keeping compas w/ solo compas

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HolyEvil

Posts: 1240
Joined: Nov. 6 2008
From: Sydney, Australia

keeping compas w/ solo compas

Hi there guys, just wondering when playing along with solo compas,
how do you know you are in compas eg 12 beat rhythm.

how can we know we are not ending on the 11 and starting on the 12?
or finish our 3 falsetas on 9?

anyway to tell via the clapping?
or do we just have to play with a metronome, get everything in compas THEN play with solo compas CD?
if that's the case, wat's the point of the solo compas CDs? just for the sound of hand clapping?

cheers

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 9 2009 1:10:02

prd1

Posts: 206
Joined: Jul. 11 2007

RE: keeping compas w/ solo compas (in reply to HolyEvil)

Hi Mr Evil,

When you get used to listening to the CDs you will know which is beat 12 etc. It can be dificult at first to know where you are - I needed a lesson just to get my bearings with a Bulerias CD - this recording had a clear 'alignment point' in that it had accents on 7 and 8 rather than 6 and 8 (I know some of the forum don't like this!!!) - once the ear was used to this it became easier to find a way back into the compas after getting lost...

I hope this makes sense?

_____________________________

Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music - Angela Monet

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 9 2009 5:07:46

Ricardo

Posts: 14848
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: keeping compas w/ solo compas (in reply to HolyEvil)

I recommend what you said there, use the metronome FIRST. The compas track is fun to practice with once you already have the notes and groove down. I dont' recommend to learn the compas only from the loop tracks.

The reasons I feel this way are because of my experience teaching. I know there can always be exceptions, and perhaps I will be proven wrong one day, but so far....I have not yet had a student that can play with a metronome perfectly fine, that can't find his/her place over a compas loop.

I have experienced the opposite. Many students seem to do "ok" chasing accents to a compas CD or loop, but can't seem to hold steady to a simple click, or get lost playing with a click. This is no good IMO. To really be solid, your playing needs to seem like the click or compas loop, or whatever you play against, is following YOU.

Hope that helps.

Ricardo

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 9 2009 5:23:15

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: keeping compas w/ solo compas (in reply to HolyEvil)

I think Ricardo and prd1 already gave good advice.

What I would add is, dont count all your beats and flasetas... you must feel the compas automatically. As prd wrote, listen to many cds. For me playing for dance many years helped very much. I copied tomatitos compas strumming at the beginning.
Some dancers count siguiryas like 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 ..
If these dancers are on the 2 or the 1.... which 1 do they mean?? So,..its totally nuts to count like this.. Better is just feeling the beat. (Or count 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... if you really need numbers..) Well I can´t numer till 3 ... so I have to feel it.. And you dont learn it with analyzing. You learn it with playing it simple a LOT over and over..

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 9 2009 5:52:58