Student Login

  • All About Olodum

    Several years ago we went to Brazil to study Afro Brazilian music and dance. We were fortunate to meet members and teachers from the famous group Olodum. It took me years, but I was finally able to get some video footage up of our trip there so here it is! But first a little bit… Read More »

  • Shekere demo excerpts from “How to Play Sekere (Shekere) volume 2

    The Sekere is also known as Chekere or Shekere depending on where you are and who you talk to. This is a 2 hour DVD on many different aspects of how to play a Sekere (Shekere) including playing with a group of players, playing traditional style, non traditional style and with a band or popular… Read More »

  • **NEW**!! How to Play Sekere (Shekere) Vol.2 JUST RELEASED!!!

    http://www.earthcds.com/caribbean/cub… How to Play Sekere (Shekere) Volume 2 has just been released by Michael Pluznick and earthcds.com. Please check it out at earthcds.com. This Sekere video includes group arrangements for Shekere (sekere), individual parts for playing the Sekere (shekere) as well as Sekere rhythms for popular music as well. Read More »

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

    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… Read More »

  • Afro Cuban “Quinto Lock” the secret solo ride for rumba by M. Pluznick

    Michael Pluznick and friends on Toca Elite Pro Series congas! This video excerpt from How to Play Conga Drums shows the top secret “quinto lock” or solo ride pattern that fits or locks in between notes of the guaguanco rumba pattern, in this case a Yambu or slow Guagunaco. Michael first demonstrates the pattern hand… Read More »

  • Peeing blood (pee blood, bloody urination) when playing drums and soloing on djembe

    Peeing blood is a problem that happens for some of us when we play drums too hard. Stanford did a study on drummers who peed blood and also long distance runners who also peed blood and said it is from the break down of cells in the hand (or foot) being passed too quickly through… Read More »

  • Mali Djembe Master Drummer Aruna SIdibe & Brulye Doumbia

    Mali Djembe Master Drummer Aruna SIdibe & Brulye Doumbia *(Dununs) perform traditional West African djembe rhythms from the world drumming recording session for the Old Master CD on www.earthcds.com Read More »

  • LIVE…Master Djembe Drummer Bolokada Conde and Les Percussions Malinke

    Djembe drum master Bolokada Conde and Les Percussions Malinke’s play traditional West African rhythms at a percussion show at La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley, CA in 2006. Bolokada Conde, one of world’s best djembe folas (professional djembe masters) with Master Balafon player Mohamed Kouyate and talented djembe and dunun (djun djun) drummers from SF… Read More »

  • Smile

    Smile when you play A very important muscle exercise to practice and to use when drumming is your smile. I have made over 350 youtube videos and one thing I notice is that often people, including myself are not smiling when they play. We are so serious, we want it to be correct. But remember,… Read More »

  • Makru Djembe Rhythm on Toca Stage Series Pro and Freestyle Djembes

    Tina and Luna enjoy there first djembe drum class with Michael Pluznick on Koh Samui Island, Thailand. Luna is playing a new Toca Freestyle djembe. Tina and Michael are playing Toca Stage Series Pro wood djembes. The rhythm being taught is “Makru” from Guinee, West Africa. Read More »

  • Michael P plays new Toca Freestyle Djembe on Bangkok Roof

    Michael Pluznick test drives the new Toca Freestyle PVC (plastic) djembe and plays a djembe solo on the roof of a Bangkok hotel, 35 stories high in Bangkok Thailand. This HD high definition video was shot on a Canon HF-S21 high defintion camcorder. The Toca djembe is interesting because this drum is not effected by… Read More »

  • MP plays Toca congas w/DJ Steve and guitar at BBC club, Koh Samui, Thailand

    Percussionist and conga player Michael Pluznick plays Toca congas, bongos and djembe to the electronic music of DJ Steve from England with Bobby Parrs on Guitar. Filmed on location at the BBC bar Big Buddha, Koh Samui, Thailand, Asia. Read More »

Michael Pluznick