Greg Sheehan’s revolutionary way of understanding rhythm is coming to Cobargo. Photos: Supplied.
Legendary musician Greg Sheehan has developed a revolutionary way of understanding rhythm. Using numbers and graphic designs, it can be used with any musical instrument, for vocals and for choreography.
It is taught in most Australian universities and music conservatories, and he has taught it to preschoolers. Mr Sheehan has mentored many musicians over the decades and for some his Rhythm Diamonds workshops have been life-changing.
He had his own life-changing experience at the age of four when his parents took him to see a band.
“I thought the drummer was a magician,” Mr Sheehan said. “When we got home from the concert I jumped out of the car, got some twigs and branches off a tree and started playing them on an upside-down bucket. I haven’t really stopped since except to sleep and eat.”
By the age of 11, he was in the school band, playing at old-time dances with his mother who played the piano, and playing in an Irish ceili band.
Mr Sheehan went to art school thinking he was going to be a visual artist, but at 17 he turned professional musician.
Fast forward 55 years, he is a leading figure in Australian percussion. As a performer, teacher and recording artist he has literally reshaped the map of rhythm with his unique Rhythm Diamonds system, legendary body percussion style and reinvention of tambourine technique.
There is a Far South Coast connection because Mr Sheehan lived in Narooma at one point and worked for Four Winds.
“I did a program teaching music at primary schools which went gangbusters, but I only did that for nine months because I had to move back up to northern NSW.”
Greg Sheehan has literally reshaped the map of rhythm.
His revolutionary approach to teaching and playing rhythm had a very simple beginning.
“Years ago, I asked an Indian student how Indians put their rhythms together and he gave me such a wonderful answer,” Mr Sheehan said. “I took that seed of an idea and developed my own logic with that over the next 40 years.”
At its heart is simple maths from which he has developed something much deeper.
“Just about everybody can relate to it because it is just simple maths and combining different numbers to produce beautiful rhythms,” he said.
Mr Sheehan puts those rhythms together in a way that they become graphic designs without even having any numbers. “We just have these beautiful designs that we interpret as music.”
It can be applied to choreography by taking those rhythm ideas and turning them into movements, particularly through body percussion. “That becomes a form of dance, but it is totally put together by number combinations,” Mr Sheehan said.
Players of any musical instrument, vocalists and dancers benefit from the Rhythm Diamonds workshops.
Anyone who plays an instrument, sings, dances or is interested in a deeper understanding of musical rhythm can experience his Rhythm Diamonds workshop at the end of May in Cobargo.
It starts at 6 pm on Friday, 29 May, with a meeting and an initial rhythm session, followed by a two-day workshop that ends at 4 pm on 31 May.
“I get people in touch with their rhythm through hand clapping and using walking as a metronome,” he said. That progresses to rhythm games and body percussion. Those ideas are then transferred to participants’ musical instruments, voices or movements.
Mr Sheehan likes to challenge people, but everyone can work at their own pace. He also creates a safe space.
He has evolved his own style of body percussion and teaching it incorporating clapping hands, slapping the body and stomping feet but in combinations of simple numbers.
“The overriding thing is we generally have lots of fun,” Mr Sheehan said. “People don’t have to be very good, but just have a passion for learning more about music.”
The workshop is being presented by Cobargo Music Arts Culture (COMAC). It is a new initiative of The Yuin Folk Club with support from Create NSW. The Yuin Folk Club is the organisation behind the Cobargo Folk Festival.
COMAC is drawing world-class artists and industry professionals to Cobargo for a full year of workshops, training sessions, and live concerts. The offering includes exploring MC skills, rhythm and dance workshops and community singing, with opportunities for everyone from complete beginners to seasoned performers.
Mr Sheehan said there was so much to do over two days, exploring different ways of doing rhythm.
“I would encourage anyone having doubts about whether they are suitable for it to take a deep breath and commit to coming along,” he said.
The first workshop kicks off at the Cobargo School of Art Hall at 6 pm on 29 May. Tickets are available here and more information about the COMAC program is here.
