Samba

Question 1

Where is this music from?

Answer 1

Brazil - South America

Question 2

Give a suitable time signature for Samba music

Answer 2

2, 4

2, 4

Question 3

Which note is the emphasis normally on in Samba?

a) 1st note
b) 2nd note
c) 3rd note
d) 4th note

Answer 3

b) 2nd note

Question 4

State something about the tempo, key and sound of Samba

Answer 4

Fast tempo
Major key, so…
Sounds cheery (as its a MAJOR (ha) feature in Brazilian carnivals)

Question 5

What instrument does the leader if the bateria play?

Answer 5

The repinique (but often they also blow a whistle to signal to everyone when the next section starts)

Question 6

Other than the percussion instruments, what other instruments are otfen used in Samba?

Answer 6

The Portuguese guitar (bright sound, 12 strings)
Keyboards
Whistles
Brass is also sometimes used - trumpets, trombones and saxophones EVEN THOUGH THEY AREN’T BRASS BOOK HOW DARE YOU

Question 7

What are smaller Samba bands used to play?

Answer 7

For dança de salão (ballroom dance)

or to accompany samba-canção (samba songs)

Question 8

What are samba schools?

Answer 8

Large groups of samba musicians and dancers. They’re often dominated by the percussion section (called the bateria) and can involve hundreds of players.

Question 9

What is the music played by the bateria known as?

Answer 9

The batucada

Question 10

Name the main percussion instruments

Answer 10

Surdo
Caixa
Repenique
Cuica
Tamborim
Agogo
Shakers - ganzá, caxixi, xequerê and afoxé
Scrapers - reco-reco
Tambouries - pandeiro

Question 11

Talk about the caixa

Answer 11

A snare drum played with stick - it can be used to create a polyrhythm

Question 12

Talk about the surdo

Answer 12

A large, loud, resonant bass drum played with one stick and one hand. They are in different sizes, the bateria will often use 3 sixes.
It sets the basic beat for the bateria

Question 13

Talk about the agogo

Answer 13

A double cow bell - one high & one low (different pitches anyway) played with a stick.

Question 14

Talk about the repenique

Answer 14

A bit like a tom-tom. It has a high pitch (TESATURA OOOO) heard above the other drums. This instrument is played by the leader (not on their own though).
This leads the call and response

Question 15

Talk about the cuica

Answer 15

The funny sounding “monkey drum,” it’s held horizontally and has a large pitch range. There’s a wood stick in the drum, with one end attached to the drumskin. The drummer rubs the stick with a wet cloth. To vary the pitch, the drummer applies pressure on the outside of the drumskin with their other hand

Question 16

Talk about the tamborim

Answer 16

It’s a very small drum (looking like a tambourine without bells, and probably smaller) It has a high pitch and played with a single beater

Question 17

Fill the blanks:
Samba is a major feature of _________ carnivals, such as the famous ___ _______. Samba _______ compete for prizes (like Calypso bands). Their judged on their __________ performance, and also on a song that’s ________ and performed by the ______. These songs have ______ melodies, and build up with different parts _____ __ ___.

Answer 17

Brazilian
Rio Carnival
Schools
Percussion
Composed
School
Catchy
Added on top

Question 18

What does the surdo de primeira do?

Answer 18

Sets the beat

Question 19

Complete the sentence:

The various percussion instruments all contribute different rhythms to a samba perfomance, combining to create…

Answer 19

Music with a complex texture

Question 20

What are the 3 types of surdo known as?

Answer 20

USE YOUR SPANISH SKILLS YEAH
Surdo de primeira - 1
Surdo de segunda - 2
Surdo de terceira - 3

Question 21

Talk about the 1st surdo - surdo de primeira

Answer 21

It has the lowest pitch.
Struck with the stick on the second beat of a bar, then dampened with the hand on the following beat.
This emphasises the second beat in a bar

Question 22

Talk about the 2nd surdo - surdo de segunda

Answer 22

Slightly smaller with the middle pitch.

Struck on the opposite beats of the surdo de primeira, (the 1st and 3rd beats), so it follows the opposite pattern

Question 23

Talk about the 3rd surdo - surdo de terceira

Answer 23

Smaller and has the highest pitch out of all the surdos.
It plays more complex, syncopated rhythms, which adds a swing to the rhythm produced by the surdos
In the book, it has an example of their rhythm, the other two don’t say “example” so I think this instrument’s rhythm can vary