I spent the entire day practicing using it on the back of my mask.
It isn't the easiest tool to master (in a day). Suffice to say my mask-carving ego was quickly deflated. Not much more progress people, but do not fear, I'll get the hang of it (sooner or later). Here's where I left him...
Later, we had our first Kecak class with I.B Anom.
He brought his posse of chanters...
Kecak (pronounced Keh-CHAK)is a form of Balinese choral chanting (it sounds like syncopated chattering, and is also known as monkey chanting). Between 60-150 men are in the chorus, and provide the accompanying soundtrack to the action in the performance of the Ramayana (I saw a performance of this last Saturday).
There are 6 parts, one of which is the tempo keeper (it is in 4/4 timing, with most patterns starting on the upbeat to 1).
This guys was the number 5 rhthym...
If you were interested in what that looks like annotated, it's something like this...
These guys keep time phenomenally well. There are quavers patters going against triplet patterns going against semi-quaver patterns with accents on the offbeats.
Tonight I managed to try each of the 5 patterns. I absolutely loved it. It was like being in the CSM samba band again! I'm going to learn all the parts (there is a caller who leads) and teach it at Toi this year when I get back. It is difficult, requires great listening skills, co-ordination and musicality. So it would be like pulling teeth. Wish me luck doing that.
