Information for Samba Band Newbies
Great to have your interest and looking forward to meeting you soon enough.
When you come for the first time we ask you sit with the tambourines - its a good place to observe what's going on. Then you are welcome to swap with people in other instrument teams through the night but you might need to nudge me to ensure you get to move around because some times I forget!
After a couple of weeks or so you can then think about what instrument you might want to play ongoing.
Some 'teams' are more popular than others and so are effectively over subscribed, but there's lots of choice and we can provide advice as to what instrument you might wish to buy if you have decided you really like being a part of the band.
You can also change your instrument in the future but we are asking people at this early stage to stick with an instrument for a few months as we settle down and become bonded musically.
Please read through the tutorials briefly. They are short and to the point except for the one on the instruments - you will need a cup of tea and a biscuit for that one. Dont worry if you dont get through it at this stage. However the tutorials on our community values and our goals for the first year are actually very important and we ask that you read these before coming for the first time.
Please listen to a song or two as well - all our songs will be made available on the internet to allow you to practice your own part in your own time. This however is not obligatory. Some have more time for this than others.
Below is some further information about the instruments and how we will help you find your place in the band : )
The tutorial on instruments provides further clarity on all of this.
Important Information for Newbies
You should not go out and buy an instrument before coming along to rehearsals. We use specific brands of drums and other percussion. If you are an experienced player and have your own instrument, of course, do bring this along with you.
What instrument should I play?
All newbies will have the chance to experiment with different instruments and then decide which 'team' they would like to join. We will help with this decision depending on how quickly you take to different instruments and on how many people are already playing that particular instrument
Other Considerations
The drums (Surdo, Repinique, Caixa and Cuica) are expensive to buy and you will have to purchase your own instrument fairly soon after joining the band. They are however much loved and musicians often give them names!
Surdo drums can be heavy but offer simple patterns to start with. Some of the Caixa drum patterns can be very complex and need to be played very accurately and require a lot of practice and a very natural sense of rhythm. However we will be keeping things simple during our first year but if things go well Caixa players particularly may well wish to rehearse separately to get their heads around the more complex drum patterns that can be enjoyed by experienced players. Something for the future.
Shakers (Ganza) are great for those who wish to dance on the street !
Agogo Bells, Cowbells and Block cut through the noise of the drums and are lighweight to hold, inexpensive to buy but even simple parts need to be played quite accurately.
The Pandeiro is a traditional Brazilian tambourine, essentially a hand drum with bells. Instead of using Pandeiros we will for the first year be using standard tambourines used in rock and pop bands in the west. The parts will generally be easy to play and ideal for those starting out with our band.
Tamborims are always popular. Handheld drums with a little stick beater - they are bright fun and simple patterns to start with although they get more complex as you learn more. Again not particularly expensive to buy and easy to carry around. Very important if walking to rehearsals !
