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Sunday, September 19, 2010

Doin' the Fanga

The Fanga (or Funga) is a welcome song from Western Africa. It is very well-known, and one of the rhythms that has many variations. When I check out YouTube, or sites of collected rhythms, or published drumming materials, I find that no two of the written transcriptions or performed rhythms 'match up' with each other. Sometimes, it is simply variations in suggested instrumentation. Sometimes there is agreement on the drum part, but bell & shaker parts are different from each other. I always get a bit of a laugh from the responses & comments to performed or written postings; "THAT'S not the Fanga - the bell part is much more complex and the fifth beat is a bass, not a tone...."

Well, to avoid that, I'll start by declaring that this is "a simplified, Americanized version of the Fanga, written out to be easily played by amateurs." It is a happy, all inclusive piece that's really designed to allow anyone to join in, pick up a shaker, listen to a few bars, and then become part of the group. It is totally participatory. There is, I know, a dance that goes with it, (I'm not sure if that dance is 'authentic' to the fanga, or if it was made up by someone on the spot.) and the rhythm itself just makes you want to move with it.

Here is MY version of the Fanga. This version is especially good for large groups. Be sure to have a person who has been trained on the rhythm on each instrument. A person or two as beat keepers on cowbell and a strong djembe player are important. Everyone else can fill in as necessary, and if they get off beat for a measure or two, they can pick up again by listening to the bell and djembe. Lots of small rattles are nice to have, since they add to the sound, but can be easily learned.