Category: Advice & Tips
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Martial Arts and Drumming
Exploring the Profound Connection Between Martial Arts and Hand Drumming Fluidity of Movement At the heart of both martial arts and hand drumming lies the importance of movement—specifically, the fluid and graceful execution of physical motions. Practices such as Tai Chi, Qigong, Kung Fu, dance, and yoga teach us how to move our bodies with… Read More »
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The state of djembe and conga drum solos
Calling all percussion students and rhythm enthusiasts! Let’s talk about the state of djembe and conga drum solos that we often come across. Have you noticed a shift away from beautiful grooves and funky beats in favor of flashy techniques and speedy rolls? While I appreciate the technical prowess and speed displayed by these talented… Read More »
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It’s Your Thing
The Profound Relationship Between Music and the Performer At the core of any musical journey lies the essential relationship between a musician and their instrument. This connection isn’t dictated by the opinions or expectations of others, but rather by a personal understanding and expression of sound. Ultimately, what matters most is not what I or… Read More »
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Playing Tips for hand drummers
Embracing Growth Through Collaboration: The Journey of Drumming When you find yourself playing alongside more experienced drummers, it’s natural to feel a tinge of self-doubt or insecurity about your skills. However, I urge you not to let these feelings dissuade you. Instead, view each opportunity to play with others as a chance for growth. Each… Read More »
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Soloing On hand Drums in jams performances and musical situations
Embrace Your Unique Voice: The Art of Soloing on Drums When it comes to soloing on drums, it’s essential to foster the belief that you don’t have to sound like anyone else. While it’s wonderful to draw inspiration from fellow musicians, every drummer has their own unique voice, and that voice deserves to be heard.… Read More »
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Learning to play drums is like making new friends with someone you dont know
Have you ever found yourself butting heads with someone you just didn’t click with, only to realize later that they became one of your closest friends or even a romantic partner? Not to delve too much into the personal, but learning rhythms and studying drumming can mirror this experience in incredible ways. Think about it:… Read More »
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Unity of the drum-Empowering ourselves and others through music and drumming
Where Words Fail, Drumming Speaks Let me share something with you that resonates deeply in my heart: where words fall short, drumming has the power to elevate and connect us in ways that mere conversation cannot. I’m not here to dive into the complexities of politics or the myriad issues plaguing governments around the world.… Read More »
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Why Play And Practice Traditional Hand Drumming Styles?
Why Practice Repetitive Parts, Patterns, and Traditional Drumming Styles? Have you ever wondered why it’s essential to dive into repetitive parts, patterns, and traditional drumming styles? Many people overlook the profound benefits of embracing these foundational elements. Learning traditional drumming forms is not just about sticking to rigid structures; it’s about digging deeper into our… Read More »
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Getting Out Of Your Comfort Zone= Positive Growth
If you want to improve your drumming and expand your abilities then it is important to play and practice to different feels and different time signatures on your drum or percussion instrument. Get out of your comfort zone of the same time signatures and speed all the time. If you just play to the same… Read More »
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Respecting Those That Came Before Us
It’s important to acknowledge and respect those that came before us in any form of musical endeavor we are part of. Be it traditional drumming from Africa, Cuba, Haiti or your local drum circle. If you did not start it, someone or several people put in hard work to lay down the foundation for you… Read More »
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The Djembe Drum And Conga Drum is a real musical instrument and not a toy!
Did you know that in Europe in many places when the percussion masters perform thousands of people pay to come and see them play. Thousands. They are not “sitting in” or playing for free. They are respected. You can see video after video on Youtube. It is amazing. Why not in the USA? Try to… Read More »
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Let’s Drop Discouragement!
Lets drop discouragement When I was at the last Wula Drum And Dance Retreat several people mentioned to me that they felt discouraged after seeing great players blazing at lightening speed. A friend said to me, “I’ll never play that fast”. I said, why do you need to play that fast? For me it’s not… Read More »