGHT”? & “LEFT” HANDS ONE BEAT How do you combine the right and left hands for one beat? Question When the RIGHT FORE-FINGER strikes the drum on be Answer the LEFT THUMB should be pressing down on the drum bea ces a good full tone. The LAST THREE FINGERS This produ : then strike the drum on the second eighth-note ofthe bea right forefinger strikes 1 ure tensions skin \ left thumb pr NU Two BEATS Question How do you combine the right and left hands for two beats? Answer Wher the RIGHT THIRD-FINGER strikes the drum on beat 2, the THREE LAST FINGERS of the left hand should be pressing down on the drum head. The LEFT THUMB then strikes ‘the drum on the second half of beat two. A left thom! a LiCOMBINING RIGHT & LEFT HAND FOURTH BEAT Question vow do you combine the right and left hands for beat four ? Answer The RIGHT THIRD FINGER strikes the large drum on the first half of the beat. The LEFT THUMB strikes the small drum on the second half of the beat. | ALER NATE STOKES of “BOTH HANDS” Question vow do you alternate the finger strokes of both hands ? Answer The SECOND FINGER of the right-hang plays the downbeat of the first beat on the small drum. The THUMB of the Left hand plays the up-beat of the first beat on the small drum. 4th Beat The THIRD FINGER of the right-hand plays the downbeat ‘of the second beat on the small drum. The LAST THREE of the left-hand play the up-beat of the second beat on the small drum, THIRD BEAT Play the 3rd beat the same way as the Ist beat, FOURTH BEAT Play the 4th beat the same way as the 2nd beat,Question How are all the stroker put together 7 Answer nile preceding strokes are ‘combined, with the fir str se Prcg agnin on the third beat, and the secsad teat stron Coming again on the fourth beat, beat ‘The right hand music should strike the large dr fourth beat. ® Snide he THE ROLL Question What isa ROLL? Answer A rol is. continuous unbroken sound made by the beating of the drum. ‘The roll can be played softly or loudly. Question How is the roll played? Answer one way of playing a roll is by striking the small bongo | a4 raridly a8 oossible with the left-hand and right-hand alternating [rokes, ‘This is called a one-stroke roll. Question How is a roll written? a Z Arswrer ‘A roll is indicated by this sign g above or below a note. It is called a tremolo sign. One-Sweke Rett oA + Question What fingers are used for the roll? disor finget The rightshand third finger and the left-hand third {8 sera itn han’ Ghevsame place, Cirst the right-hand th'r Gages then the left-hand third finger. This i= called * one- stroke rollTHE MARTILLO {Mahr-TEE-ye) Question What is the basic bongo beat? Answer The vasic bongo best is called the Martillo (Mahr-tee-yo). The word ‘*Martillo” is 2 Spanish word, It means to “ham- If you try to get the feeling of hitting with a hammer when you hit the bongos, you will get the feeling of a real bongo sound. Question How is the Martillo played? (Basle B (SEE ALL ILLUS1 RATIONS BELOW) Andwer wet ce by stein the drum on each downbeat Ux wairten Question How is the Martillo written? Answer The Martillo is written with eight elghth-notes in a four~ beat mensure, one to each down-beat and beat Question What is the most common way of playing the Martillo? Answer ‘The most common way of playing the Martillo is striking the first and third beats harder than the other beats are struck. =>> >> 0090 Question What isthe symbol over the fist and third beats? Answer This symbol >> is called an accent mark. MEANING OF ACCENTS Grestin What does the accent mark mean? Aaduver When you see this symbol > over anote, the symbol means that the drum is struck harder for that note. ><——_— 0000 112 Question Mow ‘x the Martitio played? he Martille is played with the thumb-stroke and three-fin- ger stroke of the left-hand 7 Ga left hand{). + Best “Ss \ Qed sear “2nd rs 3rd” FINGER STROKE right hand Ansiwer ‘Question — vow do the finger-strokes alternate in the Martilio? Ansiotr — The right fore-tinger strikes the small drum on the down- beat of the first beat, Dest und stites the salt dram on te ope —left hand ‘The right-hand third finger strikes on the down-beat of the second beat, and the left-hand last three fingers strike on the up-beat of the second beat. ‘The Light hand fors-tingex strikes again on the dewnbeat of © .. CAB ASHSEEES Ia Uae alos ae ne —right hand Nave \ we. ys Nig ‘The right hand third {inger strikes the large drum on the downbeat of the fourth beat and the left hand last three fingers strike on the up-beat of the fourth beat. —leftyw A THE RIM-SHOT Question —wratisarin-snotr pA Answer A rim-shot is the sharpe got with the hands. It is an ound that can be made on the bon- explosion” on the drum. GQuesthe —- OP-WHIEN drum Ut the slmothot oF Wexplonon” made best? Aesuer The rim-shot is made best on the amaller drum, The reason for this ig, at the smaller drum has the higher, sharper sound. Question How is the rim-shot made with the left-hand? dado ‘The rim-shot is made with the left hand by bringing the left- hand down as sharply as possible, The heel of the Left hand strik the kage and stops. The fingere of the Left-hand complete the Stroke by hitting the emall drum and b-uncing awa} > heel of the hand is the thick part of the palm of the band, next to the wrist, The beel of the hand ie directly below the Uttle finger. ‘The fingers of the left hand are curved together atiffly as if you were bolding « ball in your palm. Qeestion How ip the rim-ahot made with the right hand? Aansver The rhop-sbot In made withthe right-hand by bringing the ey anes Le epiy au poretbie to the stall o tlt TEM Gham “The heel of he ria She Grin and stops. ‘The fingers of the right hand are cupped stifly together a we yee eee lings ball inthe palm of the Fight band, ‘The fingers of the right hand complete the stroke by hitting the malt drum with a sharp anap and bouncing away, Wilby —m N« 4 BASIC BONGO BEATS Sam Ulano A series of exercises for developing the technique of the bongos: The code to remember is that all strokes that do not have a circle around them are played on the SMALL BONGO: the strokes with the circle around them are played on the LARGE BONGO: BASIC Nook: R LR LR L@u Notice in this series the circle is around the seventh count of the rhythm: you can also count the basic in the following fashion: Basic no, 1 can also be caunted as follows: BASIC No. RLRLRL®L RLRLRL@L 123456@8 1A2A3 A@A (The A stands for AND) BASIC No. 2: R LR LR L@® 12345 6@®@ Notice in basic no, 2 that the last two counts are on the LARGE DRUM, thus giving you three right hand strokes in a row, when you come back to repeat the rhythm, Remember also that you must repeat each rhythm over and over to create a rhythm sound, DON'T JUST PLAY EACH RHYTHM ONCE: Also keep steady count with an even sound going on from one count to the next: IN MUSIC NOTATION THIS EFFECT WILL LOOK LIKE THIS: BASIC No.2: RL R 1A2 Always remember that the large bongo should have a RINGING EFFECT plus play- ing a slight accent on the counts that are played on the LARGE BONGO: BASIC No. » Be R ‘BiB: 23 4 6 8 Here you see the numbers of | 5 7 are circled and thus meaning they are played on the large bongo: BASIC No. 4: The counts of no. 1, no, 3, no, 5, no, 7 are circled and are played on the large bongo, This would make all the RIGHT HAND STROKES on the large bon- go. The counts of 2, 4, 6, and 8 are not circled and they are played with the LEFT HAND ON THE SMALL BONGO. By playing a slight accent on all the strokes that are on the large bongo you get a good rhythm effect for CHA CHA: BASIC No. 4; B+Q: QB: 2 4 6 82 MEASURE PHRASES s Sam Ulano When playing rhythm for most of your LATIN AMERICAN styles of music it usually falls out ina TWO MEASURE PHRASE: Or two sets of the basics set together, The following is a chart of rhythms in sets of two; Each set of two measures should be repeated over and over, thus giving you a beat, By reading one set of two measure into the next set of two measures you will get the knack of going from one rhythm to the next and helping you build your control and flexibility over the bongos; The first secies of two measures will be based upon four basic bongo beats. EXERCISES APPLYING SIA\PLE BASICS: Nol: RLRLRL@L RLRLRL@® 123456@s8}123456@® No. 2: o. R a Oooo. yet In ongo Bes 23 4 6 8 2 4 6 8 No.3: @L RX L@LOO|@t ® -@-@Ou ee O2 3 +@6@O|Oz 3 +O6O8]] center: No.4: @LR ae RL a a RL Us index finger for @234@678 234@678 rk slow at firat befor w.5: @4@+O1O» Oe OLO: Met ceeciepn oats @2:04:0¢°O8 20 4 © 6 @8 || into rhythms for songs. no. 6: @L@u zr LOO @ Lx LR L®@L ||Counts as written under each set of beats; Repeat over and over: LR L@L®L ||do not play only one No.7; RLRLRL@L|® ®1® De not play only one 12345 6@8|@2 3 4 ®©6Q@ 8 || to both measures. No.8: @LURL@LRL ® L®L@L@E |}Phay « slight heavier accent on all counts that @234@e78 O2 O14 O6O8 |lare circtea: so change the countto lAZA3A4A: ‘and then try to apply them to records or songs that Remember that you can als Learn each set of basics first a you may like to sing while playing your bongos.GENERAL BONGO EXERCISES Sam Ulano @.e1@rxx\¢ @-@r@rei @rr.@t @+|: +|®@+@+@+@+ RL@LRL@L RL@uRL@Lt @uer -@t@:| @uRLRLRL RL@LRLRL RLRL@®@tiaRL RLRL@LRL RLRLRL@L ®@ULRLRLRL |@+ Ore +@e @ir@®LrRruext @rrr@reRt ®.@r:@xr xi @urRL.RL@L RLRL®@iL@xL RLRLRL@L RL@uRLRL @rrr@®@cweL =I RLRL@LRL @:®:@i.@t @®rr1t@r.@L RL@t@LrRxL RL@t@xeRL @uirRvRL@t @uRvrRL@Lt RL@LRL@L RL®Lt@r0exL ®.@r@rxt ®@ur.®B1.@t @ruxr@reRee ®:.®@+. Or @r @r@r@rxrL @r@rRxRLvext | RL@LRL@L ®:@1r@r@y R 1O+O1@+| RL®L@®LRL @r@rRLuexL —l ®@r@rRxwexL @uRURLRL ®@r 2 r@r@t @r@Or xv x1 |@r@+-@rexRe RL®LOtr@t- » 20 BASIC BONGO BEATS STICK EXERCISE FOR BONGO Sl yretuet ft > = = = rraorudtda . - > > >> > SSS iS \ rroyruraua > =, 7 ae18 20 BASIC BONGO BEATS con't.we oem Ny B- HARMONY - ARRANGING BOOKS AUN