Category: Advice & Tips
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How To Solo On Djembe
Want to learn to solo on your djembe drum? Play accompaniment. It is not a penalty to play accompaniment. Accompaniment is when you hold a part or better said make a repetitive pattern or passport part “groove”. And at the same time it is playing support. Yes, you are playing the same thing over and… Read More »
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Crawl before you walk
Crawl before your walk, walk before you run, play slowly before your play fast. In drumming like anything in life its important to take it step by step when starting out. Baby steps are good! Be it playing the drums or building a drum. You have to learn the basics first. The means search out… Read More »
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Here are my “top ten” suggestions for maintaining a wonderful vibe, having fun and just plain surviving when drumming at open or large jam sessions.
Here are my “top ten” suggestions for maintaining a wonderful vibe, having fun and just plain surviving when drumming at open or large jam sessions. 1. Sit in the groove and lay in the pocket. Always be looking for the groove to lock into. Make this a priority and you will have more fun, deeper… 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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How to allow drumming to be spiritual practice
The first step in making drumming a spiritual practice is realizing we are not making anything or forcing anything. We are dropping. We leave our ego at the door. What does this mean? It means we have have to drop our egos and come into the room humble and open. When we are humble we… Read More »
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Drumming with others is like being on a team
“There is no I in team”. Although this is a bit of an over used expression, I still love it. It really fits into my idealism concerning group drumming be it traditional or non traditional. Drumming is a communal experience. And for me, It would be so more of a communal experience if we acted… Read More »
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Dispelling The Myth Of Talent
Dispelling the myth of talent. More often then not, something we see someone doing looks easier than it is or someone makes something look very easy. In this case let’s talk about hand drumming. When you see most of our drum masters play they are very relaxed and maybe they are smiling. Maybe we don’t… Read More »
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Drumming Is A Shared Experience
When you are drumming there are ways to play besides holding parts. But in a jam, dance class and even a performance when you are indeed holding a part, you are holding the space for others. It’s a shared experience. We have to leave space for each other. We support each other. There is more… Read More »
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Sometimes it takes a long time to learn how to play like yourself”
“Sometimes it takes a long time to learn how to play like yourself” Quote by Miles Davis. The drum like any other instrument is a life long study. We don’t reach a point and suddenly say “I am there” and stop studying and learning. Technique and your personal sound is something that is always being… Read More »
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How To Play Drums As We Age
How To Play Djembe and Hand Drums As We Get Older. As we age our body does not react the same way as it did when we were 40, 30 or 20. I started drumming when I was 10. I can not play mindlessly like I did in my teens or 20’s now that I… Read More »
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Space The Final Frontier
“Space, the final frontier” What is it about space, that makes us want to put stuff in it? When we are playing music and drumming, why do so many of us completely fill the room with notes? If you were to listen back to two identical players playing to the same piece, the one who… Read More »
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It’s all about love and respect
I have been involved with traditional West African drumming, Afro Cuban, Haitian and other forms of hand drumming and percussion for my entire adult life. In the last 6 years I have added drum circles as well. This post is NOT about traditional vs. drum circles. It is about unity and respect. We need to… Read More »