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ANGA MANIA!
MUSIC TRANSCRIPTIONS AND ANALYSIS BY VICTOR RENDÓN
EDITED BY DAN THRESS
PHOTOS © ROBERT MANN
1
2
3
4
5
bell: mouth area bell: neck area
Timbongoro o +
ANGA’S TUNING
D# F#
G# A#
C#
2
MARCHA WITH FIVE CONGAS
As stated by Anga, Niño Alfonso with Irakere was the first with Irakere, Niño’s style became a part of Anga. There
to incorporate five congas. When Anga started playing are five sounds that convert into a harmonic tumbao.
P O P S T P T O O P T S O O S O O O T S T P T O O P T S O O S O O
L R L R L L L R R L L R L L L R R L L R L L L R R L L R L L L R R
1 O T S T SS O T SS O T S S O T S O O S O O
01:50
L L R L RL R L RL R L R L R L R L L L R R
(T)
2 O T S T O O O O O O O O O S S O O S O O
02:18
L L R L R L R R L R R L R L R L L L R R
(S)
3 O T S T P T O oO (T) T S O O S O O
02:40
L L R L L L R rL R L R L L L R R
02:49
L L R L L L R L rL rL R R L L L R R
5 O T SS O T S SO T SSO T P T S O O S O O
03:18
L L RL R L RL R L L RL R L L R L L L R R
3
MARCHA—MELODIC VARIATIONS
1 O T S T P T O O P T S S O O O O
03:51
L L R L L L R R L L R R L R L R
(T)
O O O T S T T O T T S S O O O O
R L R L R L R L R L R R L R L R
2 O T S T P T O O P T S T O O O O
04:30
L L R L L L R R L L R R L R L R
ghost note
O O O (T) O T S O P T S T O O O O
R L R L R L R R L L R R L R L R
open slaps
3 3
3 O T S (T) S S S S S S T S S S S S S O O S O O
05:07
L L R L R L R L R L L R L R L R L L L L R R
4 O T S T P T S O T T S O O S O O
05:28
L L R L L L R L R L R L L L R R
4
16-bar melodic pattern
5 O T S T P T O O P T S O O S O O O O O O O O O
05:30
L L R L L L R R L L R L L L R R L R R R R L R
O T S T P T S O P T S (T) O O O O O O O O O O O
L L R L L L R R L L R R L R L R R L R R L L R
3 3
O T S T P T S O P T S (T) O O O O O O
L L R L L L R R L L R R L R L R R L
R R R L R R R R R R R R R
O O O (T) O T T S T O T O T
L R R R L R L R L R L R L
O P S T P T S sS T T S O O S O O
R L R L L L R rL R L R L L L R R
(P)
6 O T O PTS T T O PTS T T S O O S O O
06:10
L L R LL R R L R LL R R L R L L L R R
5
MARCHA—MELODIC VARIATIONS
7 O T O S SS OS S S O T S O T P S O O S O O
06:35
L L RL R L R L R L R L R L R L R L L L R R
O T O S SS OS S S O T (T) O T P S O O S O O
L L RL R L R L R L R R R L R L R L L L R R
O T O S SS OS S S O S O O T P S O O S O O
L L RL R L R L R L R R L L R L R L L L R R
3 3
O O (O) O O O S S O P T S O O S O O
L R R L R R L R R L L R L L L R R
8 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
O O O O O S O O T T T S P T S O O S O O O O O O O S O O P O
07:08
R R L L R L R R L R L R L L R L L L R R R R L L R L R R L R
3 3 3
P T S O O S O S O O O O O S O O P O P T S O O S O S
L L R L L L R R R R L L R L R R L R L L R L L L R R
3 3 3
O O O O O O O O P O P T S O O S O S
L L R R R L R R L R L L R L L L R R
6
APPLICATION OF MARCHA VARIATIONS WITH PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT
This is a demonstration of the basic tumbao or marcha basic ride with some of the variations played in the
on five congas in conjunction with the piano. The first previous section.
12 measures are transcribed which demonstrate the
0:07:34
L/R
O P S T P T S O P T S O O S O O P T S T P T B oO T T S (T) O T O S
R L R L L L R R L L R L L L R R L L R L L L R rL R L R R L L R R
O S S O O S S oO T T S O O S O O O S S O O S S oO T T S T O OS S O S S
L R L R R L R rL R L R L L L R R L R L R R L R rL R L R L R LRL R RL
O P S (T) P T B oO T T S T O T O T O O O S O S S oO T T S O O S O O
R L R L L L R rL R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R rL R L R L L L R R
etc.
7
GUAGUANCO VARIATIONS
Practice Suggestion: Learn the basic ride first with all
alternate sounds. This will make it easier when you
start looking at the variations.
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R R
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R
3 3
3 3 3 O O O P T B O T O S S B T O T
*
R R R R R R R R R R L L R R L R L R L L R L
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
M M M M M M O T O S S M M O T T S S B T T O T O S S O T T O T
R L R L R L R L R L R L L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
T S S B T T O T O S S O T T O T T S S B T T O T O S S B (T) T O T
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
(O O) (O O)
(S S) (S S)
T M M O (T) T O T O S S B (T) T O T T M M B (T) T O T O M M B T T O T
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
8 Basic Ride
GUAGUANCO—COUNTER MELODIES
Practice Suggestion: Learn the basic ride first with all
alternate sounds. This will make it easier when you
practice the variations.
10:50
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
2 T S S B (T) T O T O T T B T T M M M M B T T O T O S S B (T) T O T
11:03
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R R R R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
Ride variation
3 T S S B (T) T O T O S S O T T O T
11:17
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L L L R L R L R L R L R L
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L RL RLRLR L R L R L R L R L R L
6 T P S T T P O T O P S T T P S T
12:40
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
9
GUAGUANCO—COUNTER MELODIES
3
7 T S S B (T) T O T O P S S O O O O O O
13:10
R L R L R L R L R L R R L R R R R R L
8 O O O O T T T T O O O O * raise tone O O
with elbow
13:48
R R R R L R R L R L R R R R R
O O O S S B (T) T O T
L R R L R L R L R L
(O) alternate sound (O)
9 T S S B (T) T O T O M S M T M O M T M S M T M O M O M S M T M O M
14:15
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
SOLO ANALYSIS
A solo has three parts:
1 beginning
2 middle
3 end
10
TECHNIQUE EXERCISES
The first exercise comes from Changuito’s creation:
“la mano secreta.”
3 3
O OPTS O OPTS O
23:57
R RL LR R RL LR R
3 3 3 3
O P T O P T O P T O P T
36:11
R L L R L L R L L R L L
The 2nd exercise can then be combined with different Note: Do not use the heel or the outer edge of the
sounds such as an open and bass sound on Example 3. palm. It is always the whole palm followed by fingers.
Work up these exercises to a fast speed.
3 3 3 3
O P T B P T O P T B P T
27:20
R L L R L L R L L R L L
11
TECHNIQUE EXERCISES GUAGUANCO VARIATIONS
3-2 rumba clave
1 P T T P P T O T O T T B T T O T
31:17
R L R L R L R L R L R L R R L R
P S T B P T O T O T S B T T O T
L R L R L R R L R L R L R R L R
P S T B P T O T O T S B T T O T
L R L R L L R L R L R L R R L R
2 T M T M T M O M O M S M T M O M
31:36
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
1 P T P T P T P T
32:40
R R L L R R L L
S S S S S S S S
2 O O O O O O O O
R R L L R R L L
12
DJ GILB-R & ANGA IMPROVISATION
Setup: Four congas (eliminate the lowest drum),
timbongoros, bells, two bells with foot pedal.
Maintain the cowbell pattern with your feet throughout
each example (1st line played with right foot; 2nd line
played with left foot).
34:09
1 (P) T S T P T S O P T S O O S O
35:00
L L R L L L R R L L R L L L R
2 T S P T S O P T S O O S O
35:05
L R L L R R L L R L L L R
3 T S P S O oO S S O O S S
35:18
L R L L R rL L R L L L R
4 (P) T S T P T S O P T S O O S S O
35:25
L L R L L L R R L L R L L L R R 13
DJ GILB-R & ANGA IMPROVISATION
5 (P) T S T P T S O S S O O S O oO
35:40
L L R L L L R R L R L L L R rL
6 T S B T S O O S S O O S T O
35:44
L R L R L R L L R L L L R R
7 (P) T S T P T S oO S S O O S O T
35:47
L L R L L L R rL L R L L L R L
3 3 3 3
8 P T S T P T S O O O O O T O O B T T S
L L R L L L R R R L L R L R R L R L R
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
O O O O O T O O B T T S O O O O O T O O B T T S
R R L L R L R R L R L R R R L L R L R R L R L R
L L R L R L R R L R R L R R L R
In Example 9, play with a stick in right hand. Open This is the basic ride. Many variations can be created
tones with the right hand are also played with the stick. by playing on different surfaces.
14
DJ GILB-R & ANGA IMPROVISATION—COWBELL PATTERN IN TRIPLETS
Notice that Example 8 goes into a double-time in
triplets, maintaining the cowbell pattern with both feet.
3-2 rumba-clave
3 3 3 3
O O O O O T O O B T T S
R R L L R L R R L R L R
cowbells
right foot 3 3 3
left foot
T * ST ST T O T O O O O O O S O O
38:39
L R R L R L R R L R L R L R R
L R R L R R L R L L R L R L R R
15
MIXING STYLES—PILÓN + FUNK
o + + o + + o + + o + +
Timbales
P T S T P T B O O T S P O O O T
Congas
L L R L L L R R L L R L R L R R
2-3 clave
41:10
Drums
S O S S O O S O S S O S
Three Congas w/ cowbell
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
16
HOMENAJE A EMILIANO SALVADOR—UPTEMPO WITH FOUR-DRUM SETUP
In addition to the four drum setup, Anga continues the
bell pattern between his feet. The bells are mounted on
two separate bass drum pedals. 2-3 clave.
The first section of the piece is played with the hands that these examples are variations on the basic tumbao
on four congas until we get to Example 4 which is or marcha played at a fast speed. Reminder: maintain
played with a stick in the right hand. You will notice bell patterns with the feet. 2-3 clave
1 P T S T P T O O P T S O T T O O
41:57
L L R L L L R R L L R L R L R L
2 P T S T P T O O P T S O O S O O
L L R L L L R R L L R L L L R R
3 P T S O P T O O P T S O T T O O
42:14
L L R R L L R R L L R R R L R R
42:42
L L R L R L R R L R R L R R L R
17
HOMENAJE A EMILIANO SALVADOR—SECOND SECTION
This takes us into the second section of the tune which different surfaces where the cowbell is indicated (refer to
is a guaguanco derived pattern played with a stick in the the video for ideas). Be sure to maintain the bell pattern
right hand. Many variations can be played by playing with the feet when practicing these examples. 2-3 clave
1 P T O T O T O O O O T O T O O T T T
43:22
L L R L R L R R L R L R L R R L R R L R R L R
2 O O O O T O O T T T
L R L R L R R L R R L R R L R
18
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by VICTOR RENDÓN BOOK & CD
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ISBN: 0967309824
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This is the best explanation of African rhythms that I’ve Mohktar has given us many creative and original adaptations
heard. I really love the way Mokhtar breaks everything down of traditional African drumming styles. He presents the material
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The grooves just LEAP off the page! Mokhtar Samba's illustra - deep feeling in traditional African music. — ROYAL HARTIGAN
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Each groove is a dance and until you dance the patterns, they
may seem daunting. Dance first and read the notes after then As Mokhtar Samba explains in the introduction to this excel -
the grooves will explode. The first time you make that connec - lent book, there were no drumset players in African bands
tion it will feel incredible. — CHRIS PARKER as recently as fifteen years ago. But by now an African kit
tradition has been established, and Samba—who’s played
Finally, a book that includes North African rhythms. Thank with, among others, Youssou N’Dour and Jean-Luc Ponty—
you, Mokhtar. Respect! — BILLY MARTIN takes the clearest, most direct route toward explaining it to
a new audience. — MODERN DRUMMER MAGAZINE
20