Why do I drum?

My trusty drum kit..

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by Jim Donovan

I was thinking about this question today and I realized that beyond the enjoyment and energy, that I drum because it teaches and reflects to me important aspects about my life...

• Like feeling stuck or uninspired because I feel like I am just repeating the same old rhythms...
• Or trying to learn new challenging new rhythms where the patterns challenge, frustrate, and right out confound me...
• And even realizing, that the rhythms in and of themselves aren't nearly as important as the intention I inject into them.

Elie Kihonia and I drumming at Riverbeat in Pittsburgh.

When I drum, it reminds me of the craving I have to be "in the groove", fully present and in joy. I feel the most alive when new ideas are flowing effortlessly and great music happens!

Drumming is one of the tools that continuously challenges me figure out a way to create that which is inspiring. Whether I break "hard" rhythms down into smaller parts, play them more slowly, or find someone to help me figure it out, drumming always gives me opportunities to grow... if I look closely...


I want to know, why do you drum?
Be a part of this article by leaving you answer in the comments below!

34 Easy Ways To Improve Your Drum Circle

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by Jim Donovan
(Special thanks and hi-fives to all of my friends on my Blog, Twitter and Facebook for your contributions to this article!!)

If you're anything like me, you like FUN...and FUN is probably why you decided to give this drumming thing a whirl.
So let's pretend for a moment that you have your drum and you made it to the drum circle...
Now what?

Beyond the stress relief, sense of togetherness, and joy you can get from drumming with others is your ability enhance the overall quality of the drum circle experience by the way you interact with the people around you.

Here are 34 easy ideas that you can use to maximize your fun and improve your drum circles right away. Think of these tips as "drum circle etiquette".

And if you have ideas that aren't on the list, leave them below...
Happy drumming!

34 Easy Ways To Improve Your Drum Circle

1. Remove your rings if you are borrowing someones drum.

2. Turn off your cell phone...and resist the urge to text. (Your Twitter followers can wait...)

3. Listen first, play second.

4. Ask permission to use someone's drum before just picking it up.

5. Resist the urge to play louder than everyone else.

6. Get to know each other after the circle, hang out and chat after drumming.

7. Respect the drums you're borrowing.

8. Space! Leave space for others to play.

9. Make the betterment of the "group sound" be your number one priority.

10. If you are a newbie, pay attention to the more experienced drummers around you and learn from them.

11. If you are an expert, remember the newbies in the group and give them encouragement and guidance from time to time. Remember what it was like when you first started drumming!

12. Worrying about mistakes? Fuughet abahht it!
If you are a beginner, you may feel as though everyone is listening to you and your "mistakes" (even though they aren't!) Be brave and just play.

13. Unless you are facilitating, resist playing faster and louder in an attempt to speed up the group.

14. If you get lost, listen for the downbeat - the main "pulse" of the rhythm to find your way back.

15. Tired of drumming? Just dance!

16. Made a mistake during a session? Just SMILE and keep going and get back INTO the group's vibe!

17. It's okay to not drum sometimes, so that you can really listen.

18. How about some hand percussion? Try a shaker, woodblock, or bell.

19. If playing a bell, make sure there is lots of space in your rhythm. Keep the bell rhythm simple and steady.

20. Keep solos short and sweet and then come back and support the group so others can take a "solo".

21. Drum with joy. Remember how fortunate we are to have the opportunity to make music together. Have fun, you deserve it.

22. Breathe...relax...and open your heart to collective possibility..

23. Most importantly (in drumming or dance or life) drop into your heart. Move beyond the thoughts of *how* to do it, or impressing someone, etc....and into "what deep essence wishes to express through me/the drum in this now moment?"

24. Open up to the healing energy that we create when we drum.

25. Feel the group pulse, as if it were your own.

26. In the words of the late great percussionist Bill Roth:
"It's not just what you play, it's also what you don't play."
"It's not just when you play, it's also when you don't play."

27. Realize that there are many different kinds of drum circles that will lead to different kinds of experiences.  Appreciate the value of diversity and try to be conscious of the group dynamic or you may feel disappointed that "they" didn't play the way you like!

28. Bring your best self! Your energy can positively or negatively impact the circle - let go of negativity, feel the rhythm - listen - drum - dance - be

29. Leave your ego at the door! (Or even in the car...)

30. Listen, feel, listen, breathe, listen..

31. Bringing children to a circle can be a great thing, and it can also be incredibly disruptive depending on how it's approached. Etiquette would mandate that if you bring young children, spend a bit of time with them prior, so they understand what's going on.

32. Understand that some people come to the circle with a different method of "feeling" the music due to disabilities they are triumphing over.

33. Why not turn the circle into an excuse to eat as well? Have a potluck afterwards and get to know each other.

34. Relax.

If you'd like to get my free Rhythm Newsletter with useful articles, updates on workshops, retreats and concerts near you, plus special members only giveaways sign-up here... 

Are you looking for some new grooves?
Check out my play-along learning tool "World Rhythm Seeds CD".

5 Ways to Create A Deeper Connection with Your Music : Part 2

Photo by Kaylyn Oshaben

5 Ways to Create A Deeper Connection with Your Music : Part 2
by Jim Donovan

View Part 1 of this series. It contains Steps 1 and 2...

3rd step: Integrating your breath into your phrases. Learning how to integrate your inhalation and exhalations with your musical phrases.

This process involves lining up your exhalations with the downbeat. Simply breathe in a little before the beginning of the first phrase and exhale at the very beginning of the next phrase on the downbeat (also known as beat "one"). It's not necessary to do this on every phrase, but the key is to get into the habit of connecting your breath as you play as often as possible without hyperventilating. This kind of process not only keeps you relaxed, but it significantly helps you to remain focused and in the moment.

4th step: Aligning your intention with the music you are creating.

Here are a couple of ways to approach this:

1st way: If you are playing a piece of music with lyrics, and you know the meaning of those lyrics, you can hold in your mind the message or idea that the particular song is trying to convey. Bring this idea into your mind every so often as the song progresses. In this process you are aligning your own personal energy with that of the music.

2nd way: If you are not aware of the meaning in the lyrics of a particular song, or if it is an instrumental piece, it is still possible to inject intention into the music.  You can decide to hold a specific emotion or idea inside of yourself as you play.  For example; you can hold the intention of being an instrument of peace and imagine that every note you play resonates with that idea and actually helps to push that idea out into the world.

This step underlines something vital about the responsibility of a musician. Knowing that your instrument serves as an amplifier for the intentions and emotions you hold as you play.

To utilize the gift of music to it's fullest potential, it's important to take a few moments before you play to clear your mind, center yourself and reflect on your intention.  Remember your reason for playing in the first place.  Use whichever techniques you enjoy; stretching, yoga, deep breathing, going for a quick walk, meditation, etc.


Stay tuned for Part 3 coming soon...

Play a monster drum kit right at your computer

Just what you need, another place to waste 10 minutes..
Well, what are you waiting for?
Go play..
http://www.kenbrashear.com/

Help a Kid Get a Drum

I just ran across this great site that allows you to give much needed help to the teachers in our US schools.

This site, donorschoose.org helps teachers looking for materials (like drums) to find donors to help out. You get to decide exactly what project or school you donate to.

The nice thing about it is that the site uses the crowdsourcing idea where even if you donate tiny amounts, it still helps because there are many others doing the same thing. Kind of like the "tiny streams coming together eventually becoming a great river" idea.

Of course, I found the particular part of the site where teachers are looking to get drums for their students for group drumming in the classroom. I've seen first hand, as I'm sure many of you have, the confidence, self-esteem, sense of community, and joy that drumming with others provides.

The way I see it, the more drumming we have in our schools the better :)

Help out here..

2 Master Drummers Going At it

We can all learn a thing or two from these guys...

Common hand-drumming-related injuries and treatments

Common hand-drumming-related injuries and treatments

Common hand-drumming-related injuries and treatments
by Kalani

Injury Treatment

Soreness in hands, wrists & forearms from playing for long periods of time or playing hard. Ice alternating with heat, motrin, traumeel cream, arnica cream, taping the fingers before playing, not playing as hard, changing one's technique, staying relaxed when playing.

Tightness in the shoulders, neck & back from wearing drums with straps and/ or leaning over the drums. Warming up before playing, deep breathing, keeping good posture, yoga, tai-chi, adjusting straps & stands to fit one's body, massage, shea butter.

Ringing in the ears from playing loud or for long periods of time. Wearing ear plugs & not playing as loud.

Blisters & cracks on the hands from playing with sticks and/or bare hands. Using hand lotion, taping the hands,using pumice to reduce the size of callouses & using "new skin" to help heal & prevent blisters. Numbness in hands from playing. Warming up, not playing as loud & rest. Soreness in feet and / or back from standing. Using orthotics (soul inserts to raise the arch of the foot and align the ankle bones with the foot and leg).

Summary:
As a general rule, most percussionists feel that warming up is an important part of practice and performance. Stretching and massage also seem to be good preventative measures for reducing injuries. As treatment, arnica is a popular remedy as is ice & heat.

An ongoing effort to improve one's technique, to stay relaxed and to breath deeply are also important factors in maintaining good health. Quick fixes include ibuprofen (for reducing swelling) and tape to prevent skin injuries.

Notes:
The above information is a summery of the input that was gathered from an internet survey of 45 drummers & hand percussionists. The purpose of the survey was to identify health issues, both injuries and remedies, that are common among hand drummers. This information is part of a growing data base of health related studies that are being conducted and compiled by the Percussive Arts Society - Health and Wellness committee. Kalani is the world-percussion sub-chairman of the committee. Additional comments and input should be addressed to the above address.

How to Get a Good Sound From Your Djembe

Bass tone
The bass tone is the low sound of the djembe. Using the weight of your forearm, strike the center of the drum with your open palm and bouncing your hand off the skin to get the best bass tone drum. Experiment with striking the drum a little off center to see how your particular drum responds. Keep in mind that each drum is unique and has its own "sweet spots".
Each stroke you play on the drum should be with relaxed muscles and motion. While doing this and the following strokes (except for the muted tone), imagine that you have strings attached from the drum to the palms of your hands. As you do this imagine these strings pulling the sound out of the drum. The head on a drum is a vibrating membrane which moves in an up and down motion. By using this imagery you may allow yourself to pull the best sound out of your drum.

Open tone (or just the "tone")
Continuing in a relaxed way, bring your fingers together as you strike the edge of the drum to create an open resonant sound. The edge of the drum should contact the fleshy part of the base of the fingers between the two joints closest to the hand. Be careful to avoid hitting the rim of the drum with the joints in your hands (under your knuckles and in the lines of you palms and hands).

Slap
The slap is a bright, popping tone. Firm your fingers and curve them slightly (you're still relaxed remember), strike the edge of the drum with the fleshy part of the hand, just below the fingers. Watch that your thumbs stay away from the rim of the drum. Let your fingers pop down and quickly bounce off the drum. To really get a strong "popping" slap. your drum head needs to be very tight. you should not be able to feel any "give" in the head if press down on the middle of your drum head.

Muted tone
This stroke is a muted Pa that creates a cracking, dry sound. Mute the head of your drum by resting one hand on it just before and during the strike of your other hand.

My Workshops Look Like This...

This is a shot of a workshop I did at a place out in Eastern, PA called Serenity Yoga...really sweet people, lots of good drumming that day. I love the energy of yoga studios...very conducive to music making.

The Groove

The groove is what I live for.

Back in 1990, I specifically remember a day when I was in Rusted Root's rehearsal space in the Strip District near downtown Pittsburgh. It was really hot at that time, and I was practicing on the drum set by myself. There was no air conditioning, and I couldn't open the windows - but that was all fine by me. I decided to shut the lights off and I started playing an African groove on my tom-toms, (a 6/8 rhythm) and I thought to myself, "I wonder what would happen if I just kept playing this groove for a very long time?" So that's just what I did. I started playing and the more I played the same groove, the more I let my body relax. I deliberately decide to stay on the same groove over and over, and I did no fills, no variations, just the same thing over and over again. Repetition, repetition, repetition.

Being in that space for what seemed to be about 10 minutes was bliss. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced. I was no longer thinking, I was no longer trying to be anything. I wasn't trying to become a better drummer, I was just in the groove. And when I finally stopped, I thought I had been only playing for about ten or fifteen minutes, but as it turned out, over two whole hours had passed since I had started playing the rhythm. I wasn't tired or fatigued in any way, but instead I found that I was energized and I knew that night on my ride home, I would never be the same.

Potato Soup and Bacon Bits

WHICH ONE OF YOU PUT BACON BITS IN MY POTATO SOUP!?