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 This last month I had the good fortune to be able to go to Bali once again. My focus was on teaching west african drum classes in Ubud and also playing with every band I could sit in with or gig (work) with. I had no idea that the musicians and drummers I would meet would be so receptive and talented. I had many interesting and surprising moments and experiences there as well. [...]
 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! [...]
 Here are some tips on soloing on the djembe drum. Please do not be afraid to express yourself when the time is appropriate (your turn) to solo on djembe. Every chance you get is a good chance to play and improve your playing. I’ll be the first to admit I have thought about throwing my drum in the fire after hearing a child in Africa drum circles around m [...]
 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. [...]
 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 [...]
 Drumming to me, especially drumming from the African diaspora is about learning and always playing basics, or “fundamentals”. If you have ever read any of my articles, you may have noticed me saying, “with out the framework the house will fall down”. Like any other musical instrument you have to practice regularly. No matter what stage you are in in your drumming career or hobby, be it pro or amateur it is always important [...]
“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
 Soko djembe drum and dunun rhythm from guinea west africa taught by Michael Pluznick for his international crew including friends from Japan, Europe, Mexico, USA and Thailand in Bangkok, Thailand. All around the world people love to play djembe and dununs, too. Soko is now a popular rhythm in Guinee (aka Guinea). Soko is a Malinke (Malenke) rhythm from the Faranah region of Guinee. It used to be played during the month prior [...]
 Michael Pluznick shows a technique for playing the Guinee (Guinea) west african drumming and rhythm pattern Soresonere (Soresonete) on three drums or dununs (dounouns) at Rumpuree dance studio in Bangkok, Thailand during a West African djembe drum and dunun workshop and drum class. This style of playing dununs (aka djundjuns or dounouns) is called “ballet style” and refers to the Afrcan dance and performing groups in West Africa called Ballets. In the Ballets [...]
Fun little djembe and dunun west african drum class with some fellow lovers of djembe,dununs and west african music. In this video we play the new Toca djembes at the Bali Treasures retail store located in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.
 Bali Djembe drums vs West African djembe drums
The prices of professional djembe drums are going through the roof on line (you can pay well over $650!). That said, under certain circumstances, one of the best buys going right now is a Bali djembe drum. They are just about always light weight, have nice skins and a great drum can cost you about $100 US or even less!
Bali is still a wonderful place [...]
African dance class by Michael Pluznick. Djembe music with Dancers Ami Doumbia left and Malodone right) from the award winning Santogoola community center and local group in the Sabaliboogou district of Bamako chant traditional songs and perform traditional based djembe muisc and dance choreography to the Sunu djembe rhythym in Bamako Mali while accompanied by djembe grandmaster Aruna, djembe master Brulye, djembe fola Siaka and dunun fola Kaliefa, 4 different generations of Mali [...]
How to play djembe. Begginers Djembe calss. Begginers dunun class. This is the rythym arangement “Djagbe” (in Guinee) or Madan (in Mali) djembe and dunun class excerpts @ Rumpuree dance school in Thailand. taught by Michael Pluznick.
http://www.earthcds.com/africa/west/mali
Part number one Watch me, (Michael Pluznick) struggle in the deep Mali West African heat trying to remember..and recite djembe solo technjique for my master djembe teacher, “Old Master” Aruna Sidibe… everything Aruna has taught me in the prior 2 and 1/2 months of djembe class for this one piece! I pull it off, but just barely!! To see how it is really played go to my other SUNU djembe and african [...]
http://www.earthcds.com/africa/west/mali
I have received so much mail asking who was who and what was what, I put this video together with answers for you..It has captions and information on whose who and what is what in many of my videos! Please click on the link in blue to take you to the earthcds.com Mali page where you can listen to 4 of my different CD’s for free, or order them there as well. [...]
“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
Traditional drumming part one West Africa
What is traditional drumming?
Traditional African drumming usually refers to drumming that has been handed down from generation to generation and comes from a time long ago.
Traditional drumming is organized and systematized drumming or drumming that is part of a musical piece or composition that is used for a specific purpose or occasion in almost every culture if you look back far enough.
Master Mali djembe [...]
This is a new video of Mediani drum, dance and chants made in Bamako Mali West Africa. It sounds almost identical to Guinea (Guinee) style mendiani as well. Dancers and singers (Ami Doumbia left and Malodone right) from the award winning Santogoula community center and local group in the Sabalibougou district of Bamako chant traditional songs and perform traditional based West African dance choreography in Bamako, Mali while accompanied by Aruna, Brulye, Siaka [...]
Drum class on Hawaii wirh master Pedro De Jesus
Many of us take drum class after drum class which is great for imersion, for learning by being part of something on a continual basis. But I have noticed that many people will come back to the same class time and time again with out any progression or improvement. Are you getting the most out of your drum class or learning experience? It is [...]
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About Michael 
Michael Pluznick is a studio musician and recording arts specialist. Read more about Michael.
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