Today we're gonna check out a simple figure that can be used in different dynamic sections of an arrangement, depending on the intention that we play it with. Now, intention is one of our most important and defining characteristics as musicians. Being deliberate about how we want something to sound, and feel, should always be present when we play. Now this can be something simple that we can implement quickly, like choosing the volume at which we play a certain phrase or fill, as well as where it's coming from or what it's leading into. Or it can be something that takes years of practice to develop, like having unwavering laser focus when locking in a groove.

In this lesson we're going to work on a similar shape in all three examples, but the intention that we play them with will define its use. So for this first variation, we're gonna work on a four-bar phrase where all we'll do is play a low-drum muffled tone on beat four in the fourth bar, followed by a low-drum open tone on the downbeat of the following bar. And let's use our two-drum tumbao in 2-3 clave as the foundation.

So one way we can think of this figure is as something I like to call a transitional fill. Which can basically refer to any short phrase that we can use to help us move from one section to another in an arrangement, or to help us reinforce or delineate a particular section in the form of a song. Much like a timbal player uses his or her abanico, or certain accents, to do the same. Now this particular fill can be used to help transition us "up" from a "down" section, "down" from an "up" section, to initiate a call or response in relation to another instrument, or just as a variation within the tumbao to help us emphasize the downbeat of a specific bar, all depending on our intention. So in terms of the intention we play it with, it can be used to signal a change in dynamics from soft to loud or loud to soft, or something we want to keep at a relatively similar volume within our tumbao pattern, simply as an accent, if we're using it as a variation.

So let's move on to working on a small variation on this phrase, that commonly serves the same purpose as the one we just worked on, again all depending on our intention. Now all we're going to do is move our low-drum muffled tone from beat four over to the "and" of four.

So this figure can be used in any way we deem fit, as long as we're deliberate with our intention. Now in this last example I simply played it as part of the groove, keeping at a relatively similar volume within the tumbao pattern. And to accommodate our tumbao, I switched up the sticking in the fourth bar and played tip, ghost, palm-tip, leading up to our muffled tone, to make it easier to get over to the low drum with our right hand.

So let's work on one more simple variation by adding another low-drum muffled tone, this time on the "and" of three. And again, this is something that we can use to help us transition "up" from a "down" section, "down" from an "up" section, or as a response to a call, or phrase, initiated by another instrument. But for now, let's just work on it as a variation within the groove.

So for this last example, I want us to work on the difference between what it feels like to use these phrases to transition "up" vs. transitioning "down." So let's focus on the first example in this lesson, and combine it with our most recent one, as part of an eight-bar phrase. Now in the first four bars, we'll play a one-drum tumbao as if we were in the "down" section of an arrangement, then use our first fill to transition "up," in the fourth bar, to a two-drum tumbao, where we'll also add a bongo bell. From there, we'll play our most recent variation in the eighth bar, to transition back down to our one-drum tumbao. Let's check it out.

So you can hear that the role and function of these simple variations can change entirely, depending on our intention. If we want to use them to transition "up," we need to play them with a dynamic shape from soft to loud, to help us move to that higher intensity section. And the opposite is also true: to help us transition from "up" to "down," we'll need to prepare the following section with a change in dynamics from loud to soft. This is ultimately something that you'll develop a feel for the more you listen to and analyze different players, songs and styles.

So, now that you have some of these things in mind, try to see if you can spot where they're used as you're listening to your favorite recordings. Now of course these are just a couple of the endless amounts of different figures we can use that can serve this same purpose. So as you're listening, pay close attention to what other factors may be affecting or influencing the decision to play these types of transitions. Is the arrangement moving from a verse section to a coro section, or vice versa? Or is the conga player simply answering or initiating a call in relation to the timbalero or bongocero, while they're already in an "up" section?