West African Drumming I - Observations ...
As I entered the Skidmore gym for my first West African Drumming class, I did not know quite what to expect. I had decided to take the course on a whim during sign-up day the previous summer, based on a lifelong habit of tapping out rhythms on furniture. At the time, an entire summer stretched out before me; West African Drumming seemed more like an abstract idea than a class I would have to attend twice a week for two hours, a skill that I would have to devote considerable portions of my free time to perfecting. However, as I walked down the hallway, racquetball courts to my left and right, I began to have doubts. With almost no musical training and an intense fear of performing in front of people, how could I possibly excel in a class that depended on those two things?
As it turned out, I had very little reason to fear. Professor Addy’s teaching technique was perfectly suited for me. First of all, he operated on the assumption that no one in the class had any formal musical training. I was not expected to read notes or know the difference between tempo and rhythm??. Secondly, by the time I was asked to perform on my own, I had a solid grasp of the material.
The Five Hand Drumming Techniques formed a basis for all the patterns we learned in class. The first of these patterns, Kaleketu, contains many different parts, each using different techniques. The most difficult aspect of Kaleketu is transitioning from one part to another. The class started off quite sloppy, myself included. I did not think I would ever be able to master even the most basic of rhythms. However, after much practice, during class and in my own spare time, I was able to learn the entire thing. I consider mastering Kaleketu to be my biggest technical accomplishment in West African Drumming.
We also learned many other techniques with a wide variety of different dynamics. Professor Addy taught us to “walk” on the drum, imitating the sound of a stampede. We were also instructed on how to play bells in a basic manner in order to provide a steady backbeat for drumming. We are currently learning how to sing the melody of a very basic African song, albeit with lyrics in English (“everybody likes Saturday night”). Professor Addy has a unique way of teaching by example. Rather than simply telling the class what to do, he utilizes repetition and subtle forms of communication, as well as call and response (which, I learned from my research, is typical in even advanced West African Drumming) to teach the class new patterns. As an added bonus, his stories and life lessons are as hilarious and enlightening as they are controversial. Although I may not always concur with his views, it is nevertheless interesting to hear the perspective of someone from such a different background.
I began the course expecting to be confronted by music that was completely foreign to my ears. To an extent, this expectation proved correct. The sounds and patterns that I encountered were exotic and oftentimes difficult to follow on first listen. However, as the semester went on, I was repeatedly surprised by the similarities between West African rhythms and those that I have heard my whole life. I consider myself an avid fan of rock ‘n’ roll music in all of its forms, from early classics like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, to the Beatles, to Paul Simon, to newer artists like Vampire Weekend. I had always heard that the rock ‘n’ roll genre was heavily influenced by the syncopated rhythms of Africa, which makes sense considering so many of its pioneers were African Americans. That said, knowing of such influences and hearing them firsthand are incredibly different.
At the beginning of the semester (not to mention several more times in subsequent weeks), Professor Addy asked the class if it is possible to dance to rock music. My initial response was yes. After all, weren’t dances like the Twist, which dominated early rock ‘n’ roll concerts, a well-documented source of controversy? Aren’t rock ‘n’ roll drummers such as Keith Moon (The Who), Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones), and John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) deserving of credit for their talent? I was admittedly a bit put off by Professor Addy’s seeming dismissal of my favorite genre’s capacity to inspire dance.
However, the meaning of his question gradually became apparent. Although the rock ‘n’ roll genre has indeed been home to many talented percussionists, the fact is that walls of guitar noise, bass and loud vocals obscure rhythm. In rock music, despite many notable exceptions, the drummer is often relegated to keeping a steady back beat and providing simple fills intermittently. In West African music, on the other hand, rhythm is at the forefront, with less of an emphasis on melody. Furthermore, when I listened closely to the beats in rock songs while taking this class, I recognized faint but unmistakable traces of what we were learning.
As the semester went on, I became interested in what other instruments accompanied drums in West Africa. I was surprised to find that xylophones and even plucked strings fulfilled accompanying roles in some of its forms. Still, it was difficult to picture. I decided to watch some videos to witness how these other instruments interacted with similar drumming patterns to the ones we learned. I did not find what I expected. Rather than playing chords and melodies, which I typically associate with string and key instruments, West African musicians used them mostly as a part of the rhythm.
Learning West African Drumming was beneficial to me on multiple levels. In addition to the techniques themselves, it also served to enrich my understanding of music I have listened to for years and expand my interest to new musical forms. In spite of my initial fears, I am glad that I took the class.
As I entered the Skidmore gym for my first West African Drumming class, I did not know quite what to expect. I had decided to take the course on a whim during sign-up day the previous summer, based on a lifelong habit of tapping out rhythms on furniture. At the time, an entire summer stretched out before me; West African Drumming seemed more like an abstract idea than a class I would have to attend twice a week for two hours, a skill that I would have to devote considerable portions of my free time to perfecting. However, as I walked down the hallway, racquetball courts to my left and right, I began to have doubts. With almost no musical training and an intense fear of performing in front of people, how could I possibly excel in a class that depended on those two things?
As it turned out, I had very little reason to fear. Professor Addy’s teaching technique was perfectly suited for me. First of all, he operated on the assumption that no one in the class had any formal musical training. I was not expected to read notes or know the difference between tempo and rhythm??. Secondly, by the time I was asked to perform on my own, I had a solid grasp of the material.
The Five Hand Drumming Techniques formed a basis for all the patterns we learned in class. The first of these patterns, Kaleketu, contains many different parts, each using different techniques. The most difficult aspect of Kaleketu is transitioning from one part to another. The class started off quite sloppy, myself included. I did not think I would ever be able to master even the most basic of rhythms. However, after much practice, during class and in my own spare time, I was able to learn the entire thing. I consider mastering Kaleketu to be my biggest technical accomplishment in West African Drumming.
We also learned many other techniques with a wide variety of different dynamics. Professor Addy taught us to “walk” on the drum, imitating the sound of a stampede. We were also instructed on how to play bells in a basic manner in order to provide a steady backbeat for drumming. We are currently learning how to sing the melody of a very basic African song, albeit with lyrics in English (“everybody likes Saturday night”). Professor Addy has a unique way of teaching by example. Rather than simply telling the class what to do, he utilizes repetition and subtle forms of communication, as well as call and response (which, I learned from my research, is typical in even advanced West African Drumming) to teach the class new patterns. As an added bonus, his stories and life lessons are as hilarious and enlightening as they are controversial. Although I may not always concur with his views, it is nevertheless interesting to hear the perspective of someone from such a different background.
I began the course expecting to be confronted by music that was completely foreign to my ears. To an extent, this expectation proved correct. The sounds and patterns that I encountered were exotic and oftentimes difficult to follow on first listen. However, as the semester went on, I was repeatedly surprised by the similarities between West African rhythms and those that I have heard my whole life. I consider myself an avid fan of rock ‘n’ roll music in all of its forms, from early classics like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, to the Beatles, to Paul Simon, to newer artists like Vampire Weekend. I had always heard that the rock ‘n’ roll genre was heavily influenced by the syncopated rhythms of Africa, which makes sense considering so many of its pioneers were African Americans. That said, knowing of such influences and hearing them firsthand are incredibly different.
At the beginning of the semester (not to mention several more times in subsequent weeks), Professor Addy asked the class if it is possible to dance to rock music. My initial response was yes. After all, weren’t dances like the Twist, which dominated early rock ‘n’ roll concerts, a well-documented source of controversy? Aren’t rock ‘n’ roll drummers such as Keith Moon (The Who), Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones), and John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) deserving of credit for their talent? I was admittedly a bit put off by Professor Addy’s seeming dismissal of my favorite genre’s capacity to inspire dance.
However, the meaning of his question gradually became apparent. Although the rock ‘n’ roll genre has indeed been home to many talented percussionists, the fact is that walls of guitar noise, bass and loud vocals obscure rhythm. In rock music, despite many notable exceptions, the drummer is often relegated to keeping a steady back beat and providing simple fills intermittently. In West African music, on the other hand, rhythm is at the forefront, with less of an emphasis on melody. Furthermore, when I listened closely to the beats in rock songs while taking this class, I recognized faint but unmistakable traces of what we were learning.
As the semester went on, I became interested in what other instruments accompanied drums in West Africa. I was surprised to find that xylophones and even plucked strings fulfilled accompanying roles in some of its forms. Still, it was difficult to picture. I decided to watch some videos to witness how these other instruments interacted with similar drumming patterns to the ones we learned. I did not find what I expected. Rather than playing chords and melodies, which I typically associate with string and key instruments, West African musicians used them mostly as a part of the rhythm.
Learning West African Drumming was beneficial to me on multiple levels. In addition to the techniques themselves, it also served to enrich my understanding of music I have listened to for years and expand my interest to new musical forms. In spite of my initial fears, I am glad that I took the class.