Category: Advice & Tips
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You can learn learn simply by listening to nature and practicing
One of the most fun things about drumming and percussion is that every time you sit down to play you can learn something new. If you keep open minded you can pick up new ideas from almost anywhere or anything. From a birds song, rain drops falling, crickets to your washing machine. Life is rhythms… Read More »
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The most important thing you can learn when beginning drumming
Learning to play the 6/8 bell in sync with your foot, (or even better both feet moving evenly) is the single most important thing we can learn when beginning to play drums no matter what the style or type. Afro Cuban, West African, Haitian, Brazilian and any drums originating out of West Africa and the… Read More »
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Keeping your learning process simple!
Learning by starting simply There is so much amazing and wonderful information being shared online, in apps, youtube, books, Facebook and the wonderful retreats and classes happening such as the recent 20th Annual Wula Drum And Dance Retreat that just happened. When I first started studying drumming there was NO info, so in the last… Read More »
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Tricks of the trade
Tricks of the trade Certain students and players have minds where they can remember what they have learned simply from going to a class. It’s not the everyday person but I know a few. But most of us forget most of whatever happened in the class. Something is happening that we do get just by… Read More »
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crawl before you walk
Crawl before you walk. When studying and playing West African and Afro Cuban drums and rhythms, just like a baby you have to learn to crawl before you walk and walk before you run. If you don’t learn the basics, the fundamentals, handing techniques and the rudiments then you will have no foundation to work off… Read More »
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How To Buy The Best Djembe
How to choose the best djembe. Many people write to me all the time and ask, “what djembe should I buy? And I often get asked, “please help me choose a djembe”. The best djembe is the drum that is perfect for your needs. Everyone needs something a little different and some people do not… Read More »
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How to learn the djembe drum, where to start and what to do. My recommendations for beginners to advanced players.
Overwhelmed trying to learn to play west african drums? Is there too much info and you don’t know where to start? We live in a day in age where we have so much information available to us via internet, youtube, facebook, books, cds, etc. that it is easy to get overwhelmed and not learn anything. For… Read More »
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a percussion fanatics tips on how to learn and enjoy studying drumming
I would like to share a percussion fanatics tip on how to learn and enjoy studying drumming on a continual basis. Many of us get overwhelmed by the wealth of information available to us on the internet and other sources. Because there is so much information it can cause the same effect as no information.… Read More »
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Unity Of The Drum- My Philosophy Of Drumming And Life
I am back in Key West Florida once again for a wedding. I started off my “performance” career here on the dock at Mallory Square playing congas with a dancer for spare change over 40 years ago. I used to pay my rent in rolls of quarters! How time fly’s when you are having fun.… Read More »
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Avoiding or dealing with joint pain or hand problems
In this article I will be talking about how to possibly avoid pain (or at least cut down on it) in your drumming as well as some possibilities if you are already having pain. Weather you are young or older it’s always a good idea to be prepared and here are some preventative methodologies, strategies,… Read More »
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What You Put In To Your Drumming Will Come Back Out
What you put into your drumming studies and endeavours will indeed come back out . If you want to improve and to excel you do need to learn, study , practice and play. I saw an interview with the late great Raul Rekow (R.I.P.) recently where he spoke of an example of the path of… Read More »
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Learning to Play Drums is More Then Patterns
If you want to learn more then just rhythms and patterns and really want to know how to drum on the deepest levels and if you really want to grow, you have to challenge your brain and you have to do different stuff then you are used to or comfortable with. I see many people… Read More »