Decius wrote:

This fascinating, brilliant 20-minute video narrates the history of the "Amen Break," a six-second drum sample from the b-side of a chart-topping single from 1969. This sample was used extensively in early hiphop and sample-based music, and became the basis for drum-and-bass and jungle music -- a six-second clip that spawned several entire subcultures. Nate Harrison's 2004 video is a meditation on the ownership of culture, the nature of art and creativity, and the history of a remarkable music clip.

This is really well done and well worth the 20 minute indulgence. It opened up a couple of thoughts for me:

1) I don't know if I'd consider the Amen Break the most important or even the most influential one. I'd consider the riff from James Brown's Funky Drummer to be far more influential and certainly one could argue that it's more important. Oddly enough, they were both in 1969, and so that's not just a coincidence that they both have that snappy highly compressed timbre to the sonic makeup of the beat. PS - they just don't record drums like they used to back then.

2) The way this essay is done is actually the way I wished they'd teach classes for things like music theory, composition, harmony, and production. When I was a RIM major in college, we would talk about stuff like this, but when you can actually hear it, compare and contrast it, and analyze it, you get a much richer experience. Unless it's CBT, I've not seen this technique used appropriately in classrooms or labs for major programs. This is a shame. If you're not using your ears, what are you using?

3) The author asks the question "what was it about this 6 seconds in 1969 that made it stick?" but never really answers that question. As a former professional drummer, I can tell you that this beat is much older than 1969. It's modern origins are probably more rooted in swing drummers from the 20's and 30's like Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, and Panama Francis. These are the people who probably influenced GC Coleman and who he was probably trying to emulate during the break. This is a very 'natural' swing beat, because you are syncopating, but you're doing it with a paradiddle between your foot and your left hand (if you're a righty). Most junior high school drummers would learn this riff if they spend any time on a trap kit. Another reason why it sticks as a beat is because there's lots of space around it to fill. You have almost a full count of space on the 1 and the 4, and dragging the snare on the 2 opens it up even more for syncopation and right hand fills. It's just a fun beat to play around with and it lends itself easily to almost any tempo. Interestingly enough, it does not emulate a heart beat or sexual activity, which is where most 'sticky' beats come from.

4) Which brings me to why I think this beat has stayed ultimately and germinated so... [ Read More (0.2k in body) ]

Decius wrote:

This fascinating, brilliant 20-minute video narrates the history of the "Amen Break," a six-second drum sample from the b-side of a chart-topping single from 1969. This sample was used extensively in early hiphop and sample-based music, and became the basis for drum-and-bass and jungle music -- a six-second clip that spawned several entire subcultures. Nate Harrison's 2004 video is a meditation on the ownership of culture, the nature of art and creativity, and the history of a remarkable music clip.

You should check out some of his other art installations. The one about the 303 is pretty cool.

Hijexx wrote:
The one about the 303 is pretty cool.

We're as acid as can be! We don't need no 303!