Konnakol?

[SpawnofHastur]

Does anyone here use konnakol, or something similar, when playing to emphasize their rhythms?

To those that don't know, konnakol is a traditional indian 'vocal percussion'; kind of like beatboxing but far more comprehensive. I don't have a metronome and I think this method might be a bit better for me, allowing me to go with swing-time, and more uncommon time signatures, while being able to emphasise the beat where I want too.

Cheers to any answers, any at all.

[bongomania]

I vocalize for polyrhythms, it helps if my foot is tapping one rhythm and my mouth is vocalizing the other. It leaves my hands free to go back and forth between them.

[newbold]

Konnakol is the first part of tabla school.

if you can vocalize your tabla lines then your teacher knows that you're not just flailing about. Also, it is very useful to bring unity over mind and spirit through the brain/body.

I am also curious to learn more, as I'm a huge procrastinator.

the language of rhythm.

My bandmate has been learning Konokol for a while and it's really improved his rhythmic awareness and general playing. However he is a guitarist - I think Konokol is more useful in application to melodic instruments that are higher in pitch than bass.

One thing I rarely heard while he was practicing was space between the notes - sure it's complicated, but there aren't any spaces, just non-stop syllables.

In application to bass guitar, I would say that african bell patterns have a density that is similar to bass lines, so learning claves, bell patterns and other drum patterns from african and afro-cuban, latin etc is directly applicable.

It might be that with Konokol it progresses to leave big gaps (no doubt this would be massively more difficult), but it's probably advanced Konokol that deals with this if it does.

On the subject of space, maybe Taiko drumming would be interesting to check out too..?

[JohanPetti]

I'm a great fan of the technique! Since I learened it, it just seems impossible how people can handle difficult signatures and rhythms without it. : )
I dont understand the point about spaces. Maybe our rhytmics teacher has a little unusual method, but in the end it can just be used as a really effective method to count. You don't have to play all the syllables.
But I must mention that a metronome should still be used, even more with difficult signatures. There just isn't another alternative for improving your timing.

[62bass]

Originally Posted by SpawnofHastur

Does anyone here use konnakol, or something similar, when playing to emphasize their rhythms?

To those that don't know, konnakol is a traditional indian 'vocal percussion'; kind of like beatboxing but far more comprehensive. I don't have a metronome and I think this method might be a bit better for me, allowing me to go with swing-time, and more uncommon time signatures, while being able to emphasise the beat where I want too.

Cheers to any answers, any at all.

Any at all you say?

Well, I use a form of konnakol although I didn't know until just now that's what it's called. I mutter and swear softly as I play and when the mistakes start to pile up I work up to a shout. With all that going on I don't worry about time.

Seriously, get an electronic metronome. They're really cheap and even the cheap ones these days are plenty accurate. Set it on beats 2 and 4 and practice with that your time will improve quickly. At first it's a bit tough but after a while it feel like you're really grooving. That's when you know you're doing it right. After a couple weeks you'll notice quite a difference and by using the 2 and 4, the backbeats, not every beat, you won't sound stiff and mechanical. It's a proven method that went out of favour when rock and roll came in.

Then when you've improved your time in 4/4 work on the odd time signatures without the metronome.

[Gawd]

I've recently began studying konnakol, and it's really helping my rhythmic senses. I had no trouble before with timing or rhythms, but as was said above it really unifies body and mind. I find it helps especially with the placement of accents.

I'm pretty sure Jonas Hellborg uses it, especially when playing slap bass.

In response to the post above. The syllables are not random, they are very specific, aligning with the groupings of notes, (for instance, a group of four would be "ta ka dhim mi"). This is what really separates konnakol from regular metronome practice, because it heightens your sensibilities of rhythm groupings, creating a more methodical way for your brain to approach complex rhythms.

As I said, I had no problem with rhtyhm before. But the study of konnakol has made the awareness in my brain of what exactly is going on improve tenfold.

There is a reason why this technique has stood the test of time (not sure of exactly how long, but like with most indian practices, it's ancient).

[basmartin]

I love konnakol, probably should study it more. So far, the little I know about it, has been indeed helpful.