Brazillian music (Any tips on how to play it?)

[xlrogue6]

I'll be revisiting this thread to follow all those music links!
Jazzy, I concur with others--when you're trying to absorb a challenging new style (well, it seems like it to me, terminal Norte Americano that I am), don't throw yourself a curve by adding the challenge of playing it on upright from the get-go. Get comfortable with the material then add in the DB and I suspect it will go better overall. DB is a harsh mistress (says the guy whose DB and Messenger EUB have been languishing of late).

[edwin]

I wish I knew! My technique is not up to it these days.

My location recording career seems to have narrowed in on utterly amazing Brazilian musicians who come through and play concerts in much smaller venues than they should (Ian Coury, Paula Santoro, Alessandro Penezzi, Cesar Garambini, Choro das Tres, Rogério Souza and Edinho Gerber, and a host of wonderful local Colorado artists). Every single one of them has not only been incredible soulful and virtuosic, but also the most wonderful people on earth. Boulder, Colorado has a great Brazilian scene.

At some point, the guy who produces these concerts and I will put together a compilation.

[jazzyvee]

Well a heartfelt thanks to everyone who has responded so far and I have taken on board the advice and listened to a lot of music on  youtube. I went to a watch a band playing Brazillian music at the weekend in a really small coffee shop and watched the bass player like a hawk. Interestingly, most of what he was playing wasn't based on that second beat so maybe they were playing a slightly different flavour of the genre.
Anyway I survived the rehearsal last night and took your advice of taking my electric bass (Elan 4 with Double P pickups). I guess we went through about 8 or 9 tracks in the 3 hour session and they were happy at the end of it. I will most likely bring the DB down for a few tracks next week.
Thanks again. 

[glocke]

I recently started getting playing a couple brazilian and latin tunes in my jazz quartet.  There is a lot of information on youtube that helped get me started.

Flavio Lira is pretty cool and looks stoned in his videos but is just high on Samba:

Jim Stinnett has some great videos at Real bass lessons on youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCTLM0C5Acp-0xi4ZEb-mSQg/videos?flow=list&sort=da&view=0&itct=CBMQui8iEwio3dPfo9_VAhXJHAMKHTG_BS8%3D&gl=US&hl=en&client=mv-google

At the end of the day though getting 1:1 instruction from someone is always the best way to learn...that is provided  you can find a quality instructor.   

I've found that most of the better players are happy to share their knowledge, Jazzy said he saw a brazilian group play, maybe hit that guy up for some tips.

Also, re: Jazzy saying he didn't hear the second beat being emphasized in the group he saw...Brazilian music is usually in 2/4 right? So if he was counting it in 4/4 that second beat would actually be counted as beat 3 if he was counting in 4/4.  (I could be totally off on that too).

I like looking at notated examples of things...

Surdo patterns (written in 2/4) can be seen here: http://www.mycongaplace.com/instrument/surdo/index.htm

From one of the links above, Flavio Liras samba patters (written in 4/4) can be seen here.  https://www.lessonface.com/sites/default/files/lessonface_samba_tutorial.pdf

Lastly, this book is a great resource..https://www.amazon.com/Latin-Bass-Book-Oscar-Stagnaro/dp/1883217113/ref=pd_sbs_14_t_1/144-0119425-7839179?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1883217113&pd_rd_r=6f51d4dc-d67a-4156-85ed-97d0178e2fe9&pd_rd_w=wx7JR&pd_rd_wg=SDnbd&pf_rd_p=5cfcfe89-300f-47d2-b1ad-a4e27203a02a&pf_rd_r=D3N76MRTDZDDEX7EVDH8&psc=1&refRID=D3N76MRTDZDDEX7EVDH8


Additional tips to get through all this that have been helpful to me the past few months of navigating this stuff...
1) Keep your lines simple and focus on what the rhythm is. 

2) Practice the stuff slowly...starting at 60 BPM and work your way up in tempo.  Frankly Im embarrassed to admit I never realized just how useful practicing things that slow can really be, it gives yourself a chance to digest whats going on and really feel things...

3) One other thing I've started doing is practicing some of this stuff on percussion instruments...I think it helps to just get your brain more in tune/in-sync with whats going on with these different styles.  You don't have to go all out. A shaker, claves, etc...are a good place to start http://www.lpmusic.com/products/percussion/claves

[jazzyvee]

I've just got home from my first full rehearsal playing only my classico and it went well and from what I heard I was pretty much in tune with the piano. I did record some tracks on my ipad and that will tell me the difference between what my ears told me and the truth. Interestingly the band loved it and one of the first questions, which I'm sure many of us get asked when sporting an alembic. "How much did it cost?"
As it happens I never tell what I paid outside those who know alembics well, I just told them to do a search on line. Then it suddenly went quiet. hahahaha
Fortunately I got mine used. :-)