If you have started your journey in studying hand drumming, or you are curious about how to learn more I applaud you here. And if you want to learn how to drum, you can learn the mechanics and you can learn somethings about the drum patterns of most hand drumming styles in many different places. With Youtube and the internet it is readily available. There are CD’s and downloadable lessons and books that are all very helpful.

Drumming is a group experience and something you can do with yourself but its always going to be more fun communally with other people. Drumming comes from a tradition of information and music handed down over generations from parent to child. And drumming is much more then learning patterns or expressing yourself soloing at a jam session. It is about bringing people together in unity and the energy that this unity can bring.

Getting the essence of drumming, and the feel is something you can’t get it out of a book or off of a video. The djembe drum and Afro Cuban drumming comes out of a cultural context. You don’t have to be from the culture but it is important to understand that the drum comes from a long history with a proud heritage. It is still used in ceremonies parties, celebrations and to assist workers and functions in the community it comes from.

There are different songs and dances that go to each individual piece and there are hundreds of different village or traditional pieces and arrangements all over West Africa. It is interesting to note that the drumming is not the most important aspect of a ceremony or celebration. It is part of a formula.

When you really get into the study of real drumming it is a much deeper story then simply playing and repeating patterns, or the opposite, playing chaotically.  Drumming is firstly and foremost about unity. Comming together and playing together as one.

If you really want to learn you need a teacher. And what a real teacher teaches you or shows you does include, but goes beyond patterns and techniques. If you are not improving or you are feeling stuck this may be why.

When you do learn a cultural drumming form you do indeed need to learn and experience about the culture and the cultural context of the rhythms you are learning and playing. This will take you out of your western ego and open up the pathways to let the energy and spirit in. The unwillingness to learn what the rhythms are about is a block.

Drumming is about spirit, passion,love and sharing. People talk to me about math, notation, subdivisions explaining all the ways to look at and think about drumming.  And that’s all fine, ( I am not against it at all), but it’s not going to give you “soul”, funk or feel for real. It is not going to connect you to spirit. And tha tis what I am here to talk to you about today.

To get the spirit of drumming means “to connect with spirit”. Studying the traditional hand patterns, phrasing and rhythms is a must! But we must also be available and open to channeling the music, love and spirit of the drum.

Connecting to spirit is a surrender and has nothing to do with showing off or ego. This is a misconception. It is not about solo it is about group.And to really play, is to play from your heart and not your head.

It is is not about ego. It is not about who is the best. Many people think it is all about soloing. It’s not. It’s about connecting with others. When we connect with others drumming as one, as one team , as one unit as one big drum, we can then connect with spirit.

The fact is, most of us are not going to ever play like the best Africans, Cubans or other cultures drummers. We need to get this and accept this. And we don’t have to! There is nothing to “become” or be other then who you already are.

Even if we cannot play as well we can however connect to spirit. We can share, give and enjoy the gift with ourselves and others.
If you study with a teacher and all you learn is patterns, phrases and techniques and not the unifying principle, (unity of the drum) you have not really gotten to the true meaning of drumming.