Favela (Analysis)

Grade Six Favela: Samba Lesson Overview

Okay, so today we're diving into the Grade Six Favela, another Latin piece, and it's all about samba. It's sick, and honestly, it's pretty hard!

Introduction to the Samba Groove

• We're starting with a slightly simplified samba groove.
• The focus is on eighth notes, no 16th notes here, which is great!
• However, there's a running ostinato in the bass drum throughout the piece.

"After three minutes, that's going to start messing with you. So practice it slowly."

Techniques for Bass Drum

• Use a range of different techniques with your feet, such as:
  • Heel Up: For louder playing.
  • Heel Down: For quieter playing.
  • Heel Toe: Letting your leg drop for a heel stroke followed by a toe stroke.

Try them out and find what works for you. Endurance is key here, at least it was for me!

Syncopated Rhythms

• Moving on to bar five, we have a syncopated dotted crotchet rhythm:

  "ga, gadat, gat, gadat, gat gadat."

• This is reminiscent of a classic Tim Barley break, where the music stops, and you get that syncopated feel: Gah, gah, gah, gah, gah, gah.

Adding Flams

• I've sprinkled flams throughout this rhythm. Feel free to do the same, it's authentic!

"You listen to any music, and like a timbale player, flams are half of the course."

Coordination and Practice Tips

• Pay attention to coordination in sections, such as:
  • Bar 12: Essentially just inverted quads.

Practice with a metronome, slowly at first, and watch how your limbs link up in a nice syncopated way.

Going Into Section C

• There's a syncopated fill going into section C.

"Don't rush that. You're anticipating one."

Be careful not to let the last semiquaver of four become the new one, this can be really tempting!

Samba Influence and Coordination

• We then transition into a samba-influenced disco rhythm.

"Watch out the bass drum doesn't become overshadowed by the hi-hat. The bass drum should remain the focus."

Filling Into the Keyboard Solo

• We have two nice fills leading into section D, the keyboard solo groove.

"There could be a bit of a coordination issue, so practice it slowly and build it up."

I was keen on using heel-toe for this part, try it out!

Developing Rhythms with the Left Hand

• I've started using the parido alto rhythm as a basis for my left-hand comping.
• Begin to introduce some semiquavers as it floats nicely underneath the solo.

"Be creative! Use manuscript paper to write your own two-bar rhythm."

Eight-Bar Drum Solo

Section E: The Drum Solo

• At E, we have an eight-bar drum solo with the snares off.

"Don't miss that."

When snares are off, you're essentially imitating a timbale. Load up on the flams, and don't hold back.

"Be extravagant, man. It's flamboyant music, so enjoy yourself."

Finishing Touches

• You can use the fill from bar five as inspiration.
• Feel free to play freely; experiment with where your hands take you.

"Remember, we're rhythmic players, but that doesn't mean we can't be melodic."

Conclusion and Listening Suggestions

• Finally, we finish with the same free fill.
• Apart from this lesson, check out some Latin music:
  • Tito Puente is a fantastic starting point.
  • Horacio Hernandez (El Negro) is the king of playing Latin music on the drum kit.

"Try to sound authentic within that style, picking out the idiosyncrasies."

That's all for me! Enjoy your samba journey!