ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Clayton Cameron - Drummer
A pioneer in brush technique, drummer Clayton Cameron has toured with Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett and jazz legend Kenny Burrell.

Why you should listen

Clayton Cameron holds a unique title: Brush Master. That's because this percussionist prefers brushes to sticks, and has spent his career perfecting the art of brush technique. Cameron grew up in Los Angeles and started drumming at a young age on empty oatmeal boxes. After college, he moved to Las Vegas, where he was hired as the drummer for Sammy Davis Jr.'s big band. "It would be Sammy's tap dancing night after night that would inspire my brush playing," says Cameron.

During his tenure with Sammy Davis Jr., Cameron played with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. And, after moving to New York, he struck up a longterm friendship with Tony Bennett, and spent 15 years touring with the master. Cameron recorded 15 albums with Bennett, including his Grammy-winning Tony Bennett Unplugged.

Cameron has also worked with jazz legend Kenny Burrell, who encouraged him to teach at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music. In addition, Cameron released his debut album in 2012, Here's to the Messengers: Tribute to Art Blakey, and formed his own group, Jazz eXplosion. Cameron has also released several DVDs over the years as well as a book, Brushworks

More profile about the speaker
Clayton Cameron | Speaker | TED.com
TEDYouth 2013

Clayton Cameron: A-rhythm-etic. The math behind the beats

Clayton Cameron: A-rythm-etique. Les maths du rythme.

Filmed:
1,035,486 views

Prêt à danser sur vos sièges ? Le batteur Clayton Cameron classifie les genres de musiques selon leur rythme : de la R&B à la pop, en passant par le latino. Une démonstration magistrale qui prouve que le hip hop ou le jazz ne sont pas plus cool que les maths : ils sont juste basés sur eux.
- Drummer
A pioneer in brush technique, drummer Clayton Cameron has toured with Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett and jazz legend Kenny Burrell. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
How manybeaucoup of you love rhythmrythme?
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Combien parmi vous aiment le rythme ?
00:16
Oh yeah, oh yeah. Oh yeah. (CheersA bientôt)
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Oui, oui, oui.
(Acclamations)
00:18
(DrummingDrumming)
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(Batterie)
00:27
I mean, I love all kindssortes of rhythmrythme.
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Moi, j'aime tous les rythmes.
00:31
I like to playjouer jazzle jazz,
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j'aime jouer du jazz,
00:33
a little funkFunk,
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un peu de funk,
00:36
and hiphanche hophoublon,
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et de hip hop.
00:40
a little poppop, a little R&B,
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Un peu de pop,
Un peu de R&B.
00:47
a little LatinLatine,
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Un peu de latino.
00:54
AfricanAfricain.
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Musique africaine.
01:05
And this grooverainure right here,
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Et ce rythme-ci
01:13
comesvient from the CrescentCrescent CityVille,
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vient de Crescent City,
01:16
the oldvieux secondseconde lineligne.
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la deuxième ligne du cortège.
01:18
(CheersA bientôt)
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(Acclamations)
01:25
Now, one thing all those rhythmsrythmes have in commoncommun
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Tous ces rythmes ont une chose en commun:
01:31
is mathmath,
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les maths.
01:32
and I call it a-rhythm-etica-rythme-etic.
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J'appelle cela "l'a-rythm-étique".
01:35
Can you repeatrépéter after me? A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
AudiencePublic: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
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Répétez après-moi ? A-a-a-rythm-étique.
Audience: A-rythm-étique.
01:40
ClaytonClayton CameronCameron: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
AudiencePublic: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
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Clayton Cameron: A-rythm-étique.
Audience: A-rythm-étique.
01:42
CCCC: A-rhythmA-rythme a-rhythma-rythme.
AudiencePublic: A-rhythmA-rythme a-rhythma-rythme.
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CC: A-rythm, a-rythm
Audience: A-rythm, a-rythm
01:44
CCCC: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
AudiencePublic: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
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CC: A-rythm-étique.
Audience: A-rythm-étique.
01:46
CCCC: Yeah.
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CC: Ouais.
01:50
Now all those stylesmodes of rhythmrythme
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Tous ces styles de rythmes
01:55
are all counteddénombré in fourquatre
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se comptent par quatre,
01:59
and then subdividedsubdivisés by threeTrois.
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et puis sont subdivisés par trois.
02:02
What?
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Pardon?
02:04
Yeah. ThreeTrois is a magicla magie numbernombre.
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Oui. Trois est un nombre magique.
02:08
ThreeTrois is a groovin'Groovin ' numbernombre.
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Trois est un nombre musical.
02:10
ThreeTrois is a hip-hophip hop kindgentil of numbernombre.
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C'est un nombre un peu hip hop.
02:14
But what does subdividinglotissement by threeTrois mean?
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Mais ça veut dire quoi exactement:
subdiviser par trois?
02:17
And countingcompte off by fourquatre?
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Et compter par quatre?
02:19
Well, look, think of it this way.
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Bon. On peut présenter les choses ainsi:
02:21
A measuremesure of musicla musique as a dollardollar.
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Une mesure de musique
équivaut à un dollar.
02:25
Now a dollardollar has fourquatre quartersquartiers, right?
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Dans un dollar il y a 4 quarts, Correct?
C'est la même chose
pour une mesure 4/4 de musique.
02:31
And so does a 4/4 measuremesure of musicla musique.
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02:34
It has fourquatre quartertrimestre notesRemarques.
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Elle comprend 4 temps.
02:38
Now, how do you subdividesubdiviser?
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Bon. Et comment est-ce
qu'on subdivise ?
02:40
Now let's envisionEnvision this:
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Visualisons cela:
02:45
threeTrois dollars'dollars worthvaut of quartersquartiers.
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la valeur de trois quarts de dollars.
02:48
You would have threeTrois groupsgroupes of fourquatre,
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On a 3 groupes de 4.
02:52
and you would countcompter it,
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et on les compte:
02:54
a-one-two-three-foura-un-deux-trois-quatre, one-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre,
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Un-deux-trois-quatre,
Un-deux-trois-quatre,
02:56
one-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre. TogetherEnsemble.
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Un-deux-trois-quatre.
Ensemble:
02:58
All: A-one-two-three-fourA-un-deux-trois-quatre,
one-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre, one-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre.
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Tous: Un-deux-trois-quatre.
Un-deux-trois-quatre.
Un-deux-trois-quatre.
03:01
CCCC: Okay, now you feel that?
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CC: OK.
Vous sentez les mesures?
03:04
Now let's take those threeTrois groupsgroupes of fourquatre
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Maintenant prenons
les 3 groupes de 4,
03:09
and make them fourquatre groupsgroupes of threeTrois.
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pour en faire 4 groupes de 3.
03:13
And listen to this.
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Ecoutez bien.
Un-deux-trois-quatre.
Un-deux-trois-quatre.
03:15
A-one-two-three-fourA-un-deux-trois-quatre, one-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre,
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Un-deux-trois-quatre.
Avec moi!
03:17
one-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre, with me.
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Un-deux-trois-quatre. Un-deux-trois.
Allez-y! Aaah!
03:19
One-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre, one-two-threeOne-two-three, come on, y'ally ' All!
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03:22
All: One-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre,
one-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre, one-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre, ahah.
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Tous: Un-deux-trois-quatre.
Un-deux-trois-quatre.
Un-deux-trois-quatre. Aaah!
03:27
CCCC: There you go.
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CC: C'est parti.
03:28
All right, secondseconde lineligne.
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La deuxième ligne maintenant.
03:34
One-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre, one-two-threeOne-two-three.
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Un-deux-trois-quatre. Un-deux-trois.
03:38
One-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre, one-two-threeOne-two-three.
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Un-deux-trois-quatre. Un-deux-trois.
03:41
One-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre, one-two-threeOne-two-three.
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Un-deux-trois-quatre. Un-deux-trois.
03:44
One-two-three-fourOne-two-trois-quatre, one-two-threeOne-two-three. Yeah.
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Un-deux-trois-quatre. Un-deux-trois.
03:48
Now, that's what I call a-rhythm-etica-rythme-etic.
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Voilà ce que j'appelle l'a-rythm-étique.
03:51
Can you say it? A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
AudiencePublic: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
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Pouvez vous le dire ? a-rythm-étique.
Audience: a-rythm-étique.
03:53
CCCC: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
AudiencePublic: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
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CC: a-rythm-étique.
Audience: a-rythm-étique.
03:55
CCCC: A-rhythmA-rythme a-rhythma-rythme.
AudiencePublic: A-rhythmA-rythme a-rhythma-rythme.
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CC: a-rythm, a-rythm
Audience: a-rythm, a-rythm.
03:57
CCCC: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
AudiencePublic: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
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CC: a-rythm-étique.
Audience: a-rythm-étique.
03:59
CCCC: Yeah. Now pickchoisir the swingbalançoire
beatbattre, and do the sameMême thing.
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CC: Ok. Maintenant, on prend un swing
et on fait la même chose.
04:02
One, two, one, two, a-one-two-three-foura-un-deux-trois-quatre.
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Un-deux. Un-deux. Un-deux-trois-quatre.
04:12
Yeah. MmMm.
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Ouais. Ummm!
1-2-3. 1-2-3, 1-2-3. 1-2-3. Wouuu!
04:16
One-two-threeOne-two-three, one-two-threeOne-two-three,
one-two-threeOne-two-three, one-two-threeOne-two-three. WhooWhoo.
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04:21
So I want to take the secondseconde lineligne beatbattre
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Je prends la deuxième ligne rythmique,
04:25
and the swingbalançoire beatbattre and put them togetherensemble,
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et je l'ajoute au swing.
04:27
and it soundsdes sons something like this.
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Et ça donne ceci.
04:43
AhaAHA.
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Ahaa.
04:44
A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
AudiencePublic: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
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A-rythm-étique.
Audience: a-rythm-étique.
CC: a-rythm-étique.
Audience: a-rythm-étique.
04:46
CCCC: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
AudiencePublic: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
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04:48
CCCC: A-rhythmA-rythme a-rhythma-rythme.
AudiencePublic: A-rhythmA-rythme a-rhythma-rythme.
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CC: a-rythm, a-rythm
Audience: a-rythm, a-rythm
04:50
CCCC: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
AudiencePublic: A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
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CC: a-rythm-étique.
Audience: a-rythm-étique.
04:52
CCCC: Yeah. Hip-hopHip-hop.
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CC. Ouai, Hip hop.
04:56
Now it's usingen utilisant a fasterPlus vite groupgroupe of threeTrois
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Maintenant on utilise un
groupe de 3 plus rapide.
04:59
we call a triplettriplet.
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qu'on appelle un triolet.
Triolet-triolet. Ensemble.
05:01
Triplet-tripletTriplet-triplet. Say it with me.
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05:03
All: Triplet-tripletTriplet-triplet.
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Tous: Triolet, triolet. Ouais!
CC: Triolet, triolet. Umm.
05:06
CCCC: Triplet-tripletTriplet-triplet. Triplet-tripletTriplet-triplet.
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Triolet, triolet. Umm-umm.
05:12
CCCC: So I'll take all the rhythmsrythmes
that you heardentendu earlierplus tôt,
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CC: Je reprends tous les rythmes
que nous avons entendus,
05:16
we'llbien put them togetherensemble, and they sounddu son like this.
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je les assemble, et cela donne ceci:
05:43
A-rhythm-eticA-rythme-etic.
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A-rythm-étique.
(Applaudissements)
05:45
(ApplauseApplaudissements)
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Translated by Claire Ghyselen
Reviewed by Kamel ZEHANI

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Clayton Cameron - Drummer
A pioneer in brush technique, drummer Clayton Cameron has toured with Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett and jazz legend Kenny Burrell.

Why you should listen

Clayton Cameron holds a unique title: Brush Master. That's because this percussionist prefers brushes to sticks, and has spent his career perfecting the art of brush technique. Cameron grew up in Los Angeles and started drumming at a young age on empty oatmeal boxes. After college, he moved to Las Vegas, where he was hired as the drummer for Sammy Davis Jr.'s big band. "It would be Sammy's tap dancing night after night that would inspire my brush playing," says Cameron.

During his tenure with Sammy Davis Jr., Cameron played with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. And, after moving to New York, he struck up a longterm friendship with Tony Bennett, and spent 15 years touring with the master. Cameron recorded 15 albums with Bennett, including his Grammy-winning Tony Bennett Unplugged.

Cameron has also worked with jazz legend Kenny Burrell, who encouraged him to teach at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music. In addition, Cameron released his debut album in 2012, Here's to the Messengers: Tribute to Art Blakey, and formed his own group, Jazz eXplosion. Cameron has also released several DVDs over the years as well as a book, Brushworks

More profile about the speaker
Clayton Cameron | Speaker | TED.com