Category: Advice & Tips
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Gratitude
Its great to feel grateful! I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful to have discovered hand drumming in this lifetime. It has been a constant presence in my life, a source of sanity amidst the ebb and flow of people, relationships, and situations. It has kept me healthy and youthful. When I am feeling a bit… Read More »
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New School vs Old School: The Discussion Continues
I don’t know about you, but I find myself increasingly impressed by the seemingly endless videos on Facebook showcasing the miraculous and remarkable djembe and conga drum players. The speed, sound and power they achieve are nothing short of incredible. I often wonder, “how on earth do they get this speed”? And also, where their… Read More »
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Drumming As A Tool For Grounding Out Our Energy
A student recently asked me why drumming is considered a grounding activity. As someone who is already spiritually inclined and perhaps feels a strong connection to the metaphysical realm, they were looking to cultivate a deeper sense of grounding and connection to their physical body. In case you are not familiar with the term “grounding”… Read More »
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learning To Solo
Soloing Advice for Hand drummers. If you’re learning to solo on the djembe or congas, I have a piece of advice from my own experience that you might find useful. I’ve seen it work wonders for others as well. Consider this: when you’re about to play a solo or take the lead, think of yourself… Read More »
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There Is Always A Workaround-Keep Things Simple
If you’ve ever faced a serious injury that kept you from playing the drums or doing something else you love, I encourage you to look into the story of martial artist Bill “Superfoot” Wallace. After a judo accident left him with a mangled right knee, he refused to give up. Instead of throwing in the… Read More »
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I’m Back! classes in florida
Florida Hand Drumming: November Through January! I’m excited to share that I’ll be in South Florida from mid-November to mid-January, giving me a wonderful two-month opportunity to connect with all of you through the universal language of rhythm! During my time here, I would absolutely love to get together to drum, jam, and share some… Read More »
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To be an effective leader you must first be a good student
To be an effective leader and teacher, you first need to be a good follower, or student. Or at least have been one at some point in your journey. This foundation is critical as it shapes your ability to connect with others and understand the difficulties they may be having,. You have to remember your… Read More »
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Need a Break?
Today, a friend mentioned that he’s taking a break from drumming. Instead of probing for reasons or trying to convince him to play again, I took a moment to reflect on my own journey with drumming. I don’t often stop or miss playing sessions, maybe only during very rare bouts of illness or when I… Read More »
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how to Take care of your djembe-And The best-Top Ten djembe repair people
Let’s talk about a reality that all drummers face: just like all good things, your goatskin or any animal skin on your drum is going to eventually give out. They pop. And sometimes seemingly for no reason. I have brought a brand new drum home fro a shop, put it into my house walked in… Read More »
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About the bongo
Over the years, many people have reached out to me seeking to learn how to play bongo drums. However, most of them lack a solid grasp of the basics of playing congas and often don’t realize they need to learn conga drums and clave first. Although bongos are traditional solo instruments in Latin band forms,… Read More »
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There is knowledge and Then there is knowing
There is knowledge and then there is knowing. When it comes to drumming, I’ve noticed there’s a big difference between just having knowledge and truly knowing what it’s all about—those are two entirely different things. Over the years, I’ve met a ton of people in the drumming community, some of whom have only a little… Read More »
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Conga Drums I Have Known And Loved-the Best Conga Drums ever!
I recently came across a post with a photo of some vintage and very rare conga drums I had sold to a local guy in California, only to discover later that they had found a new home in a museum. Quite frequently I see my drums, or what used to be my drums on posts… Read More »