Tony Allen: The 5 Major Drum Patterns of Afrobeat
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- Опубліковано 2 тра 2020
- Tony Allen breaks down the five major drum patterns of Afrobeat in an unreleased clip from our recent documentary Birth of Afrobeat. Birth of Afrobeat highlights the legendary drummer's life and has screened at over 50 film festivals and cultural institutions around the world. The film premiered on PBS in January 2020.
When we explained the mission of Rest In Beats, preserving legacy and encouraging intergenerational dialogue in music, Tony understood it right away. He regularly honored his musical lineage (Victor Olaiya, Max Roach, Art Blakey) and worked with many musicians who were his junior (Damon Albarn, Chicago Afrobeat Project, Erykah Badu, Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Afrobeats artists).
“Tony had an impact as powerful as Fela Kuti’s voice, though he rarely said much,” Okeyo told Rolling Stone. “His weapon was collaboration and he was Afrobeat’s greatest ambassador. While we were filming, Tony said, ‘Afrobeat is the only major music genre of which you can still count the number of bands on your fingers-from Japan, France, to the U.S.-but that will change, it’s growing.'”
Title: Birth of Afrobeat (birthofafrobeat.com)
Director/Writer: Opiyo Okeyo
Producers: David Glines, Eric Trosset
Music: Tony Allen
Prod. Co.: Rest In Beats LLC
Distribution: APT, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
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This man actually asked to sit in on my gig in New Orleans. I didn't know who he was yet but thank God for allowing him to grace my presence 🙏
Over the years I’ve been lucky to play with some amazing drummers. I played Fela’s “opposite people” to my friend who is currently on a world tour with one of the most respected jazz artists on the planet…..He was convinced it was two drummers playing Tony’s part. 😂. Other friends who have insane 4 way independence struggle with that groove. Tony is a legend and I’m jealous you had that experience with him.
@@KevinM-dg7kx Now that you say that. I was thinking the same thing. He has a couple of grooves my band has let me slid with, by not really playing what Tony played. It's a freaking art trying to play it uneffortlessly without forcing the stick into the drum.
what kind of music were you playing in New Orleans?
Who needs this on Audio clean format?
I’m far from the best Drummer on planet and I think these grooves are easy but I guess it’s all a state of mind and where you’re coming from.
RIP Tony Allen
The Greatest African/afrobeat drummer. This man along with Fela Kuti invented the mighty afrobeat,may your souls Rest In Power
yes indeed brother
Great drummer no doubt.... But not a co - inventor with fela. Rip legend
@@rufususiahon3806why not a co-inventor of afrobeat?
@@ginogroeneveld9180Fela himself, always said without Tony Allen there would be no Afro Beat . Baba Tony was the musical director , once he moved on, Fela went through a number drummers to follow the patterns Baba Tony combined . The Afro Beat rides on 4/4 pattern no matter what . But yeah they sending energy as Ancestors . Fela was the Griot , Baba Tony the Afro Beat driver. Ase o ati modupe pupo o
I could listen to this all day long.
same
Same!!
I've been obsessed with patterns 3 and 5 ever since I discovered Tony Allen. He could use them in any song and I'd still be mesmerized every time. Really sad I never got to see him play live. RIP
He made it look so simple and effortless. I find myself sounding more American when I play it. Loving the stick drags on the snare and off pattern Tom licks. These are all the things my teacher was teaching us before he passed. Those of you learning his technique. Pay special attention to how he is holding his sticks with the light grip and barley forcing the sticks. It’s a really hard swing to learn if you’ve always played forcefully. Good luck learning. Rest in beautiful heaven Femi, my own personal mentor.
" It’s a really hard swing to learn if you’ve always played forcefully." THIS
In another interview, He said, "in other to hold the stick right, you must be able to play your drums using pillows and have the pillow bounce back the sticks. "
I love his playing... My favourite drummer. RIP
What an absolute legend and one of the main reasons for me starting to play drums 23 years ago
Whoever thumb this down shame on you. Beats like this are the foundation to build upon.RIP
Foundation for sure! Respect!
I met him after the babylon concert in istanbul and hugged him I feel really lucky I felt his soul thank you very much for everything Tony Allen
Rest in paradise 👑 . Thank you so much for your teachings, music and encouragement. I will make you proud
🥁🥁🙏
This is real Fela and Femi Kuti Afrobeat. Not to be confused with Afrobeats
RIP Legend
Seun Kuti is keeping the torch of Fela's Afrobeat. Femi is excellent but is more fusion, Seun is the roots: he records and perform with Egypt 80, and some of Fela's musicians were/are still in the band. Afrobeats is a contemporary dancehall style, mosty programmed with no live instruments.
Can we create AFRO-LIVE GENRE?
I've been experimenting with playing all music in a live concert hall mode for some months now and I see that genre & AFRO-TRAP.
Finally
Someone gets it
Such articulation at such a quiet volume
Aussi humble dans ses propos que dans son jeu.
La même humilité qu'un Keith Richards, dans un style complètement différent.
Un grand musicien.
Yes. Agree 💯
Rest in Heaven, Tony. Your music inspires me
This man is genius.... my god
One of my top 5 drummers among the dozens of drummers i love.
It's like listening to a symphony orchestra. As stonefree1313 said: I could listen to this all day long.
The 🐐! The way his beat swings is feels like the ocean.
Thank you for this excerpt. I am surprised that after three years, it only has 100 other comments. Some people enjoy speed-metal drumming (pneumatic piledriver with plenty of crash, anyone?) but isolating these five patterns appeals to me on so many levels. He knew he was especially talented, but it is also rewarding to hear Tony Allen speak in his usual gentle tones, and I get to admire his amazing modesty.
This is gold! 🙏🏼
WOW!!! Gratitude!!!
Wow. Incredible groove that he’s able to play so comfortably. Thank you so much for sharing this video.
Thanx for sharing
Amazing ❤
Holy hell, this is so good
My feet just start to tap and dance by themselves.. It is in our human nature, in all our colours... I'm white btw, but afrobeat makes my bodyhair rise and puts a smile on my face, my eyes just close...
I'm also a white boy but damn, african music just has something in it that really stirs up something deep inside of us. Something that our culture seems to have lost along the way.
Fellow white here
Yo, don't turn it into a KKK meeting, boys .
Not enough content like this on the web!
Amazing
Legend. R.I.P. 🥲
Ned told me to check you out
I’m glad I did❤️
ooh yes!!
Brilliant.
🙏
Magnifique
🥁🥁
The fourth beat is so similar to the songs paternal in congas, now I see where changuito got the inspiration!!
Heels down!!
His touch is super light, with both hands and feet. You are not going to get the same fell if you play harder and lounder. Same thing with Bernard Purdie.
What a master!
Awesome
respect!
Nice x
🥁🥁
A+
🥁🥁
Id also love to see a pdf. I know you dont provide that and you've also stated to learn it by ear. I've transcribed hundreds of things i think i hear by my ear. Its a shame that Allen never had someone approach him on creating a book about his music and patterns. Even if he's changing complex polyrhythms into a more western digestible format. I'd just love to see it written down and how it presents and a time sig to match. It would be super cool.
This would be great as a source of drum track samples. There are also browser add ons like youtube looper that let you set loop points, but they are not that precise.
I'm not a drummer, but it looks like the five main patterns are really played on the snare with one hand. That is the part to concentrate on and practice, I think. After playing the first pattern straight a few times, Tony Allen leaves the hi hat and plays the tom toms but never stops the triplets on the snare.
im gonna just use my pocket operator to sample this
Here's a wild idea. How about you learn how to play the fucking thing for yourself?
Another thing, watch the hi hat pedal, every other beat creates the accent and keeps the whole thing rolling
Holy shit
Pattern 4 sounds like it inspired Purdie's groove in the Drumeo video :)
RIP Tony Allen
God like genius
Is there a pdf available please?
This is music you have to learn by ear: sing each part and play it until the feel is right and consistent: only your ear van tell you if you are playing it right.
Burna boi inspiration
Truth 🥁🥁
Does anyone know which songs (from Fela, Tony or anyone else) feature any one of these grooves?
" teacher don't teach me nonsense"
Groove 5 is adapted by Tony in "la ritournelle" - Sébastien Tellier. Amazing performance and feel
Which songs do they appear on?
You hear various iterations of the patterns across all of his work
This man in line with Clyde Stubblefield ,John Jabo Starks of James Brown Bands fame oh yeah John Morgan
How so, a few folks mentioned this. Tony mentioned the crew listening to some JB during their early US visits
When he comes in on "Expensive Shit"... .... yeah
Where are all the ghanians claiming the genre to have originated from Ghana? I guess they are hiding
the baobab of drums ; -)
amapola sola the baobab-love that
@@restinbeats but in fact i found strange a documentary about afrobeat for just 7 mins lol ; at 1st view i believed it was the teaser at 7 mins
Deceptively complex. He rattles off softer attacks on these patterns.
And there at bafoons saying it originated in Ghana 🇬🇭
Sorry to them. But I studied music way too long
🤣
Ghanan also contributed huge part of Afro music....All top Nigeria musicians knows....Ghana play most part
@@stnewmann8213 I am not refusing that
But we speaking about this genre saying fela is just someone who stealing
The foundation was Ghanaian highlife & Jazz music. Fela’s koola lobitos used to call it Highlife Jazz but a Ghanaian named Azeez coined the word Afrobeat & Fela accepted it. These are Tony Allen’s own words. The foundation was highlife. Highlfe is what holds it together. The Nigerians may have popularised it but the true origin was Ghana. And if you disagree, that’s fine but no ned to insult Ghanaians. We all enjoy the music regardless of origin.
where you there.How are you spreading rumors all because there is an element of highlife in afrobeat. Highlife by the way is west african not Ghana. Ghana owns nothing@@groot_man_
RIP Tony Allen