Category: Advice & Tips
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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 »
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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 »
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It’s not the drum it’s the drummer
It’s not the drum it’s the drummer! What makes a drum have that special sound? Is it the wood? The place or country it is from? The goat skin or what the goat ate? Just what is it? About 10 years ago I was at a Mamady Keita workshop trying to pick out a djembe… Read More »
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How to Play Congas: Very basic technique, position and tones
“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 Read More »
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Less is more!
-Fear less, hope more. Whine less, breathe more. Talk less, say more. Hate less, love more. Trip less, dance more…… Read More »
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mysterious quote
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.~Albert Einstein Read More »
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Buying a djembe, Bali or African drum?
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… Read More »
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How to buy a used conga drum, which drum is best?
Here are some tips on and about buying a used conga drum. Read More »
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what to use if you do not have a drum (bucket)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iULsxkom4fo Michael P demonstrates what to do when you don’t have a dunun or conga..use a bucket. MP shows 3 different ways to play 6/8 beats on his cheap yellow bucket drum! Stcik and hand technique. Read More »
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If you can say it you can play it!
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. These type of learners can not learn unless they first… Read More »
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Space, the final frontier. Add a little space to your solo’s!
Space, the final frontier. Soloing concepts Most young soloists and even experienced players play too many notes. My suggestion is to approach drumming as a musical composition. In music, soloing is more about what you don’t play, then what you do play. I am talking about space. Phrasing and space. Space and phrasing. As Lao… Read More »
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African dance: Mali, “SUNU” Djembe Drums Dance and Chants
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… Read More »