The tumbao historically was played on drums such as congas. In many instances, this function has since been taken over by acoustic or electric bass. Playing the tumbao on a pitched instrument such as a bass allowed AfroCuban music to become more varied harmonically.
As in other genres, the bass in AfroCuban music provides a harmonic anchor for a tune. Although this might seem elementary on the surface, there is considerably more room for variation here than a basic "oomp pah" or "tick tack" bass line.
A common tumbao pattern is for the notes to be sounded on the “&”s of beats two and four. The initial note is often the fifth of the chord, with subsequent notes walking to approach the tonic. Tumbao patterns can be heard in such American pop tunes as Carlos Santana’s version of “Oye Come Va” and Paul Simon’s “Late in the Evening."
The Tumbao's Note Envelope
Jazz ii-V-I changes can be tailored to fit nicely into tumbao patterns, as can blues and pop progressions. To retain the tumbao feel, the emphasis is for the primary beats to be sounded cleanly but connected, with more sustain than afforded by drums.
Ghost notes and accents can be added sparingly, to create interest, depending on the nature of the tune. When the tumbao is played on acoustic upright bass, the sound is typically round and thumpy. This can be emulated on an electric bass by using the palm of the hand to partly mute the string played. Another alternative is to place a block of foam or similar material under the strings at or near the instrument's bridge.
Musical time is determined not only by not only by the placement of the beginning of the note but by how long the note is held. Note duration is especially important to the tumbao. Rapid 16th note passages would not have the same impact, for instance, if played legato. By the same token, a jagged feel can be smoothed over by playing legato. This is an important area for experimentation, and small changes can have a major impact in a song.
Pocket Playing and the Tumbao
It is common for tumbao patterns to “sync up” better with some clave patterns than others. This is important to bear in mind because in genres such as rock, the bass often doubles the kick drum beat. In AfroCuban music using a drum set, this need not occur.
For the bassist or other instrumentalist playing the tumbao, this means resisting the temptation – conscious or otherwise – to play notes on the same beat as the clave. For this reason, it is valuable to continue to think in linear time as a reference point. This resulting push and pull between instruments is part of what gives the music its rhythmic tension.
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