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Posted by Anders Cool, Ben. I think "Sina" is an excellent example of how our ears are trained by our cultures to hear rhythm in certain ways. In other words, I wouldn't expect most folks who grew up listening to American popular music to find this rhythm intuitive at all (but I bet everyone can still tap their foot to it). 
on 11/9/2009, 4:07 pm, in reply to "Re: Where the hell is beat one in this song?"
Message modified by user Anders 11/9/2009, 7:41 pm
"Sina" emphasizes a basic cultural difference: in American popular music as we know it there is an emphasis on 1 and the back beat, 2 & 4. In a lot of other musics that emphasis on 1 is not the same, and 2 & 4 are treated differently.
You're right, it is easier with the Djavan version. I can hear this rhythm with much thanks to my man Paolo from the Dominican Republic. We used to play drums together about 12 years ago. He taught me GaGa and some Afro Cuban rhythms. I realize Djavan and Caetano Veloso are both Brazilian, but this basic rhythm is similar to GaGa (I used the same rhythm on my song "My Ideal" on my CD "Ox" 6 years ago or so, does anybody have that?) and I can also illustrate something it has in common with some reggae beats.
Paolo is a great drummer. He seemed to be worlds ahead of me in the development of his musicality. To me his body seemed so free that he could play anything. But as much as he blew me away, he was mystified by my jazz playing and even what I thought of as simple beats in 4/4. We were each responding to the others' different cultural environment coming through the drum set.
I study this stuff. I keep expanding my vocabulary, but it may always be difficult to pick out the clave, the key to the rhythmic foundation on which Afro Cuban music is based, especially because this rhythm isn't always played but it's understood as a counterpoint that holds together the various rhythms/parts. It's definitely a cultural thing but I expect I will recognize the clave more easily over time.
At the end of the verse there is a turnaround (on the Caetano Veloso cover it hits for the first time at :55 seconds; on the Djavan it's at 1:24, both land on the 1) with a syncopated rhythm with accents on: '1,' '&-of-2,' and '4.' This is the same as a 3:2 Son Clave, so it may be that these musicians can relate to that throughout the song.
The second measure of the turnaround is just accented quarter notes: '1, 2, 3, 4.' If you can keep your count from there, it's probably the easiest way to catch this rhythm if it is unfamiliar to you. Indeed it may seem backwards at first. The bass drum plays '2 &,' '4 &' -- that's where we're culturally oriented to hearing the backbeat on the snare drum, so it may seem backwards or flipped.
What a great song!
Thanks, Ben
