Tag: class
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How to practice quietly at home
Many people have written to me saying, “OK, I agree I need to practice, but where can I practice”? Maybe it is too cold to go out to the park, or you just don’t feel like dragging your drum around? Or maybe someone has complained about “noise”? I do not know how many times I have… Read More »
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Avoiding injuries playing hand drums
Injuries while playing drums can happen to anyone from the most beginning player to the most advanced. One of my favorite players and teachers Karmba Diabate for example is constantly in pain. His hands constantly hurt. He get’s amazing sound from his djembe, but at a price. I have seen every player at every level… Read More »
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Respecting the instrument you play: lesson one
One of the first most important lessons to learn when we first buy or get given a drum is to respect the instrument as you would any other instrument such as a violin or guitar. The drum is so much fun many of us do not even think of it as an actual musical instrument… Read More »
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Kassa rhythms and variations “Saraya” from Guinee, West Africa ballet style
n this lesson excerpt we look at the Kassa family of rhythms. This is the Saraya variation shown on dununs “down” style also known as “ballet” style. Read More »
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Basic’s: “clave concept” an introduction
It is all about basics and fundamentals. One of the fundamentals of all West African drumming is the clave concept. What is the clave concept? In Spanish, the clave is the cornerstone on which a wall is built. Musically and for our purposes here, we will talk about the clave not only an instrument (two… Read More »
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Top 10 do’s and dont’s at a drum circle, drum jam or party
If you are walking into an unkonwn situation be it a drum circle, drum jam, party or a dance class here are some general guidelines of etiquette to follow. They may seem pretty simple and you may or may not agree with them. But if you follow them you will have a much more harmonius… Read More »
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How to solo on djembe part one: my philosophy
Soloing on any drum especially djembe can be daunting at first. Everyone wants to do it but how do we start? First of all, what is a solo or “lead” as we also say in the drumming world? Traditionally speaking a solo in West African music, specifically music from Guinee and Mali is a phrase… Read More »
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Guinea djembe rhythms “Kuku” solo tech part one rear view and very slow
In this video I am playing the popular and social Kuku rhythm from Guinea (Guinee) West Africa where I lived and studied. These are solo techniques I learned from my various teachers in Africa and the USA including Hawaii, California and the east coast as well. Read More »
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Mali Sunu 4/4 rhythm: 2 drum dunun (dundun) part 1
In this video I am showing how to play the Mali style Sunu rhythm composition on two drums “ballet” style which means the drums are not sideways, they are standing up vertically. When I studied with my teachers, master drummer Aruna Sidibe and Brulye Doumbia they taught me this way. They can also be played… Read More »
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Mali Sunu rhythm solo techniques part one
In this video I am sharing and showing you the traditional solo patterns or “techniques” as many people call them for the Mali style Sunu rhythm arrangement as I learned it from my teachers Mali Djembe Master Drummer Aruna SIdibe & Brulye Doumbia while I was living and studying in Mali. Read More »
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Mali Sunu rhythm basic djembe part: fast-med-slow with click
This short “how to play” djembe lesson by Michael Pluznick features the basic Mali Sunu rhythm djembe part in fast, medium and very slow *(breakdown) tempo with a click track so you can see and hear where everything goes against the beat or pulse. Read More »
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Kuku djembe solo techniques part one
This is part one of the Kuku solo techniques shown here with the small ensemble with Wade Peterson on ballet style dununs (aka “djundjun” or “dundun”) , Ben Isaacs on support djembe and MIchael Pluznick on lead or solo djembe. Read More »