Tag: how to play
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“Can’t Beat Em Join Em” New Lesson Series Started
I am starting a new on line downlaodable djembe and dunun and drumming lessons series entitled, “Can’t beat em join em” for people who would like to very casually learn to play west african influenced rhythms and only want to learn the most basic and easiest rhythms. You do not need a lot of experience to… 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 »
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We Are All Branches Of The Drumming Tree
There are many styles and ways to play hand drums originating from West Africa. Be it traditional drumming, Afro Cuban, Haitian, Brazilian, South American, Trinidadian, (or others) it does not matter as it all comes or originates from the same tree. Even rock music and drum circles have their links, fundamental rhyhtms or branches from… Read More »
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Now And Then, All Styles Relate To The One!
Then And Now~ Let’s Get It Together! When I first started drumming in the 70’s (for those of us not born into or of the drum culture), there was one general drummers informational grid or network, that is to say one large drumming platform or base of information that was available to the general public.… Read More »
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Understanding West African Jenbe (Djembe) and Dunun Music.
When we concentrate only on soloing on the jenbe, and not learning or playing the dunun we are only experiencing the rhythm arrangement or composition from one small perspective. You are relating to it from a small and stuck position. Its like driving down the highway and only seeing the back of the car in… Read More »
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Playing Ballet Style Dunun (aka Djun Djun) vs Traditional Style Dunun
What is the difference between playing ballet style dunun drums and traditional style dunun playing? Traditional is sideways played by three or two players and Ballet stye the dunun are played standing up. But it goes beyond this. The dunun are a set of three double sided drums hit with sticks that make up the… Read More »
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The learning Process and Drumming
The learning process and drumming, transcending the illusion of ” I can’t”. I am constantly hearing people say, “I can’t do that, I can’t do this” when I am trying to teach them or share something new, “odd” or very different. I always get a lot of excuses. And they are often very convincing, because… Read More »
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Overwhelmed learning? Here is a plan for how to approach and learn west african drumming.
Overwhelmed trying to learn to play west african drums? 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 some people it is hard to focus on only one thing. They… Read More »
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It’s easy to say “relax when you are drumming”, but how do you actually do it?
I know it’s easy to say “relax when you are drumming”, but how do you actually do it? I am always telling people to relax when they play and I also continually hear my teachers saying it to other as well. It is one of the most important things you need to do when playing… Read More »
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Using the bass note, the sometimes forgotten note on your conga or djembe drum
I was talking to a friend the other day about a drum I had mentioning that the new skin did not leave it with a lot of bass tone. He mentioned to me, “that’s O.K. because I don’t really use the bass note too often anyway”. Of course I schooled him and shared with him… Read More »
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Finding A Teacher
I have been playing since the early 70’s and a lot of that time has been spent studying. A lot of that time was also mucking around. It took me a while to begin to get it together and realize that I did not know anything and I needed to study. I am so glad… Read More »
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The Will To Learn or “Poop or Get Off the Can”
Get serious about your drumming! From around the world I get letters and also in my travels I see many people who are not improving in their drumming skills. They are staying at the same level of drumming they were a year or two ago and still can only play one or two rhythms. Why… Read More »