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Preview the new CD
This is an amazing audio and notation encyclopedia of every djembe and dun dun part for 50 Rhythms!  |
 In all my years playing, studying and teaching West African rhythms and percussion I have always come across an interesting and challenging situation. It is really hard to find people, that is to say djembe players, other fellow percussionists or drum students who want to learn the dunun patterns, individual traditional dunun parts and or ballet arrangements on 2 or 3 dununs or more. dununs are also known as djun djuns, doun douns or [...]  Have you heard of the Mano Secreto? It is the secret hand technique used and first made popular by percussion legends Changuito and also Giovanni Hildago. Prior to these great conga players there was another player named tat Guines in Havana Cuba who was developing this technique. Why is it secret? Because until recently (well about 10 years or so ) no one else could do it. Now everyone is doing it but there are not a lot of great instructional videos about it unfortunately. [...]  My first drum teacher used to chant repeatedly, “minimum input maximum out put” when it came to the topic of playing techniques and how to hit the drum. It was true over 30 years ago and it is still true now. What he was talking about is that it is not important how hard you hit the drum but it is about the technique you use. [...]  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! [...]  Respect yourself, respect others. Sometimes if you are new to an area and trying to break into an unfamiliar world music scene or drumming situation a subtle approach is better then an aggressive approach. [...] 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 [...] Don’t let your ego in the way of making you a great drummer. A great freind and teacher used to tell us before class. “Leave your ego at the door”. When we come together to drum, to learn or to play together it is important we come with respect for each other no matter what level of playing we are at. Everyone can drum and everyone has their own unique beat or inner rhythm. [...] Here is my Mali Suku (Soli) djembe solo technique class with master Aruna Sidibe in Bamako Mali, West Africa. I am reciting back to my teacher specific djembe phrases or “techniques” which are age old, and played by all drummers who play traditional Mali west african djembe drums. Many drummers new to the art of djembe music think that they must play and participate in a drum circle, jam or dance class as a way to learn to drum. Most experienced players will tell you something different. By going to a djembe session or African dance class and sitting on the side watching you can learn much by listening, observing and even taking musical notes! By sitting outside of the music going [...] |
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Copyright © 2012 Michael Pluznick - All Rights Reserved |
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