Finding the beat

[Jack]

I have trouble finding the beat, I would appreciate any help on this matter, as I know this is what its all about anyway.
I have been dancing for 4 months. Thanks

[peachexploration]

Here's a link that may help. :D
http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1999&highlight=finding+rhythm

Oh and Welcome Jack!

[pygmalion]

Hi Jack. Welcome. If you happen to be in Orlando, PM me, and I'll meet you at some public dance and show you.

If not, let me give you a little something. First, you are right. The beat is what it's all about. Second. Some songs make it easy to find the beat, while others make it almost impossible. It might not be your problem, but the problem of the person who wrote the music you're listening to.
First, as borikensalsero says, listen for loud bangs. For salsa, the bangs should come in sets of four, with one loud bang followed by three softer bangs.

If I were you, I'd stay at home (or in my car) and listen to music I liked, while trying to clap 1-2-3-4 with the repetitive bangs. That may help you find the beat. Actually, if you're going to clap, stay home, don't drive. LOL.



Welcome to the forums. 8) :D

[salsarhythms]

Here's a few tips:

1. Listen to the lead singer...usually the lead singer and the chorus will come in on the "1", so from there you can keep up the count to 8.

2. The conga is pretty recognizable (for me anyway) the most recognizable notes are the "4" and the "8" which sound like a "TUM-TUM" note from the conga...

Check out this post because it includes an audio link to listen to:

http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=299&highlight=

[peachexploration]

Yay! Thanks SalsaRhythms. That's the link I was really looking for last night but was brain dead. :D

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

Greetings Jack! A red carpet wellcome to you! :D

[Vince A]

Hi Jack, and welcome.

Do all the above . . . if that fials, ask a DJ or a musician to show you how to find count 1 in a song.

Once you have this and can hear it in every song, you be able to feel the beat, know the beat, and dance the beat.

[TemptressToo]

Also, please note that some songs have more than one rhythm. There is most always a lead rhythmn...but there are also minor ones (sometimes they are faster and sometimes they are slower) that can be danced to as well.

[Vince A]

Good points! :wink:

[pelao]

learn the clave. there are three types: there's 3/2 and 2/3 (son clave), and the rumba clave.

If you learn these, it will definitely help you on finding beats, keeping beats - anything that has to do wit these rhythms. One thing musicians know, is that for this type of music, the clave is the backbone of it. Even when you don't actually hear the clave in the music, you can still feel it.

I don't know if this is too advanced for you, but trust me, this is very important. You'll have to know about this sooner or later.

[pygmalion]

Hi pelao. Welcome.

Did you do anything particular to learn to hear the clave -- did you have videos, or a class, or music course, or something that helped you? Please share. It really helps relative salsa newbies like myself when you spell it out. Thanks for sharing.


And welcome. :D

Jenn

[peachexploration]

Hi Pelao. Welcome to the DF! Here's a link from SalsaRhythms regarding the clave. http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=469

[pelao]

thx for the welcome.

well, i grew up listening to the music, so its really difficult to explain how i learned it. I guess a lot of it was subconscious, culture, and of course because I'm a musician (so i had to 'perfect' it). There definitely are musicians that can teach you that though. If you live near any who play salsa, you could just ask em to teach you a little about it; hopefully they can help.

But, there are videos from LP (Latin Percussion - a percussion instrument manfacturing co.) that can probably help you with that. Their website is www.lpmusic.com

But, I think you can also find some text via google about the clave.

[Jack]

Thanks everyone, I am working on it, thanks for all the tips, this is a great forum.... :)

[HothouseSalsero]

Just an idea, but you might want to carefully listen to the song "Pedro Navaja" over and over again, since it's like a little lesson on how a salsa song is put together (after the intro. with the sirens anyway). And if it doesn't help, you will have at least spent time listening to a good song.

[HothouseSalsero]

(Well, the intro, after the intro with the sirens, is a lesson, maybe not the whole song.)

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

Just an idea, but you might want to carefully listen to the song "Pedro Navaja" over and over again, since it's like a little lesson on how a salsa song is put together (after the intro. with the sirens anyway).

Wellcome Jack and Pelao!

Jack, "Pedro Navaja" is by Ruben Blades in case you want to download it from the Net.

[HothouseSalsero]

Sorry I left out the information about who did it. I only thought about that later. To add a little to what MapleLeaf said, it's a Willie Colon/Ruben Blades collaboration from their album together Simebra (which is well worth getting).

[borikensalsero]

Carmelino ven haca...

Por la esquina del viejo barrio lo vi pasar.
Con el tumbao que tienen los quapos al caminar.
Las manos siempre en los bolsillos de su gaban.
Pa que no sepan en cual de ellas lleva el puñal.
Usa un sombrero de ala ancha de medio lao
Y sapatillas por si hay problemas salir volaooooo....

AHHHHH Pedro navaja maton de esquina....

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

Simbra came to be Salsa most popular LP. It marks what salsa was about, it is considered the album of albums in the salsa world. If you don't have it, get it. A colectors item...

[HothouseSalsero]

That should be Siembra. Sorry about the typo. How did Borikensalsero and I both manage to mangle the title in different ways?

I just ordered a copy of this to give to my older brother for his birthday. I want him to see what he missed during the 70's.

[borikensalsero]

That should be Siembra. Sorry about the typo. How did Borikensalsero and I both manage to mangle the title in different ways?

I just ordered a copy of this to give to my older brother for his birthday. I want him to see what he missed during the 70's.


lololol.. Man, I just read your post and before I finished I looked back to mine and I was like, darn it, I messed it up too... lol...

Funny thing is that I read siembra for both your post and mine. lol


I missed it too... :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :headwall:

[dragon3085]

Here is waht I did. Burn you a cd or tape that you can listen to in the car.
Take the copy in to your instructor, and starting counting the music, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and let them confirm that your counting right and then listen to the cd in the car until your sick of it, the catch is is that you count out the beats to all the songs that you are playing. I know it sounds monotonous but you will find you won't have to do it for very long before you are able to pick up the beat.

[Sagitta]

Listen to music, move your body to music without necessarily focusing on the beat. That combination helped me. And doing as much of it as you can. I still find it hard if I try and listen, rather then just responding to the music.

[Jack]

Thanks for all the help

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

Thanks for all the help

Jack, has any of this advice helped you?

[Genesius Redux]

One thing about vocalists and the beat--they're far more likely to be on the beat in rhythm dancing. In smooth or standard, particularly when you've got a foxtrot, many vocalists from Sinatra on down will sing behind the beat, just slightly. You could get into big trouble listening to them!

If you can hear the bass line, you can usually find the beat. But again, in some modern jazz, even danceable foxtrot stuff, the "beat" is something that is shared among the musicians, not vested in any one voice. I think if you think of your steps as an accompanying percussion, that will help.

Best,

Genesius

[delamusica]

My advice - make friends with a musician. :) We spend all of our time counting rhythms and make our livings teaching other people how!