G4 Bullet 1 - Forming or joining a YOUCAT study group. Pope Francis explains to us in Evangelii Gaudium (EG), The Joy of the Gospel, we, that's you and me, are
not isolated islands. "God has found a way to unite himself to every human
being in every age. He has chosen to call them together as a people and not as
isolated individuals." (EG #112-quoting Second Vatican Ecumenical Council,
Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen
Gentium, 9.)
2. Doing our own thing, playing our own rhythms all alone isn't the final straw; we are part of something much bigger, the kingdom of God.
3. Thank God, we are part of Christ's reign going on right now, Christ's church. We need one another - I need each one of you; your prayers, your love.
4. The virtual world can be a start, we enter into it from the privacy of our own home, we learn about the other, we are at ease with one another, and through this knowledge we come to safety and trust. Eventually we become less virtual, less anonymous. Maybe we join a live Google Hangouts session, or we arrange a live chat session with our YOUCAT study group.
5. It doesn't matter if we are all thousands of miles from one another; what matters is that we pray for one another, see the body of Christ in one another, be there for one another- even if, at best, it's through a group chat session, Skype session, Face Time session; plain old fashioned e-mail - and if not immediately, then sometime later on at a mutually agreeable time.
6. God only knows, one day, you may be squeezing the hand of your virtual friend, embracing one another in a big hug, recognizing the warmth of Christ in your friend only now, face to face, one on one! But you have to start somewhere. Here's how:
2. Doing our own thing, playing our own rhythms all alone isn't the final straw; we are part of something much bigger, the kingdom of God.
3. Thank God, we are part of Christ's reign going on right now, Christ's church. We need one another - I need each one of you; your prayers, your love.
4. The virtual world can be a start, we enter into it from the privacy of our own home, we learn about the other, we are at ease with one another, and through this knowledge we come to safety and trust. Eventually we become less virtual, less anonymous. Maybe we join a live Google Hangouts session, or we arrange a live chat session with our YOUCAT study group.
5. It doesn't matter if we are all thousands of miles from one another; what matters is that we pray for one another, see the body of Christ in one another, be there for one another- even if, at best, it's through a group chat session, Skype session, Face Time session; plain old fashioned e-mail - and if not immediately, then sometime later on at a mutually agreeable time.
6. God only knows, one day, you may be squeezing the hand of your virtual friend, embracing one another in a big hug, recognizing the warmth of Christ in your friend only now, face to face, one on one! But you have to start somewhere. Here's how:
- Go to YOUCAT'sFacebook page,
- check out the FAQ's section first,
- scroll through the existing groups,
- open up some group's pages - there my be one all ready for you to join.
- No? Then be brave! Hit the "start new button." Go on, YOU CAN do it!
G4 Bullet 2 -
Finding the "one" and counting, counting when you play. This is where a real 'live' music teacher comes in handy, really - beyond the written word of this blog; at least to start this
"one" off, pun intended.
Knowing where the "one"
is, in any music, is fundamental to playing an instrument or even singing in
time. Sorry - I can't sugar coat this
reality. We CAN start counting now as we play our patterns.
G4 Bullet 3 - Clap on "one" exercise. We could spend an entire half-hour session
just listening to music and simply clapping every time we heard the
"one." Can you do this on
your own, finding the "one" to your favorite songs? Maybe, but not likely (speaking from my own experiences). It takes someone with a bit of experience,
who knows how to show and lead you to the "one" and then, through your
own diligent effort, practicing until you have internalized the finding of the "one" on your own.
9. Very same reason we go to church - we need each other in our search for a greater union with God.
10. Does anyone in your family play an instrument? Yes? Pick about 20 minutes of your favorite songs, better yet, 20 minutes of their favorite songs, and ask them to help you clap the "one" in each measure of the song. How about a friend or someone who plays music in your church? Turn on the radio for them and ask them to help you clap the "one."
11. Pulling out all stops here - if there is absolutely no-one in your family, friends, or church that can help you - do you have an electronic keyboard in your house? One with pre-set demo tracks? Great. Play those demo tracks and watch the LED display window - I'll bet the piece is being counted out: 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4- 1,2,3,4 just watch inside the LED window. Now clap every time use see the "one" come up in the 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4 sequence going on in the instruments LED window.
12. This takes practice. Clapping the "one" is a great, low key exercise and before long, you will actually begin to feel the "one," effortlessly; any song you listen to; a certain pull, a mysterious tug - that's how it will feel.
9. Very same reason we go to church - we need each other in our search for a greater union with God.
10. Does anyone in your family play an instrument? Yes? Pick about 20 minutes of your favorite songs, better yet, 20 minutes of their favorite songs, and ask them to help you clap the "one" in each measure of the song. How about a friend or someone who plays music in your church? Turn on the radio for them and ask them to help you clap the "one."
11. Pulling out all stops here - if there is absolutely no-one in your family, friends, or church that can help you - do you have an electronic keyboard in your house? One with pre-set demo tracks? Great. Play those demo tracks and watch the LED display window - I'll bet the piece is being counted out: 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4- 1,2,3,4 just watch inside the LED window. Now clap every time use see the "one" come up in the 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4 sequence going on in the instruments LED window.
12. This takes practice. Clapping the "one" is a great, low key exercise and before long, you will actually begin to feel the "one," effortlessly; any song you listen to; a certain pull, a mysterious tug - that's how it will feel.
G4 Bullet 4 - Whole, half, and quarter notes and
rests. We learn what God reveals to us through the man Jesus
Christ, written down in words according to eye witness accounts, shared through the Gospels of the Bible. Isn't this astounding? God is using human language to teach supernatural lessons!
14. We too can learn what a songwriter or a rhythm maker is revealing through feelings, written down in music notation, the "words" of music. We'll use internationally accepted symbols of note heads, rests, staff, measures and bar lines.
14. We too can learn what a songwriter or a rhythm maker is revealing through feelings, written down in music notation, the "words" of music. We'll use internationally accepted symbols of note heads, rests, staff, measures and bar lines.
15. Access your Basic
Notation (1) and read through it carefully.
I've also posted a new sheet called Basic Notation (5) copied from
the Encyclopedia of Reading Rhythms by
Gary Hess to help you visualize how the whole, half, and
quarter notes are related to one another.
16. You can see how a whole note is equivalent to two half notes and a half note is equivalent to four quarter notes. We see a vertical rectangle at the beginning of each staff (the arrangement of five horizontal lines) and we call this symbol a "percussion clef;" the notes to follow are to be played on percussion instruments.
16. You can see how a whole note is equivalent to two half notes and a half note is equivalent to four quarter notes. We see a vertical rectangle at the beginning of each staff (the arrangement of five horizontal lines) and we call this symbol a "percussion clef;" the notes to follow are to be played on percussion instruments.
17. Of these three notes, tabletop players and nearly every conga player I've ever watched, can really only be
concerned with the playing of quarter
notes. You won't play a whole note or a
half note on the tabletop. Besides,
you're not going to find a pattern for drum or tabletop where the note is
expected to be held out to resonate or sustain for a period longer than one
quarter note. Try it yourself. Strike your tabletop and notice how quickly
the sound dissipates. Now strike a
guitar string or a piano key and you've got a totally different story
altogether- the note sustains - it continues to resonate, sounding off. Melodic instruments are designed to sustain
whereas the majority of rhythm instruments are not.
18. Sometimes we just need to rest.
18. Sometimes we just need to rest.
RESTS are a
different story. Go to the bottom of
Basic Notation (1) where I illustrate notes and rests. Take the "half" rest. Now doing the math - in one measure, a
"measure" is a space on the staff divided by "bar lines;" a space to
place notes and rests, I could play two quarter notes and then rest for two
quarter rests, or for that matter, one half rest. Either way, they add up to the same thing -
we are resting, not playing any notes, while we count the remaining two quarter
notes in silence.
19. Or, in one measure, we could play 4 quarter notes in a row counting 1,2,3,4, as we strike the tabletop four times and then in the next measure, we could observe a "whole" rest, remaining silent - not striking the tabletop at all while we count out 1,2,3,4. Instead of looking at a "whole" rest symbol we could get the same desired outcome by writing four quarter rests in the measure. Either way, they add up to the same thing - we are resting, not playing any notes, while we count four quarter notes.
19. Or, in one measure, we could play 4 quarter notes in a row counting 1,2,3,4, as we strike the tabletop four times and then in the next measure, we could observe a "whole" rest, remaining silent - not striking the tabletop at all while we count out 1,2,3,4. Instead of looking at a "whole" rest symbol we could get the same desired outcome by writing four quarter rests in the measure. Either way, they add up to the same thing - we are resting, not playing any notes, while we count four quarter notes.
G4 Bullets 5-7, Learn the Rhythm - Tumbao: The Two-Slap Tumbao
SPEAK THE RHYTHM: te re Pa Pa te re Du Du...te re Pa Pa te re Du Du
21. Work both hands: Remember; when working on technique, whatever is true for the right hand is true for the left hand. You will find that if you are right handed, the patterns starting with the right hand will be easier to play than when starting the same pattern with the left hand (and vice versa). Switch hands: If you are right handed, use your left hand now to start playing the pattern. It helps me to go to the practice sheet (see YOU Practice) and write out L,R,L,R,L,R,L,R below the R,L,R,L,R,L,R,L line so that I can clearly see the strokes my left hand is supposed to be playing at a particular moment (beat) in time. Start slowly and work up your speed as your accuracy improves; this exercise develops dexterity.
G4 Bullet 8 - Topic A2, Chew On It. Man Is Receptive
to God: Cravings, Desires, and
Lattes. Why do we yearn for
happiness? (YOUCAT 281)
23. Douglas McManaman in Introduction to Philosophy for Young People
writes "Most people tend to associate happiness with feeling good, that
is, with a life that offers a variety of pleasures and comforts. Some tend to associate happiness with being
able to do whatever they want to do, still others associate it with achieving
everything they have set out to achieve in life. But ask yourself whether it is possible to
have many and frequent pleasures in life, yet remain unhappy. And is it possible to have a few pleasures in
life, yet be happy? Moreover, is it
possible to be able to do whatever you want, yet still be unhappy? Finally, is it possible to achieve everything
you have set out to achieve in life, yet remain profoundly unhappy?"
24. In 1987, at the
young age of 23, I obtained my first dream car, a brand new black, Jaguar
four-door sedan. I was on top of the
world - for a few days anyway. It seemed
I was happiest when I was in it and people I knew (or didn't know) saw me in
it. I had so identified with this car
that when I was in it I was happy and when I wasn't in it I had to keep
reminding myself (and probably others too) that I had it so that I could be happy
again. I may have heard the choir of
angels singing when I drove it into the front, valet parking area of some
trendy night club, in full view of a long line of fashionable people waiting to
get in. But once inside, when it came
right down to it, there was no sign around my neck that read "The guy
driving the black Jaguar" and there certainly wasn't a wallet in my back
pocket with an unlimited amount of cash inside that might have otherwise drawn
the kind of attention I must have been seeking.
After only a few months, and many, many car washes later, the black
Jaguar felt like any other car I had owned - it no longer was the summit of my
happiness.
25. "Happiness is not in us, nor is happiness outside
of us. Happiness is in God alone. And if we have found him, then it is
everywhere." Blaise Pascal
(1588-1651)
26. Can you think of any
material thing that in itself has made you happy for years on end. Ok, maybe your home - but were you really
happy with it after it became infested with termites? When a storm blew off
half its shingles? After being invited
to your lifelong friends house, a much bigger and fancier home? And what about the fleeting happiness that
comes with technology purchases? The
Toshiba I'm typing on today was at one time my pride and joy, state-of-the art,
fast as they come, computing powerhouse; not any longer I'm afraid. Ok, I'm still grateful to have it and you
know what? It's this kind of simple
gratitude that makes me happy now, not the device.
27. Man is receptive to
God: Cravings, Desires & Lattes (YOUCAT Study Guide, pg 5)
28. This is
reasonable. If God created human beings,
and if he created people in his image, then it's reasonable to conclude he also
knows what will make us the happiest.
Yet, fallen like we are, we seem to come equipped with cravings and
desires that often lead us completely off the mark as to what really makes us
happy.
29. We start worshipping things other than God. Things like Jaguars, technology, members of the opposite-sex (or same-sex for some), money, eating out at fine restaurants, ourselves, the attention and adoration others give us when we start climbing the rungs in society, ourselves, participating in activities that elevate us to celebrity like status, and oh yeah - ourselves.
29. We start worshipping things other than God. Things like Jaguars, technology, members of the opposite-sex (or same-sex for some), money, eating out at fine restaurants, ourselves, the attention and adoration others give us when we start climbing the rungs in society, ourselves, participating in activities that elevate us to celebrity like status, and oh yeah - ourselves.
30. Thank God we always
have some help - even when we are the farthest away, at the opposite end of
where the kingdom of God should be (at least in our own mind). We have an advocate, working on our behalf,
yes always, whether we give him credit or not.
It's true.
31.Unregulated desires, passions, our heads too often buried in our gadgets, and sensualities lead us to sin against our Creator, our most merciful God and so he pulls us back to himself anyway because of the love he has for his poor creatures.
31.Unregulated desires, passions, our heads too often buried in our gadgets, and sensualities lead us to sin against our Creator, our most merciful God and so he pulls us back to himself anyway because of the love he has for his poor creatures.
32. Silence first, just
allowing oneself to simply think.
Like we learned above in using rests; silence is part of making music. Silence has its place. Take thirty minutes rest from all electronics…to think…to ponder over higher truths maybe…can you do it? If God really is our Creator...if God really became man…the Word made flesh…our flesh…communicating in human words, this Jesus Christ. If Christ was a real historical figure...really walked this earth, the same one I'm walking now...wait a minute, the very Creator of the earth we are all walking now…the man that was crucified and rose from the dead…forever defeating the hold death had on people before He came.
Like we learned above in using rests; silence is part of making music. Silence has its place. Take thirty minutes rest from all electronics…to think…to ponder over higher truths maybe…can you do it? If God really is our Creator...if God really became man…the Word made flesh…our flesh…communicating in human words, this Jesus Christ. If Christ was a real historical figure...really walked this earth, the same one I'm walking now...wait a minute, the very Creator of the earth we are all walking now…the man that was crucified and rose from the dead…forever defeating the hold death had on people before He came.
33. Be silent enough to
even think about the alternative…if there is no God then everything I am
part of is just a random, chance occurrence of events…absolutely no meaning...absent any higher intelligence...cold...loveless...and so better do whatever feels good now
because soon it's ALL over…blackness…
34. No way, I conclude at this point, usually way before this point, stopping the deluge of nonsense….this lure of the "strictly material" world. The engineer in me, the quasi academic side, having studied probabilities - wins out in the end and using reason, I come to trust in God over the alternative. I make a renewed assent to higher, transcendental realities, cognizant that even our best secular scientists must also press against limits too, and then make decisions how to treat what lies beyond those limits; the unknown and mysterious. What lies beyond? A matter of speculation or a matter of faith?
34. No way, I conclude at this point, usually way before this point, stopping the deluge of nonsense….this lure of the "strictly material" world. The engineer in me, the quasi academic side, having studied probabilities - wins out in the end and using reason, I come to trust in God over the alternative. I make a renewed assent to higher, transcendental realities, cognizant that even our best secular scientists must also press against limits too, and then make decisions how to treat what lies beyond those limits; the unknown and mysterious. What lies beyond? A matter of speculation or a matter of faith?
35. I will for stronger
faith in God, a greater hope in God, a love for God and the faith in God that
has been granted by grace and revealed to me throughout my lifetime, even when
I wasn't paying attention. Today, for the most part, I am at peace, joyful. Ordinary events take on new meaning, a joyful
radiance that wasn't there before. But
none of this happens without silence. Rests. Allowing oneself time to think daily. I'm convinced that I too must see for
myself what this man named Jesus Christ really taught - using the human mind, memory, and understanding - finding and concluding the relevance of
what He taught and finding it to be just as poignant today as it was when He preached it over 2000
years ago.
36. The Beatitudes are the heart of Jesus' preaching.
The Beatitudes
(Matthew 5:3-12) respond to our natural desire for happiness.
"They take up
the promises made to the chosen people since Abraham. The Beatitudes fulfill the promises by
ordering them no longer merely to possession of a territory, but to the Kingdom
of heaven." (Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) #1716)
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
- Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
- Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
- Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
- Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. (Mt. 5:3-12)
37. Find out what each
of these sentences means for you in silence.
If you need some help - go to the early Church Fathers - what did these sentences mean to them? Read a few philosophers and theologians - what did these sentences mean to them? Contemplate again in silence and slowly but
surely, in a few days, in a few months, in a few years, at your deathbed….the
Beatitudes will have meaning, the meaning Christ Himself had when He spoke them
for your benefit and for my benefit.
Hopefully, it’s the journey itself, towards understanding, that brings
you the most joy and happiness.
38. "The Beatitudes
respond to the natural desire for happiness.
This desire is of divine origin:
God has placed it in the human
heart in order to draw man to the one who alone can fulfil it. We all want
to live happily; in the whole human race there is no one who does not assent to
this proposition, even before it is fully articulated." -St. Augustine, De morribus eccl. 1,3,4: PL
32,1312.
39. "How is it, then, that I seek you Lord? Since in seeking you, my God, I seek a happy
life, let me seek you so that my soul may live, for my body draws life from my
soul and my soul draws life from you." -St. Augustine, Conf. 10,20: PL 32, 791
40. God has placed….God has put…God has created... in all
of us, these cravings and desires.
At the end of every
craving, of every desire, of every longing, in all of them is "...an
infinite desire for happiness." (YOUCAT 281) and "….a longing to seek and
find him." (YOUCAT 3)
41. But as a result of
sin, human sin, original sin, we can be tricked fooled, misled, enticed to take
the wrong path; not all desires or feelings can be acted upon without harming
us. Even good things, taken without moderation,
can soon become a problem for us.
42. Raw emotions without
the screen of thinking and reasoning to
sift through them can cause disorders, discord, and depression in our
lives. Water is good for us but too
much of it all at once can be destructive, even deadly. Raw emotions can be likened to the wave of
water that floods the city downstream.
Thinking and reasoning is like the well designed drainage ditch that
safely channels the potentially destructive force of the stormwater (emotions) below the
city and out to the other side.
43. Go to God and pray to God, listening, accepting God's will.
"Sort out my longings Lord. Put me on the path toward complete fulfillment."
43. Go to God and pray to God, listening, accepting God's will.
"Sort out my longings Lord. Put me on the path toward complete fulfillment."
44. Fortunately, when we
get off the mark, we can still go and make a good confession before a
priest. In the interests of justice we
practice acts of reparation to make good, to repair harm caused by our
transgressions, our sinfulness, to respond in gratitude for the unmerited act
of redemption done for us by our loving Father. To begin again, and again, and again, and again, increasing virtue bit
by bit while decreasing vice bit by bit.
45. "Man plunges
into the depths of reality whenever he enters into his own heart; God, who
probes the heart, awaits him there; there he discerns his proper destiny
beneath the eyes of God." (The Church in the Modern World, no 14 - Second Vatican Council)
46. The importance of
regular housecleaning of the heart is more than just a catchy metaphor. Try to prepare somewhere nice for the
Master, the chief Physician; our God - who waits for us here in the innermost
spaces of our heart, where nothing is hidden. No this task can't be
underestimated.
47. God understands the cravings, desires, and longings found here, the true purpose - exactly because he became man and lived among men. God wills us to organize our interior life, keeping the craving that longs for the finish line - keeping the desire for living our true purpose in life according to the will of God - keeping the longing to love God and to love our neighbor for God's sake. All the rest can be thrown out with the trash. Create a mental picture of nuns with power washers spraying the interior of your heart clean...all the gunk laced liquid just draining out of your body. Yes we are clean again! Exactly the way it feels after making a good, contrite confession.
47. God understands the cravings, desires, and longings found here, the true purpose - exactly because he became man and lived among men. God wills us to organize our interior life, keeping the craving that longs for the finish line - keeping the desire for living our true purpose in life according to the will of God - keeping the longing to love God and to love our neighbor for God's sake. All the rest can be thrown out with the trash. Create a mental picture of nuns with power washers spraying the interior of your heart clean...all the gunk laced liquid just draining out of your body. Yes we are clean again! Exactly the way it feels after making a good, contrite confession.
48. God alone satisfies. -St. Thomas Aquinas,
Expos. insymb.apost.I.
49. "To will all that God wills and always to will
it, on all occasions and without reservations, is the Kingdom of God that is
completely within." Francois
Fenelon (1651-1715)
50. "The Beatitudes
reveal the face of Jesus Christ and his deep love for humanity. In light of Christ's glorious Passion and
Resurrection; the Beatitudes spell out the mission of those faithful to Christ;
reveal actions and attitudes that mark the Christian life; make promises for
hope in the middle of trials and suffering; however dimly for Christ's
disciples; [yes, that's you and me!]
They have begun in the lives of the Virgin Mary and all the
saints." (CCC 1717)
51. I have come to recognize a stark contrast between my wealth and the
meager possessions of the countless poor; many industrious but still completely
impoverished people. I have witnessed the shanty and squatter areas of a "third world" (developing
country) where many of the poor live and work. My solidarity with
them is in the Beatitudes.
52. In light of the Beatitudes, Christ doesn't ask us to form a system of social justice that would elevate the "poor" on a par with the "wealthy," for example, increasing the number of material items the poor owned, so that all people at all times simply owned a lot of stuff. No, this isn't the Beatitude that leads to happiness.
53. Granted, a more uniform material consumption of goods among people is desired, but this in itself is not the end all, be all source of happiness. In practicing the Beatitudes, rich and poor alike can participate now, without waiting for such material parity, living joyfully, in the kingdom of heaven on earth established by Christ for all.
54. Rich or poor alike can practice the Beatitudes. If one group over the other could be said to be better disposed, according to Jesus Christ, the keys to the kingdom of heaven on earth lie with the poor.
52. In light of the Beatitudes, Christ doesn't ask us to form a system of social justice that would elevate the "poor" on a par with the "wealthy," for example, increasing the number of material items the poor owned, so that all people at all times simply owned a lot of stuff. No, this isn't the Beatitude that leads to happiness.
53. Granted, a more uniform material consumption of goods among people is desired, but this in itself is not the end all, be all source of happiness. In practicing the Beatitudes, rich and poor alike can participate now, without waiting for such material parity, living joyfully, in the kingdom of heaven on earth established by Christ for all.
54. Rich or poor alike can practice the Beatitudes. If one group over the other could be said to be better disposed, according to Jesus Christ, the keys to the kingdom of heaven on earth lie with the poor.
55. "The Beatitudes
reveal the goal of human existence, the ultimate end of human acts: God calls
us to his own beatitude. This vocation is addressed to each individual
personally, but also to the Church as a whole, the new people made up of those
who have accepted the promise and live from it in faith." (CCC 1719)
56. "The Beatitudes take
up and fulfill God's promises from Abraham on by ordering them to the Kingdom
of heaven. They respond to the desire
for happiness that God has placed in the human heart." (CCC 1725)
57. Despite the political difficulties and great
suffering, African and Cuban people alike long for happiness and still more,
for the kingdom of heaven now.
58. Cuba appears to be the country where the Tumbao, our Lesson G4 pattern, originated. The Tumbao - the staple - is the tried and true favorite pattern for me to accompany standard, 4/4 pop rock songs. Variations like the "Two-Slap Tumbao" abound.
59. "Under Spain, Cuba became the most profitable sugar-producing region in the world. Sugar was an enormously valuable commodity in the 17th and 18th centuries; individual fortunes and national economies were founded on the sugar trade. Thousands of African slaves were brought in to work the vast cane plantations. These slaves were controlled by the Spanish in various ways. Among other things, they were forced to speak Spanish and accept Christianity. In defiance, slaves gave their African gods the names of Christian saints and continued to worship them in their native languages. This form of worship, known as Santeria, preserved many African religious, ritual and musical traditions, and is still practiced today. [In] it's ceremonies we can hear West African rhythms in their nearly-original state." Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drumset by Frank Malabe and Bob Weiner
59. "Under Spain, Cuba became the most profitable sugar-producing region in the world. Sugar was an enormously valuable commodity in the 17th and 18th centuries; individual fortunes and national economies were founded on the sugar trade. Thousands of African slaves were brought in to work the vast cane plantations. These slaves were controlled by the Spanish in various ways. Among other things, they were forced to speak Spanish and accept Christianity. In defiance, slaves gave their African gods the names of Christian saints and continued to worship them in their native languages. This form of worship, known as Santeria, preserved many African religious, ritual and musical traditions, and is still practiced today. [In] it's ceremonies we can hear West African rhythms in their nearly-original state." Afro-Cuban Rhythms for Drumset by Frank Malabe and Bob Weiner
60. OK - forcing people
to adopt one's religious belief isn't a Beatitude and the Catholic Church, for
it's part, most recently under Pope John Paul II, has made apologies regarding
the injustices of Catholics during slave trading. Being a blessing to those who are poor in spirit is a Beatitude and today, Christianity is seeing unprecedented growth on
the continent of Africa.
61. Last but not least, here's what others
are saying about the Tumbao:
"Tumbao is the
most popular conga pattern in contemporary Latin music. But it's also a versatile groove that fits
well with rock, funk, and jazz. Once you
learn it, you'll find plenty of opportunities to play it." Hip Grooves for Hand Drums by Alan Dworsky
and Betsy Sansby
62. The Tumbao, it's a
pattern "…used in Latin, jazz, and contemporary pop-rock music today. You should know that in the 1940s, the conga
drummer in a traditional Cuban dance group used only one drum. Thus the player's role was to play a constant
tumbao rhythm with slight variations and little or no soloing." Play Congas Now - The Basics and Beyond by Richie Gajate-Garcia
63. "The Tumbao is
a popular conga rhythm and the nucleus of many other rhythms including the
Bolero, Cha-Cha-Cha, Mambo, and Guajira to name a few." Afro-Cuban Drumming: A Comprehensive Guide to Traditional & Contemporary Styles by
Glen Caruba
64. "In a few days it will be Christmas, a great feast for us Christians, but also for the whole human race, which, without knowing it, is looking for Christ. Christmas is coming, and God wants us to be joyful, like the shepherds, like the wise men, like Mary and Joseph. We shall be full of joy if Our Lord is really present in our life, if we have not lost him, if we have not allowed our sight to be clouded by tepidity or lack of generosity.
65. When our attempts to discover happiness along other paths which lead away from God, all one finds in fact is sorrow and misery. All those who, in one way or another, ever turned their backs on God have had the same experience: they have proved that apart from God there is no true happiness. There can be none. To find Christ, and to remain in his company, is to possess a deep happiness which is new every day." (In Conversation with God by Francis Fernandez)
64. "In a few days it will be Christmas, a great feast for us Christians, but also for the whole human race, which, without knowing it, is looking for Christ. Christmas is coming, and God wants us to be joyful, like the shepherds, like the wise men, like Mary and Joseph. We shall be full of joy if Our Lord is really present in our life, if we have not lost him, if we have not allowed our sight to be clouded by tepidity or lack of generosity.
65. When our attempts to discover happiness along other paths which lead away from God, all one finds in fact is sorrow and misery. All those who, in one way or another, ever turned their backs on God have had the same experience: they have proved that apart from God there is no true happiness. There can be none. To find Christ, and to remain in his company, is to possess a deep happiness which is new every day." (In Conversation with God by Francis Fernandez)
G4 Bullet 9 - Assignment ONE. The completion of this assignment, is
a requisite for Gray Level graduation.
Throughout this course, I will assign rhythm practice exercises from the
Encyclopedia of Reading Rhythms: Text and Workbook for All Instruments by Gary Hess. It's less than $15 on Amazon and
might even be available free, via download through eBook readers. Part of the assignment is a one page rhythm
training from Hess' workbook. There's
also an opportunity to record and play along with a few of your favorite songs
as well as a written section responding to the text sections of Lessons G1-G4.
Regarding the assignment's written portion, read the questions carefully -
several have more than one question to answer.
You can do it!
G4 Bullets 10 - YOU Practice Lesson G4. If you want measurable results - try to
practice both your faith and drumming at least 30 minutes a day.
a.) Playing simple rhythms on a daily basis can be similar in repetition to (but never used in place of) making a daily examination of conscience at the end of the day.
b.) When you first start doing this you can use the Ten Commandments as a guideline for your examination. When you have thoroughly examined your conscience, fostering a spirit of contrition in the process, you can end with an Act of Contrition prayer. Now you're ready to go have your confession heard.
c.) Did you know that frequent confession is the best way to turn human "frailties" and "defects" into more virtuous behavior?
d.) Practice perfects the one undergoing the repetitious movement; either naturally or supernaturally. Stick always to a daily rhythm of prayer. And don't forget to practice the "rests" in your patterns; seek periods of silence to simply think about higher ordered mysteries.
e.) Answered prayers are reminders of God's supernatural order present in our very own lives. The Church teaches the fruitful value of a sound prayer life; my family and I, can give personal testimony to the effectiveness of daily prayer. Practice makes perfect!
a.) Playing simple rhythms on a daily basis can be similar in repetition to (but never used in place of) making a daily examination of conscience at the end of the day.
b.) When you first start doing this you can use the Ten Commandments as a guideline for your examination. When you have thoroughly examined your conscience, fostering a spirit of contrition in the process, you can end with an Act of Contrition prayer. Now you're ready to go have your confession heard.
c.) Did you know that frequent confession is the best way to turn human "frailties" and "defects" into more virtuous behavior?
d.) Practice perfects the one undergoing the repetitious movement; either naturally or supernaturally. Stick always to a daily rhythm of prayer. And don't forget to practice the "rests" in your patterns; seek periods of silence to simply think about higher ordered mysteries.
e.) Answered prayers are reminders of God's supernatural order present in our very own lives. The Church teaches the fruitful value of a sound prayer life; my family and I, can give personal testimony to the effectiveness of daily prayer. Practice makes perfect!
G4 Bullet 11 - Table Task: Thank.
"Like" a Christian organization on FaceBook, for
example: St Paul Street Evangelization and "Share" an Internet meme
with a timely message about abortion or some other issue important to your faith. Involvement and support like this is a way of showing your thanks and gratitude to the many men and women whom are active, today, right now on the behalf of Christ's kingdom ...thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven....
Gray Level Syllabus
"Time For The Table" The Way and Means
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