El Cuarto de Tula - Buena Vista Social Club

Tone Colour:

12 String Cuban Guitar

• 12 string Cuban Guitar (plucked)
• Normal Guitar (plucked)
• Electric Guitar (plucked)
• Male vocals (sung)
• Trombone (blown using mouthpiece)
• Trumpet (blown using mouthpiece)
• Maracas (shaken using hands)
• Drum Kit (hit with sticks)
• Double Bass (plucked)
• Bongos (hit with hands)
• Bells
• Cowbell (hit with mallets)

Texture:

• The texture is generally homophonic; melody and accompaniment with the main male vocals holding the melody and the instruments and other singers holding the accompaniment.
• However, the texture isn't homophonic the whole way through; in the intro it is monophonic as only the 12 string guitar plays and at 3.34 only the guitar plays as the caller and the rest of the band as the responders. 
• The texture is fairly dense and full with the exception of the monophonic guitar sections. 

Pitch:

• The melody and the accompaniment both move in steps
• The range of the melody is not very broad. It generally stays in the 'tender range'. This is the same for the accompanying vocals
• The back up vocals rhythm at 0.36 is repeated several times throughout the song, usually in a call and response with the main vocals.

Duration:

• The tempo is quite fast and lively; allegro
• The time signature is 4/4; common time
• The rhythm is syncopated; mainly the accompanying instruments
• Ostinatos
• Maracas play repeated ostinato; quavers in one hand and then the right hand plays on every beat
• Double Bass plays; long short, long short, long short on beats 'and 2' and 'and 4'
• 
  

Dynamics and Expressive Techniques:

• There aren't really any dynamics in this piece except when the guy plays the guitar without looking; the dynamics soften a little to the thinner texture
• At the beginning the guitar uses slides, turns and runs.

Structure:

BVSC

• Intro; just 12 string guitar playing
• 'Chorus'; everyone in and the main lyrics in the chorus are that of the title
• Break where main vocals sing
• 'Chorus'; backing vocals sing same lyrics as first chorus
• Main vocals
• 'Chorus'
• Verse; new idea
• 'Chorus'
• Main vocals
• 'Chorus'
• Instrumental; guitar
• 'Chorus'
• Main Vocals
• 'Chorus'
• Guitar; caller
• Vocals; responders
• Guitar



Album Cover


• Vocals and all instruments

El Cuarto de Tula

Indian Classical Music

• Indian classical music is based mainly on melody and rhythm rather than harmonies. This is very different to the basics of Western Classical Music.
• It originated in the Hindu temples, hence it being very religious and a way to connect eith God.
• It is a very old style of music
• Raga Sangeet (a system of Indian music)
• Can be traced back nearly 2000 years
• Ancient Vedic Scriptures
• There are 2 types of sounds according to these scriptures
• Vibrations of the air in the upper atmosphere
• Vibrations of the air in the lower atmosphere; closer to the earth. These are man-made or natural sounds, musical or non-musical
• Tradition of Indian Classical music is an oral one; it's taught directly by the guru to the disciple, not through notation.
• The 'Raga' is the heart of Indian music. It's the melodic form which the musician improvises, no notation used. It's imspired by the creative spirits of master musicians.
• A Raga is a precise scientific melodic form with its own peculiar ascending and descending movement, consisting of either a full seven note octave or a series of five or six notes. This structure is called the Arohana and the Avarohana. 
• The two main instruments played in Indian music are the Sittar and Tabla 

"Raga Anandi Kalyan"-Ravi & Anoushka Shankar

Pitch:

• The pitch is generally high
• The music doesn't sound like it's using normal Western scalic structure due to the pitch bends and ornamentation used.
• There is a constant lower drone underneath the main melody of the Sittar. This contrasts the higher pitch of the Sittar.
• Ravi uses many scalic runs and pitch bends for interest and contrast.
• The Tabla is an untuned drum/s but the way (technique) that is used to play the instrument, gives the different pitches.

Our Samba Batucada

We composed our own arrangement of Samba Batucada and performed it at Musicale 2011. We used many traditional instruments but also added some contemporary intruments to create interest and contrast. The different range of instruments also created a different sound in the Samba which was relevant to todays contemporary society.

Tone Colour:
Instruments Used:

• Timpani-deep, heavy, hollow sound
• Congas
• Bongos
• Snare Drum with snare off-higher and less nuffled sound than a snare drum with the snare on
• Piccolo Snare Drum-higher and not muffled sound compared to the snare drum because the piccolo is a smaller drum, meaning it has a higher pitch
• Agogo Bells-tinny sound
• Cowbell-tinny sound similar to Agogo bells but the sound is deeper
• Djembe-has three different sounds, but generally sounds bouncy and joyful
• Egg Shakers
• Guiro-rough sound as the guiro stick runs along the ridged edge of the guiro
• Cajon-slightly muffled

The Timpani, Egg Shakers, Guiro, Piccolo Snare Drum and Agogo Bells were the original instruments used, however we added in many other modern instruments.

Texture:

• The texture is polyphonic as there are many layers of sound of equal importance. However, the call and response section is homophonic as there are two layers of sound; the caller and the responders.The was only one caller and the rest of the class responded. This created the main textural change, hence creating interest, and increasing the dynamics and musical layers.

Structure:

• Call and Reponse Intro
• Samba-everyone in
• Pause
• Call and Response
• Samba-everyone in
• Accelerated Outro
• 

Samba Batucada

Samba Batucada

·        Batucada is a sub-style of the Samba that is an African influenced Brazilian percussive style. It is a percussion ensemble. The Batucada is well known for its repetitive rhythms and its fast tempo



Repinique

·        Instruments Used:

o   Repinique: high-pitched tom-tom

o   Surdo: large drum with 50cm diameter. It is the bass drum that provides the downbeat of the rhythm

o   Tamborim: small drum played with a stick

o   Bells: Cowbell and Agogo bells

o   Maracas

o   Caixa: a thin snare drum

o   Cuica: single headed drum with a stick mounted inside the drum body. It is played by rubbing a damp cloth along the stick while pressing the head of the drum with a finger. The closer to the stick the finger is pressed, the higher pitched sound is produced. the Cuica can often sound like a human voice

o   Timba: a long drum that produces low tones. Played with one hand on the head of the drum and one hand beating the body of the drum

o   Pandeiro: similar to a tambourine but it can be tuned. played using the hand, just like a tambourine

o   Reco-Reco: a hollow wooden instrument with a ridged surface that is scraped with a stick. It is more commonly known as the Guiro

o   Apito: a small wooden whistle

Tamborim



Caixa





 


Reco-Reco

 

Timba

Surdo

Agogo Bells

Cowbell

       













 Samba Batucada Performers:

o   Rhythms of Resistance

o   Saraganhad

o   Francisco Lopez

o   Mestre Hector Alexander

Rhythms of Resistance

 

Celia Cruz-La Vida Es Un Carnaval

Tone Colour

·         Percussion (accompaniment)-idiophones-hit with mallets and hands

o   Cowbell

o   Congas

o   Bongos

Celia Cruz

o   Drums (hit-hat esp.)

o   cymbals

o   guiro

o   maracas

o   timables

·         Brass (accompaniment and melody)-aerophones-blown

o   Trumpet

o   Trombone

·         Vocals-aerophone

o   Women vocals (main melody)

o   Male (backing vocals)

·         String (accompaniment)-chordophone-played with hands

o   Piano

Texture:

·         The texture is homophonic

·         The melody is ‘shared’ between the main vocals and the brass section. The percussion and strings section have the accompaniment through the whole song

·         The texture is quite dense and remains the same throughout the song

Duration:

·         the tempo is moderately fast

·         the time signature is 4/4 (simple) and does not change

·         the brass section has a repeated ostinato that is played just after the chorus when the vocals drop out. This rhythm is not syncopated, however the short pre-chorus after this rhythm is syncopated.  This particular rhythm is played with very short note duration and is accentuated.

·         The percussion accompaniment is syncopated the whole way through the song.

·         At 1.51 the main vocals are spoken to engage the audience; they respond with ‘WA!’  after every main vocals phrase

·         At 2.24 the cymbal plays a syncopated rhythm

Pitch:

·         Major

·         The melody moves in steps compared to the accompaniment which jumps around a little

·         The range of the vocal melody and the brass accompaniment is not at all broad

·         The word ‘carnaval’ is repeated many times in the song which is to be expected because the song means ‘life is a party’.

·         The lyrics translated into English: ‘ay, there’s no need to cry, life is a carnaval and its better to live singing. Ay, there’s no need to cry, life is a carnaval and you’re pain will leave while singing’. These lyrics are sung in the chorus and are repeated about 5 times throughout the song

Dynamics & Expressive Techniques:

·         The dynamics are loud throughout and do not change

·         The brass play accented rhythms (0.1) generally but play longer broader rhythms (0.20) as well

·         The rrrrr sound is produced by vibrating the tongue up and down. This technique is very common in Latin music and it is produced by Celia Cruz in this piece (1.20)

·         A glissando is played at 1.39 by the trombone

Structure:

·         Introduction

·         Verse

·         Pre-chorus

·         Chorus x2

·         Instrumental section

·         Verse (separated by a pause)

·         Pre-chorus

·         Chorus

·         Instrumental section

·         Bridge

·         Call and response

·         Instrumental

·         Call and response

·         Bridge

·         Outro

Salsa

·         Salsa is mainly derived from Cuba; however it has strong influences from Latin and North America. It is generally defined as being a modern style of the Cuban Son (Spanish and African rhythms combined but originated in Cuba), Son Montuno (a style of the Cuban Son, mix of European and African influences) and Guaracha (genre of popular Cuban music with fast tempos. It became a favourite form of music in the brothels of Havana).

·        In the 1930s, 40s and 50s, Cuban music within Cuba was evolving into new styles mainly from the roots of Son and Rhumba. Cuban popular music (especially Mambo) became very famous across the USA while the New York scene continued to develop.

·        Many other genres of Cuban music developed, this affected Latin music. Most Latin musicians were Puerto Rican, and they invented the style now known as salsa.

• The Salsa began in Cuba but is now universally known in all parts of the world. After originating in Cuba, the Salsa spread to New York City, Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries where it further developed.

·         The word ‘salsa’ specifically refers to the style of music that was developed in the 60s and 70s by Cuban and Puerto Rican immigrants to the area of New York City

·         Traditional Salsa  Instruments:

o   Bongos

Cuatro

Guiro

o   Conga

o   Timbales

o   Claves

o   Cowbell

o   Maracas

o   Guiro

o   Tres/cuatro

·         Instruments from Outside Influences (mainly European)

o   Piano

o   Trumpet

o   Trombone

o   Double bass/bass guitar

o   Flute

o   Saxophone

o   Vibraphone

o   Violin

Cuban Music

Cuban Music

·         Cuban music is mainly influenced from Spain, Africa and America.

·         Cuban Music mainly originated in the cabildos; a form of social club among African slaves.

·         Popular Cuban music styles include:



Cuica



o   Salsa

o   Rumba



o   Mambo

Traditional Cuban Instruments:

·         Claves

·         Maracas

·         Thumb piano

·         Bongos

·         Congas

·         Cuicas



Buena Vista Social Club



Cuban Artists:

·         Celia Cruz

·         Buena Vista Social Club

·         Ibrahim Ferrer

·         Polo Montanez

·         Haila Maria Mompie

Cuba is an island located just below the United States as shown:

Clocks ft. Buena Vista Social Club