Reggae riddums-help plz.

[bass12]

If you guys can find a TV station that plays the "Music Voyager" series, you can see a good explanation and demonstration from none other than Ernest Ranglin, Sly Dunbar and others. "Music Voyager-Jamaica".
One more thing. The term "Rockers" is more associated with an "era" and sound of reggae music than it does to a specific beat (Think Jacob Miller, Burning Spear, the Rockers movie, et. al).
True, rockers is associated more with a steppers beat, but pretty much all reggae music from circa 1974 up to around '78 or so was known interchangeably as "Rockers" or "Reggae". The sound changed again, especially when Sly & Robbie started Taxi and had a string of hits with Black Uhuru, Dennis Brown, Jimmy Riley (Tarrus Riley's father) and others. As a sidenote, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" by Black Uhuru uses a Steppers beat, but NO ONE would ever refer to that song as "Rockers".
As far as counting beats, most Jamaican reggae musicians use the bass drum as the reference. That's just how it is. And don't forget that in One Drop, the snare (rimshot) is the SAME beat as the bass drum.

This all sounds right to me. Thanks for the "Music Voyager" suggestion - I'll try to find that.

 

[One Drop]

Great thread and lot's of right on info.

I can add a link that might help the OP with some foundation riddims and some of their versions. it is nowhere near comprehensive and the sound clips can be iffy, but it is a good resource:

Link Removed

If you google 'reggae riddims' you will find some other more or less useful sites, too.

In the end you just have to listen to a boatload of reggae (and dance to it!) to absorb it and feel it enough to play it with conviction. I'm always amazed at hearing how many otherwise excellent bassists just kill the vibe when playing reggae because they don't really understand the beats and the feels.

 

[hwystar]

Thx for all the suggestions guys.......the journey begins.

 

[xjeremiahx]

keep us posted on this journey. sounds like it'll be a blast. i <3 reggae, dancehall & dub soooooooooooooooooooooooooo gooood.