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Oficina do Samba

A forum for Bateria members, the Escola de Samba and enthusiasts alike to study regularly performed material -- Carnaval winning themes along with some of the "classic standards" from the Samba Enredo repetoire.

Tihai

[] Tamborim Chart Music Click here (*.pdf format)

Here's a pdf file of the tihai. Some people may find the notation useful and informative. Others may find that it spooks them, since they don't easily understand the relationship between the symbols and the sounds. If you are in the latter group, just trash the file.

You already know that the tihai consists of 3 longish phrases. When Alan speaks it, he uses the sounds "chugga boom". I like "taka dhin", but it makes no difference.

In the notation, the last dhin of each of the 3 phrases is capitalized. You'll notice that phrase #2 starts "off" the beat, namely on the second half of bar 4, beat 2. This offsetting of the phrase can be confusing for people since one part of your brain tells you you're repeating something, while another part of your brain tells you that it's somehow different. Cognitive dissonance, I think it's called. Western musicians call it a "brain splitter". When Indian musicians study this sort of thing, they are made very aware of the structure, and of the tension it generates. You should be aware of it too.

One good way of practicing this tihai is simply to clap where the beats are, while speaking the rhythm, using whichever sound you like best. You'll very quickly come to feel the offsetting of the second phrase. It might seem a bit difficult at first, but if you practice for a while, it will get easier, and you will actually start enjoying playing this rhythmic "game".

 
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