The Cuban Cascara Rhythm
How to Turn Difficult Rhythm into Something Easy
Are you struggling with a difficult rhythm and finding it hard to keep up with the music? Do you want to learn a simple trick to turn that tricky rhythm into something easy? If so, then you have come to the right place!
In this video, I will show you a simple technique called phonetics that can help you learn syncopated rhythms. Phonetics involves putting words to a rhythm to make it easier to understand and remember. By doing this, you can learn to perceive the rhythm as a whole instead of individual notes.
To give you an example, let's take the phrase "I like potato, I don't like cabbage." Now, clap this phrase and see how easy it is to follow the rhythm. By putting words to the rhythm, you can perceive it as a whole and not get lost in individual notes.
In Cuban music, the cascara is one of the most important rhythms. It's named after the shell of the timbale, the instrument on which it's played.
The campana is a bell that plays on the downbeat. The conga player plays a simple pattern called "tumbao".
Understanding these different rhythmic ingredients is essential to playing Cuban music. You don't necessarily have to play every instrument, but you need to understand the rhythm and where one is. Knowing where one is, is crucial to staying in the rhythm and not getting lost.
By understanding the rhythmic phrases and where they start and end, you can keep your place in the rhythm. Instead of counting one, two, three, four.
In conclusion, by using the phonetics technique and understanding the different rhythmic ingredients, you can turn a difficult rhythm into something easy. You can perceive the rhythm as a whole, not get lost in individual notes, and keep your place in the rhythm. So next time you struggle with a tricky rhythm, remember the words "I like potato, I don't like cabbage," and clap along!`