More drums

Subject: More drums
From: GUEST,MCB
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 07:49 PM

I want more drums and percussion in folk music.

Is it fair or representative to exclude drums and percussion from folk music?

Which culture in the world does not include drums and percussion in folk music.

I know drums are part of the percussion family.

I am part of the percussion family.

Please reply, show your passions and the prejudice.

Subject: RE: More drums
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 07:57 PM

I'm with you, friend. I LOVE drums. Any kind. I am not a bodhran hater. I love drum solos. Drums are sexy. Drums get the blood moving. One of the high points of my life was playing in an orchestra (as a first violin) for a Tympani Concerto. I sat just in front of the tympani, and it was Wonderful.

Subject: RE: More drums
From: GUEST,MCB
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 08:02 PM

There are 89 songs in the Mudcat songs database that mention drums.

How many times have you heard a folk sing a song which mentions drums and yet the group does not have a drummer or percussionist (there is a difference) in their lineup.

How rude is this?

Subject: RE: More drums
From: Dave Wynn
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 08:20 PM

Drummers (percussionists) Tip of the day..."Hit 'em half as hard but twice as often".

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BODHRÁN SONG (Brian O'Rourke)
From: GUEST,120dB Djembe
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 08:54 PM

The Bodhrán Song

as performed by Tim Dennehy on a CD called 20 Famous Irish Ballads

Oh I am a year old kid I'm worth scarcely fifteen quid. I'm the kind of beast you might well look down on But my value will increase At the time of my decease For when I grow up I want to be a bodhrán.

If you kill me for my meat You won't find me very sweet. Your palate I'm afraid I'll soon turn sour on. Ah but if you do me in For the sake of my thick skin You'll find I make a tasty little bodhrán.

Now my parents Bill and Nan, They do not approve my plan To become a yoke for every yob to pound on Ah but I would sooner scamper With a bang than with a whimper And achieve reincarnation as a bodhrán.

I look forward to the day When I leave off eating hay And become a drum to entertain a crowd on And I'll make my presence felt With each well-delivered belt As a fully qualified and licensed bodhrán.

And 'tis when I'm killed and cured My career will be assured I'll be a skin you'll see no scum nor scour on But with studs around my rim I'll be sound in wind and limb And I'll make a dandy, handy little bodhrán.

Oh my heart with joy expands When I dream of far-off lands And consider all the streets that I will sound on And I pity my poor ma Who has never seen a Fleadh Or indulged in foreign travel as a bodhrán.

For a hornpipe or a reel A dead donkey has no feel Or a horse or cow or sheep that has its shroud on And you can't join in a jig If you're a former grade A pig But you can wallop out the lot if you're a bodhrán.

So if e'er you're feeling low To a session you should go And bring me there to exercise an hour on. You can strike a mighty thump On my belly, back or rump But I thank you if you'd wait till I'm a bodhrán.

When I dedicate my hide, I'll enhance the family pride And tradition is a thing I won't fall down on For I'll bear a few young bucks Who'll inherit my good looks And be proud to know their old one is a bodhrán.

And I don't think I'll much mind When I've left himself behind For the critter can no longer turn the power on For with a celtic ink design Tattooed on my behind I can be a very sexy little bodhrán

Now I think you've had enough Of this rubbishy old guff So I'll put a sudden end to my wee amhrán And quite soon my bloody bleat Will become a steady beat When I start my new existence as a bodhrán.

Subject: RE: More drums
From: GUEST,Ringo
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 08:58 PM

Which group of instruments have the greatest dynamic range and can best utilise the greater dynamic range of CDs and DVDs?

Subject: RE: More drums
From: GUEST,Marcus Campus Bellorum
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 09:30 PM

Drums are loud because they are efficient devices for converting hand and arm and foot movements into vibrating air particles.

The people who play loudly and show no awareness of other musicians and audiences are not limited to drums and percussion instruments.

The problem simply gets back to the inherent efficiency of drums and percussion. 20 drunken violinists are as bad to listen to as 20 drunken djembe players.

The other problem with drums is the learning curve. The curve for drums starts very shallow, almost horizontal. This means that initially, everyone can "beat" a drum. The curve, however, rises steeply as one proceeds along the path from "beating and hitting" to playing the drums. Most people dropout as musicianship levels need to increase and daily practice and hard work become necessary. A few continue on and on because excellent drumming is its own reward. These people however are lumped in with the "beaters" who never move away from that level, rarely play musically, and who give all drummers a bad name.

The uniquely shallow initial learning curve for drums attracts the drongos. And then they play loudly.

This is unfortunate for those people, such as myself, who see and hear as much meaning and passion in a well played drum as there is a well played violin, flute, whistle, voice, cello, etc.

So, it is not the drums that drums are noisy and annoying. In fact, they are very silent. It takes the people, their hands, sticks, and feet to bring them to life. Whether the sounds are good bad or indifferent depends on the people.

The issue of whether or not to have drums reflects more on the nature of humanity than it does on membranophones and idiophones. The conflict in the middle east (or anywhere for that matter) has more in common with this argument than any argument about melody and harmony dynamics, pitch etc.

People kill music drums do not.

Subject: RE: More drums
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 12:04 AM

EWWWWWW *BG*

Ebbie

Subject: RE: More drums
From: Troll
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 12:48 AM

Agreed, Guest Marcus. Agreed. (wait for it. waaait...)
But, there are times when a drum is not apropriate -as with all instruments- and drummers especially -that flat learning curve- need to realize this.
Two of the bands I play in have a drummer full time. In on he uses a full kit. In the other, a bodhran. In both cases, he has learned that when NOT to play is as important as WHAT he plays.
When he first got the bodhran (he's 18) he drove everyone mad. I finally turned him over to a friend on the Isle of Man, Clive Kneal, for some instruction. Clive talked to him for two hours and never touched the drum. The lesson was on the philosophy of drumming and rhythm in general
It cost me three pints on Guiness and it was worth every penny. Jason (my foster son) is a much better musician for it.

troll

Subject: RE: More drums
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 04:37 AM

Drums may not always be appropriate in a folk context but I have many positive memories of drums and drummers I've seen live: of wooden slit drums in the S.Pacific (Cook Islands); steel drums, goatskin drums and assorted percussion in the West Indies (St Lucia).The Corries making the hair on the back of the neck stand up when singing accompanied only by 2 bodhrans, and of course the many, many jazz drummers I've enjoyed over the years from the stick juggling of Sonny Payne with Basie to the wig whirling of Lennie Hastings with Alex Welsh....
and I haven't mentioned washboards...
RtS

Subject: RE: More drums
From: NSC
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 05:17 AM

GUEST,120dB Djembe

The song you posted as recorded by Tim Dennehy was written by Brian O'Rourke.

Himself , Tim Lyons and Fintan Vallely had an internal competition on who could write the best Bóhdran song.

I will try to transcribe both later today and post them asap.