Michael Pluznick » conga class

How to start (or to continue) to play drums when you are over 40 years old

admin — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 12:37:59 +0000

Does age matter when playing or performing drumming and percussion music? Yes and no.Many of us who have been playing for a while would obviously like to keep playing for a while. I myself am over 50 years old. I am constantly playing with players half my age and sometimes more. Of course there are always going to be some age or physical limitations, but there does not have to be any cramp in your style and with the proper maintanance and care of our bodies there should be no reason why we can not play well into our 90's! They do in Africa! [...]

Having a hard time learning hand drums or djembe?

admin — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:42:58 +0000

f you are like any of us that have been around the ethnic or world drumming and music scene for many years, then you may have experienced some hard times trying to learn the drumming, percussion or music from another culture. Please don't get discouraged if you are trying to learn drumming and are having a hard time. For some of us it never comes easy. And it does take time. When we first hit a drum we thought it was going to be easy! We heard a pleasing sound at once, and we played a rhythm and thought we had it all right then in there. But once you start to study you get to see it is quite involved. [...]

My djembe and conga training program for developing your drumming skills quickly

admin — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 11:27:13 +0000

People often ask me about a training program. What could they do to improve their drumming and or improve more rapidly? I put together the following suggestions based on my own training program that I have followed for many years. Those of you who know me personaly know I am a bit of a fanatic so of course you can tone down the program to suit your own personal needs. So just take a few ideas from here or all of them. "Arai gor dai" as they say in Thailand ("up to you")! So pick and choose and enjoy your practice and training ritual. remember it's "playing" and playing is FUN! [...]

How to practice quietly at home

admin — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 18:53:24 +0000

Many people have written to me saying, “OK, I agree I need to practice, but where can I practice”? Maybe it is too cold to go out to the park, or you just don’t feel like dragging your drum around? Or maybe someone has complained about “noise”?

I do not know how many times I have had noise complaints from my neighbors about “strange sounds both night and day”! The drums can definitely bring out [...]

How to Play Congas: Very basic technique, position and tones

admin — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 01:26:43 +0000

“With out strong framework the house will collapse’. In this ‘follow along” video/ conga lesson we will begin to explore how to position your hands and also how to make basic sounds on the conga drum. This is part one. For more info go to: www.michaelpluznick.com

How to Play Afro Haitian Rhythms: Yan Valu by M. Pluznick on Toca Elite Pro Series congas

admin — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 16:03:28 +0000

How to Play Afro Haitian Rhythms: Yan Valu by M. Pluznick form an up and coming soon to be released “How to Play Congas” DVD! Wade Peterson (seconde) conga, Ben Issacs 6/8 long bell, boula (up beats with sticks) Ray Titus politos This is an example of how to play the Yan Valu rhythm pattern on conga drums. Also has the casse (break) and rhythm movemnets. Played on on Toca Elite Pro Series [...]

How to Play Congas: Very basic technique, position and tones

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 05:20:37 +0000

Bali: Afro Cuban Folkloric drumming “comparsa” conga drum class

admin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:32:28 +0000

Excerpt from a recent Afro Cuban conga drum and percussion class given by Michael Pluznick in Raymond Rauchs art studio in Ubud Bali Indonesia. This video featurs the rhythm named “Comparsa” (aka “Conga) from Havana Cuba.

If you can say it you can play it!

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:16:27 +0000

There are many different ways to learn drums. Some people prefer an intellectual approach, to understand the breakdown or math of the part or pattern on the drum. The beats and dividing the beats. This is a western approach that really works for some people.

how we learn to play

These type of learners can not learn unless they first understand how the pattern is set up with numbers. This is not my [...]

Congas: basic hand position and playing techniques

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:19:19 +0000

Increasing your playing speed on any kind of drums

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:05:08 +0000

I often hear people, friends and students complain that they can not play as fast as they would like to. Watch any video of the top players in Africa or Cuba play and it is truly amazing. How do they do it? A key to playing fast is playing relaxed. This does not mean “sleepy” it means “tension less”. Some people can relax or play with tension easier then others. There are mental aspects [...]

Back in Bankok

admin — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:41:12 +0000

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flower power 1

flowers and nature in Thailand

flower power 2

flowers and nature in Thailand

buildings 1

asian architecture

buildings 2

asian architecture

flower power 3

flowers and nature of thailand

drummer

statue in park

veggies in market

fresh veggies in market at Paragon shoping center bangkok Thailand

traditional drum statue

traditional drum statue in bangkok park

sunset 1

sunset at Pattay Beach Thailand, 2 hr drive from Bangkok. Farangs love this beach resort city

sunset 2

Thailand, 2 hr drive from Bangkok. Farangs love this beach resort city

sunset 3

Thailand, 2 hr drive from Bangkok. Farangs love this beach resort city

sunset 4

Thailand, 2 hr drive from Bangkok. Farangs love this beach resort city

sunset 5

Thailand, 2 hr drive from Bangkok. Farangs love this beach resort city