West African Rhythms

[michi]

I just stumbled across "West African Rhythms" by Age Delbanco on Drumskull's site. The book is a collaboration between Delbanco and Drumskull. Has anyone had a look at this? I'd be keen to read a review!

Delbanco, "West African Rhythms"

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Cheers,

Michi.

[Dugafola]

i believe this is the 3rd and final edition of this book.

it has lots and lots of rhythms notated with dunun variations, chauffes as well as djembe solo. minimal information is given regarding significance of each piece. the notation is based on the gungodopa.

there are errors in this book. I can't say that i've worked out every single part in this book, but i've glanced at it more than a few times and have noticed some things not notated correctly.

i can confidently say that not all the artists who these notations are based are aware of this book being sold and some do not approve.

i was very suprised to find some rhythms i've shared also in this last edition without my knowing or consent.

[michi]

Thanks for the info!

i can confidently say that not all the artists who these notations are based are aware of this book being sold and some do not approve.

i was very suprised to find some rhythms i've shared also in this last edition without my knowing or consent.

Well, as a rule, no-one owns a rhythm, so anyone can write it down and publish it. But I agree that acknowledging the source would be appropriate. Going back to the source also might have helped to avoid some of the errors.

Cheers,

Michi.

[Rhythm House Drums]

I've got a copy on it's way to me so I can see if its something I'm going to carry or not... I don't have the background on the rhythms that a lot of folks here have, so if something is notated a bit different I probably wouldn't notice... I can give a short review when it gets in.

[Rhythm House Drums]

BTW.. on DrumSkulls website, you can see the included rhythms by clicking the icon under the image of the book... all 98 of them. I'm not sure how much of these types of publications (lots of rhythms packed in a book) are any different than the freely available "box book" pdf which has tons of rhythms and internet sources such as the WAP Pages, however I'll give my .02 when I get the book in.

[Dugafola]

Thanks for the info!

i can confidently say that not all the artists who these notations are based are aware of this book being sold and some do not approve.

i was very suprised to find some rhythms i've shared also in this last edition without my knowing or consent.

Well, as a rule, no-one owns a rhythm, so anyone can write it down and publish it. But I agree that acknowledging the source would be appropriate. Going back to the source also might have helped to avoid some of the errors.

Cheers,

Michi.

does the rule include breaks, arrangements and solos?

sure...write it down and notate the hell out of it, but then sell it for profit? when the same artists are trying to "sell" their own craft to support themselves and their families in africa?

i've seen and heard it before: people that use this book as a reference have passed on actually studying with some of the big Masters represented in the book when they've come to town.

[michi]

Well, as a rule, no-one owns a rhythm, so anyone can write it down and publish it. But I agree that acknowledging the source would be appropriate. Going back to the source also might have helped to avoid some of the errors.

does the rule include breaks, arrangements and solos?

Difficult question to answer. I'm not an expert on intellectual property but I know that, if I create an original composition, I have copyright on that composition. So, there must be a point where a rhythm is original enough that it would be considered an original composition for copyright purposes.

sure...write it down and notate the hell out of it, but then sell it for profit? when the same artists are trying to "sell" their own craft to support themselves and their families in africa?

I hear you. I'm not familiar with the people involved, so I can't comment directly. I'm familiar with the conflict of ethics this sort of thing can create though. As a scientist, I'm all too familiar with proper attribution and asking permission before republishing something...

i've seen and heard it before: people that use this book as a reference have passed on actually studying with some of the big Masters represented in the book when they've come to town.

You'll find those people everywhere, I suspect. Often they can't afford a workshop (or think they can't afford it) and then, as soon as the workshop is over, acquire the material from people who did go and pay for it. While I freely share what I've learned from my various teachers (yes, with proper attribution), it doesn't take long for me to identify the "takers" who always take without giving. With those, I tend to be less generous in my sharing...

Cheers,

Michi.

[Dugafola]

it can be a sticky situation. i agree with pretty much everything you said.

[e2c]

You've both made some very good points.

Unfortunately, I think this kind of thing tends to happen a lot with music - it's by no means confined to this book. I've seen people return books and/or sheet music a day or two after they bought it... and it's more than likely that they made multiple copies (scans and/or photocopies). There were a couple of customers who did that on a very regular basis - and although we figured they were pirating the material, it always came back in perfect condition. Which meant that we couldn't really do anything about it... it's a big grey area for sure.

No doubt some of that material made its way online pretty fast.

*

About this book: if they really are notating arrangements (etc. - original compositions) w/o permission, I have no doubt that they've crossed a line. The difficulty is in proving it, though. (Did you know that posting a transcription from a recording is a copyright violation in the US, unless the composer and/or performer has given approval and/or royalties, etc. have been paid? This is true of transcriptions of jazz musicians' solos - you'll see columns in some magazines where transcriptions are used as a teaching tool, and all of the legalese is there... or should be!)

The title is ... well, let's put it this way: West Africa is awfully big, and there are many, many different styles of music - and rhythms - there. So the title is, at very least, presumptuous.

[Waraba]

Arrangements should be protected by copyright, including original breaks. Often musicians don't realize that the arrangement they're taught is a creative extrapolation of the traditional song/rhythm.