Samba Flashcards
Samba is built around
ostinatos usually 4 or 8 beats long (regular phrases)
What can each group of instruments have
can have their own ostinato featuring offbeat rhythms and syncopation, often the son clave syncopated rhythms is used, either the 2:3 of 3:2
Samba sections
Samba is built up of lots of different sections, for each section the Sambisa will need to know an ostinato
What does Samba music often start with
an introduction often featuring Call and Response rhythms between the Samba Leader and ensemble
What is the Groove
when all instruments of the Samba band play their respective rhythms over and over again forming the main body of the piece
What is the Groove broken up by
Breaks - 4 or 8 beat rhythms providing contrast and mid sections
What are Mid Sections
one or two instruments change the rhythms of their ostinato and the others stay the same or stop
What do breaks and mid sections sometimes feature
a soloist who “shows off” their rhythms
What happens when changing section
The Sambista must signal to the group when to change to a different section which is normally done with an Apito (loud whistle)
How does a piece of Samba end
with either a Call and Response pattern or a pre-rehearsed ending phrase of rhythm
the Form and Structure of a piece may look like
Intro, Groove, Break 1, Groove, Break, Groove, Mid-section 1, Groove, Break 1, Groove, End
Texture in samba music
it varies, it is often monophonic where a single rhythms is heard as in Call and Response sections, sometimes polyphonic where sections of the Samba band play different rhythms (ostinatos) creating cross rhythms creating a thick texture of interweaving and interlocking rhythms
cross rhythms
when two rhythmic patterns that “conflict” with each other occur simultaneously
dynamics of samba
normally very loud, designed to be performed outdoors at carnivals with large audiences watching and listening
who is samba played by
a large number of instrumentalists and to accompany dancers and processions
what is sometimes used at an end of a samba piece
a crescendo for dramatic effect
samba tempo
generally fast at around 104bpm and keeps a constant tempo to assist the dancers or processional nature of the music
what does the sambista sometimes use
tempo rubato
tempo rubato
tiny fluctuations in tempo for expressive effect
a sambista
samba leader
samba pitch, melody, harmony and tonality
it is based on rhythms rather than melodies although the pitch of certain instruments within the samba band provides musical contrast
What is samba
it is a Brazilian musical genre and dance style with its roots in Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions
What is Samba and expression of
of Brazilian cultural expression and is a symbol of carnival. see as originally a musical expression of urban Rio de Janeiro (in Brazil), then the capital and largest city of brazil
What have the instruments of samba been influenced by
Portuguese colonies who imported slaves from Africa, while the rhythms of Samba are of African origin
Sambas impact of television
it has become popular as a Latin-American ballroom dance on TV shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars
What has samba been mixed/ fused with
Drum ‘n’ Bass in a musical fusion creating “Sambass” and artists and groups of popular music have used sounds and rhythms of Samba in their music eg Gloria Estefan and Jamiroquai
Artists, Bands and performers of Samba eg
Fundo de Quintal, Exaltasamba
Samba drums
Surdo, repinique, tamborim, caixa de guerro, timbales, cuica, congas
Samba other instruments
chocolo, reco-reco, apito, agogo bells, guiro, claves and cowbells
Music in Latin America is widely influenced by
colourful and exotic carnivals and a range of dance styles
What may carnivals includes
fanfarras, featuring brass insturments associated with fanfare, and almost always a Samba Band
Surdo
A bass drum used to make the beat of Samba music. Surdos keep a steady beat and alternate between higher and lower pitches. A
smaller Surdo often plays an important role within the ensemble.
Repinique
A small drum similar to the snare drum but
taller, that is usually played with one stick and the bare hand. It has a more metallic tone than the snare drum and can be used to play solo cues in call and response patterns.
Tamborim
A small drum with a single drum-head tuned very high and struck very quickly and sharply with a flexible stick. The player is able to press and tighten the skin or dampen the sound whilst playing and plays more complicated rhythms than the Surdos
chocolo
A Shaker made of many small cymbal-like metal pieces. Chocolos play even notes throughout a piece of Samba music
reco-reco
A scraper made of loops of steel balls wrapped around a cylinder and hand-held. It plays the same time values as the Chocolo
Apito
This is a whistle used by the leader to signal an instruction
to the samba band
agogo bells
A cowbell with two pitches, one high and one low, played with a wooden stick and handheld. The bells can also produce a sound by squeezing them so that they strike each other.
Like the Tamborim, the Agogo Bells play more complicated rhythms.
caixa de guerro
A drum similar to the Repinique but with
springs on the bottom to create vibrations much like a snare drum.
guiro
An open-ended hollow gourd with parallel notches cut in one side. It is played by rubbing
a stuck along the notches to produce a
“ratchet” sound/timbre/ sonority. The Guiro can produce both long and short sounds, made by
scraping up and down in long or short strokes.
timbales
Shallow single-headed drums with metal casing. The player uses a
variety of stick strokes, rim shots and rolls to produce a wide range of percussive expression during solos and at transitional sections of music.
cuica
A Brazilian friction drum with a large pitch range, produced by changing the tension on the head of the drum. The tone/ timbre/ sonority of the Cuica produces a high-pitched squeaky sound.
congas
A pair of tall, narrow single-headed drums
played with the hands on a stand which the musician has to stand to play.
claves
Two short wooden sticks which are struck together. Claves have a surprisingly clear
tone/timbre/sonority and can be clearly heard even in a large ensemble
cowbell
An idiophone named after the similar bell
historically used by herdsmen to keep track of the whereabouts of cows! Cowbells are struck with a stick, the tone being changed by striking
different parts of the bell and by damping with the hand holding the bell.
What else often features extensively in Latin American ensembles
different types of guitar, the most popular of these being the Cuban Guitar usually with six or nine strings
how many ostinatos may a sambista need to know
6 different ostinatos per piece of music
how long does a samba introduction last
whatever length of time is appropriate, with the sambista “calling” and the rest of the group “responding” in a call and response style either repeating exactly the rhythm of the sambista, or playing a pre- rehearsed rhythm
What does the introduction generally end with
a rehearsed call and response which acts as a signal
to move onto the main ostinato rhythm of the piece – the Groove
How can a piece of samba music end
either just stopping, returning to a call and response or simply ending with a pre-rehearsed ending phrase or rhythm.
Brazilian cultural expression
Considered one of the most
popular Brazilian cultural expressions, Samba has become
an icon of Brazilian national identity.
What else does samba bring
Samba brings a whole historical culture of food, dances, parties, clothes, artists, painters, sculptors, designers and stylists who make the clothes, costumes and carnival floats used to accompany the performance of
Samba music.
How were samba schools formed
Samba schools were formed where people got together
and performed a variety of music using drums and other
instruments.
What did the Samba schools do
The schools parade down a street lined
with grandstands, thousands of members dressed in coordinated costumes, dancing a rehearsed Samba
routine to original music.
Each Sambas school presentation
Each school’s presentation
must have a central theme, such as historical event or a
Brazilian Indian legend. The Samba song must tell the story and the huge floats that accompany each school must show the theme with paintings or sculptures.
Samba schools and the big event
Each Samba school rehearses all year for this event. The event gives everyone, whatever their ability, the opportunity to take part and is the work of communities working together.
What is Samba usually associated with
with the carnival
Rio de Janeiro and the carnival
During the early twentieth century, a colourful and exciting street life formed in Rio de Janeiro and the
music associated with the carnival became known as Samba where its loud drumming and syncopated rhythms form an essential part of the carnival season.
