200 combinations to play Venezuelan maracas, is the title of my second book of the Venezuelan maracas’ method “Five Movements are the Key”.
In this new book, you will find a world of possibilities that will further expand your rhythmic creativity. You will be able to build your own musical discourse based on the Venezuelan tradition and on the five key movements taught in the first book.
Exercises and combinations in 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 5/8, 6/8, 7/8, and 9/8 time signatures, that will allow you to play different types of world music.
You will also get to learn about the approach of the most important Venezuelan maracas players who have set the maracas performing standard for the last 65 years, such as: José Pérez, Andrés Coromoto Martínez, Trino "Chiche" Morillo, Juan Ernesto Laya, and Manuel García.
You will learn the relationship the shamanic power of the maracas and the Asian martial art of Shitō-Ryū have for me, as it relates to the choreographic movements used in my piece entitled MARA-KATA.
I am also including my score adaptation of the soloist part in PATARUCO, concert for Venezuelan maracas and orchestra, composed by Ricardo Lorenz, using the music notation system from "Five Movements are the Key."
I invite you to open these pages and discover the fascinating world of rhythms through the Venezuelan maracas, thus, allowing you to explore, experience, and enjoy the conjunction of our hearts, minds, and spirit when we shake our singing, ancestral rattles.
May the Venezuelan maracas spread throughout the world with the musical conscience that will bring forth new innovative ways to perform them!
Let's play maracas!