• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

PLAYING LATIN

#2
Start by listening to the music - a lot. :) Then pick up Oscar Stagnaro's book "The Latin Bass Book". Also, learn some basic percussion (anyone remotely interested in Afro-Cuban bass should, in my opinion, be able to play a basic tumbao on congas and the main clave patterns). Here's a link to the music page of Oscar's site:

Link Removed
 
#3
Hi Lefty,

An outstanding resource is "The Latin Bass Book: A Practical Guide", by Oscar Stagnaro and Chuck Sher
http://www.amazon.com/Latin-Bass-Book-Oscar-Stagnaro/dp/1883217113

It's a very thorough book on various Latin styles for bass, and includes three CDs. It's fun to play and makes for excellent sight reading as well. :)
 
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
#4
I 3rd the recommendation for the Latin Bass Book, but would also add these titles:

The Salsa Guidebook for Piano and Ensemble
(great for seeing how the bass line relates to the other instruments)

True Cuban Bass

The Latin Real Book

Also, go take some lessons with a latin percussionist. Learning to recognize the feels and patterns by ear has been very helpful because shifting from playing with a single drummer to playing with a group of percussionists can take a while to become comfortable.
 
#5
Ben Rose said:
I 3rd the recommendation for the Latin Bass Book, but would also add these titles:

The Salsa Guidebook for Piano and Ensemble
(great for seeing how the bass line relates to the other instruments)

True Cuban Bass

The Latin Real Book

Also, go take some lessons with a latin percussionist. Learning to recognize the feels and patterns by ear has been very helpful because shifting from playing with a single drummer to playing with a group of percussionists can take a while to become comfortable.
Click to expand...

+1 to all the above. Do not over look the utility of learning all the rhythms of the rhytm section: the clave, the piano montunao, the congas, etc. They all interlock.

and If you haven't started reading notation yet, Latin music is an excellent place to start.
 
#7
There's a video by Giovanni Hidalgo called "Conga Virtuoso". It's really useful for its explanations of different rhythms and patters and to see how the different parts of the rhythm section fit together. Also check out the film Calle 54 if you haven't already. :)
 
#11
I've been working on this a little lately because I realized as a non-classical musician a good 90% of the rhythms that I'm working with are Afro based. I hate the term "Latin" in reference to music. Latin is a language who's origins are ancient Rome. Latin as a music has it's origins in Africa.

Anyway enough hair splitting. I've been working through a book from "The Collective" called "Afro-Carribbean and Brazillisn Rhythms for the Bass." Most of the examples have notated drum set parts.

I went through and programmed 6/8, Son, Rhumba, and West African Claves into my drum machine, then all of the drum grooves. When I work with an example I play it first with the respective clave to hear/feel how the bass line locks in with the clave then play it again with the written drum part.

It also has recommended listening at the end of each chapter.

I realize that this is no substitute for playing with real musicians in this particular genre but hey it's a start.

Stay Brown,
Rev J
 
#12
lefty said:
could you give me some recommendations on sme music to listen to as well thanx guys
Click to expand...

Wow - where to begin? Well, Cachao's already been mentioned and that's a great place to start. The Master Sessions are especially good because the recording quality is so high. Same for anything by Africando. Some other names to check out:

- Hector Lavoe

- Ray Barretto

- Tito Puente

- El Gran Combo

- Ruben Blades

- All of the older mambo orchestras (Machito, Perez Prado, Tito Rodriguez, Benny Moré)

- Cubanismo

- Cal Tjader

- Willie Rosario

- Eddie Palmieri

And that's just a taster of some Afro-cuban stuff...
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back