Tag: lessons
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Its all about simplicity
I once had the chance to catch a remarkable performance in Providence, Rhode Island, where a solo percussionist played an entire outdoor gig for a jazz trio using nothing but a triangle. This experience shifted my perspective on percussion in ways I hadn’t anticipated. It served as a powerful reminder that it’s not the quantity… Read More »
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Intensive one on one learning experiences and intensive training sessions with Michael Pluznick
An intensive training session, with a one to five day lesson series is a great way to up your game. With two to three sessions per day you can really immerse yourself in the wonderful world of drumming and bring an amazing wealth of knowledge back home with you. In only a few short days… Read More »
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Skype And Facebook Messenger On Line * LIVE* Video Classes Now Available
I am now offering Skype of Facebook Messenger on line live video classes from the comfort of our own homes. All you need is a device with Skype or Messenger in it and a drum. This is an effective way to study with a patient teacher if you do not have one in your area… Read More »
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“Can’t Beat Em Join Em” New Lesson Series Started
I am starting a new on line downlaodable djembe and dunun and drumming lessons series entitled, “Can’t beat em join em” for people who would like to very casually learn to play west african influenced rhythms and only want to learn the most basic and easiest rhythms. You do not need a lot of experience to… Read More »
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Hand Drum Intensives And Drumming Classes In Florida (May) And Maine (July)!
I will be back in the USA in April 2019 and starting up new private training sessions as well as group, and Skype on-line lessons on djembe, percussion and playing the conga drum. My specialty is traditional West African drumming from Guinea and Mali featuring the Djembe and Dunun drums. If you play congas or… Read More »
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The Djembe Solo
The beginners, *(all of our) need to solo in traditional drumming situations. Most people getting involved with hand drums such as congas and djembes get inspired by seeing a video, being at a drum circle or a performance where they have seen someone soloing. Something clicks. Something calls us. We are moved in a very… Read More »
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The Will To Learn or “Poop or Get Off the Can”
Get serious about your drumming! From around the world I get letters and also in my travels I see many people who are not improving in their drumming skills. They are staying at the same level of drumming they were a year or two ago and still can only play one or two rhythms. Why… Read More »
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Going beyond the drum circle; learning to play your drum correctly
You have just been to your first drum circle and you are fully charged up and excited to play drums. Or maybe you have been to several drum circles or drumming events. It was fun and exciting to play your drum with other people. You want to do it more and more. So what happens… Read More »
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Studying West African drumming in Mali part one
My first trip to Africa was to Mali ,West Africa. I was always scared to go to Africa even though all my friends and students had already gone and the reports were always very positive. I was scared of getting sick. I heard the horror stories of people getting sick there, the poor hospitals, bad… Read More »
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Studying in Guinee Part 1
Many people often ask me “what was it like to study and travel in Guinee”? And “where did you like better Guinee or Mali”? I love both places to study and live but for different reasons. In Guinee I stayed with the late great Kemoko Sano and his family at his compound in Merveilles. I… Read More »
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Having a hard time learning hand drums or djembe?
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… Read More »
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My djembe and conga training program for developing your drumming skills quickly
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… Read More »