improved DJEMBE lesson [Archive] - DRUMMERWORLD OFFICIAL DISCUSSION FORUM

Drifter in the Dark

08-11-2009, 09:17 PM

Nicely done! It was good for me to see some demonstrations of "ethnic" rhythms; Normally I just use bass and tone strokes in combination to mimic the sound of a drumset. In addition to my full-time band, I've been playing the djembe with an acoustic guitar player for the past year or so, re-arranging rock songs so that they can be performed by 2 people. (Our harmonic real estate is somewhat limited by the lack of a bass player, but we both sing, so that helps!) The drum I use is a 12 inch diameter Remo with an Acousticon shell. Like you said in the video, a smaller drum can still have a lot of tonal presence, and this one certainly does. I've compared it to a 16 inch diamater drum of the same model designation and I actually like the smaller one better! I also appreciate the ease of tuning and weather-resistance that are afforded by a synthetic instrument.

NUTHA JASON

08-11-2009, 09:31 PM

yes remo are very good. my drum comes from the ivory coast and the maker scrawled the word 'powerful' on the inside shell with ballpoint pen. i've played this baby in all sorts of drum circles and watched guys beating their drums hard to the point of potential hand damage while i calmly produce the same volume just playing normally.

j

ps i also use my drum to play rock sometimes. right hand plays bass left hand plays snare (slaps).

Garvin

08-11-2009, 10:58 PM

Who taught you this technique on djembe?

NUTHA JASON

08-12-2009, 01:04 AM

i'm african. so the answer is many many people.

j

Garvin

08-12-2009, 02:49 AM

Lol! Well, good luck!

YCP_MusicMan

08-12-2009, 06:27 PM

That was great! Please add some more. I have been trying to learn more world percussion and bought a djembe a few months back. This really helps!

caddywumpus

08-12-2009, 07:51 PM

Great vids, Nutha!

I have gotten lessons/tips from many djembe players in my time playing in an African marimba/mbira band, even from "masters" from Ghana and Guinea. Everyone I've talked to teaches a different slap than the one you've demonstrated in your videos, and I was wondering if you were going to post a 4th video covering this technique. It's the one where you get the "bark" from the drum by trapping the air between your hands and the drum in the tone position. Like this, for example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsAm-mZZSn8

Any chances of you posting a video about your take on that? I'd love to hear your perspective...

Garvin

08-12-2009, 08:12 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsAm-mZZSn8

Great example of proper sounding slap tone bass...

NUTHA JASON

08-12-2009, 08:23 PM

There are lots of techniques for djembe and it still surprises me when i run into folks who think one way is right. africa is enormous and what is right in senegal is wrong in natal. for example i met a master drummer who insisted that slaps must be played with open (splayed) fingers but when i was in Costa Rica i met a grizzeled old man who came from trinidad but lived on the beach near Santiago and was one of the best players i ever saw and he played slaps with firmly closed fingers.

i think that in terms of technique on the djembe the correct technique:

- makes the right sound from that specific drum at the correct volume.
- does not injure the player
- can be played relaxed and efficiently to allow for a range of tempos and interpretations

as long as it satisfies these three then it is not important that it is formally correct because formal for one place is not correct in another.

j

caddywumpus

08-12-2009, 08:40 PM

i think that in terms of technique on the djembe the correct technique:

- makes the right sound from that specific drum at the correct volume.
- does not injure the player
- can be played relaxed and efficiently to allow for a range of tempos and interpretations

as long as it satisfies these three then it is not important that it is formally correct because formal for one place is not correct in another.

j

Great! Totally! I know that there are completely different techniques for the djembe, depending on where on the continent (or the world) you go. Most of my dealings have been with west African players, so those are the playing techniques I have been exposed to. I was wondering if you had any tips/pointers on that particular technique, but I'm assuming, from your response, that the previously mentioned video won't be appearing on YouTube any time soon. :(

Thanks!

NUTHA JASON

08-12-2009, 08:47 PM

it might. sorry if i was a bit short but i allowed the comments of the so called 'experts' (who BTW have no videos of their own) on youtube, to get to me this morning. i love how these guys are so precise and absolute... there is no grey. they assume so much. they ignore the fact that i grew up in africa and earn about a 5th of my income with my djembe. on friday i'm teaching 10 disbled students drumming and next week i'm spending the whole week at kingston university designing and teaching a carnival piece interpreted on djembe for a group of yougsters to preform at the rose theatre and at carnivals later in the year. but of course i don't know how to slap ...

lol

j

Garvin

08-12-2009, 09:01 PM

Africa is enormous, but djembe comes from West Africa, not Costa Rica, and not Natal. The technique comes from West Africa. There are differences in things like accompaniments and breaks within the same rhythms between countries, but there is a proper technique.

I've studied djembe for ten years, and I know I'm being "one of those guys" but it is important for those of us who have put our time in to help maintain the integrity and tradition of djembe as it has been taught to us. Our teachers are very serious about their tradition, and as a student I feel it is my duty to speak up when I see something being taught incorrectly. If you post videos like this, you gotta expect to get feedback from guys like me. The internet is a wild-wild frontier sometimes, but there are folks who are gonna call you out on things like this. I can't imagine I'm the first whose done so particularly given the fact that you posted on youtube.

But don't take it personally ;)

NUTHA JASON

08-12-2009, 09:17 PM

not at all. but i have also studied djembe and what i was taught is different to you.

and while the integrity of the instrument is important to me so is its development and adaptation. i love the fact that i've seen korean, brazillian and irish patterns played on djembe. as well as completly new and unclassifiable patterns. djembe technique may have come from west africa but it is a world instrument now. if you want to be conservative or a traditionalist that is entirely valid. you are like a jazz drummer who plays trad grip and i am like a jazz drummer who plays matched.
my djembe education is just as valid as yours, i'm not going to list all the teachers and people i've gleaned my knowledge from because i cannot even remember half their names. nor to be honest did i care if they were from west africa or where they trained etc... at the time it was them and me sitting somewhere and i liked what they did and took time to learn it and share something of myself with them. as an african i can tell you that this is the african way. paper or ego or resume never comes into it.
and i do not agree that there is a single proper technique. west africa is huge. the kuku played in one village differs from the kuku played in one that is half a day's walk away. so too the slap or the way the djembe is made.
j

Garvin

08-12-2009, 09:26 PM

I agree with a lot of that last post... In my house, that is a good compromise. Fair enough :)

Peace!

~G

NUTHA JASON

08-12-2009, 09:30 PM

while i was waiting for your post i checked out your soko on youtube. great stuff! i'll take critiscism from anyone who is prepared to put their drum where their mouth is and can play that well as a bonus.

sometimes i wish it were a smaller world so i could meet dudes like you and jam together.

j

Garvin

08-12-2009, 09:38 PM

Ha! Thanks... That was a solo taught by Mamady Keita himself.

I'm playing with a group performing some West African drumming tonight. I'll try to video tape it and post a clip of that as well.

caddywumpus

08-12-2009, 10:37 PM

it might. sorry if i was a bit short but i allowed the comments of the so called 'experts' (who BTW have no videos of their own) on youtube, to get to me this morning.

No worries, man. I'm glad to see that you're doing something constructive in AND outside the drumming community! Best of luck, and let us know if you post any more videos...

Garvin

08-13-2009, 07:11 PM

Here's a little piece of video from our performance last night. I'm the guy in the green shirt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC7_mZW2u5M

aydee

08-13-2009, 10:38 PM

Here's a little piece of video from our performance last night. I'm the guy in the green shirt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC7_mZW2u5M

nice playing, Garvin.

caddywumpus

08-14-2009, 12:29 AM

Here's a little piece of video from our performance last night. I'm the guy in the green shirt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC7_mZW2u5M

Sweet, man! Do you guys get many gigs? Drums circles pop up so much in Portland that I can't imagine there being much work for drumming ensembles here...

Garvin

08-14-2009, 05:01 AM

As you may see from my previous posts, I am somewhat of a djembe snob. This is not a drum circle. Meaning, not everyone is welcome to play. We rehearse and choreograph specific rhythms with traditional instruments with breaks, solos etc... So, unlike in a drum circle where folks bring whatever instrument they want and flail around uninhibited, creating a cacophonous hippy thunder in which there is no communication, we stick to the traditional folk style of West Africa, specifically Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Ghana...

And no, this is not a money maker. We are the only folks doing this in Northern Michigan right now, and really we just play once in a while if asked. We recently opened for the Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars, which was a huge deal for me personally and definitely our biggest gig so far. I think we split $250 for an hour at the gig in the video. We are basically just pooling whatever money we make so we can bring up an instructor, or sponsor a workshop.

caddywumpus

08-14-2009, 05:32 AM

Sorry, Garvin. I wasn't trying to imply, at all, that your group was a "drum circle". Rather, a drumming ensemble, because it's obvious that you guys are rehearsed, have parts, and know what you're doing. There's a CLEAR distinction...

Garvin

08-14-2009, 02:44 PM

Hahaha! Thanks Caddy, that was a little tongue in cheek. I know that those distinctions are largely meaningless, but you know how it goes...

Portland actually has a lot of great djembe players. There is a guy name Daryll (Sekouh)Soumah who just completed Mamady's TTM training and is a great resource for that stuff. Rhythm Traders is a good place to track down djembe happenings in general (depending on who is there when you go).

I know they've hosted Fode Bangoura, Famodou Konate, and Mamady himself in the last couple years. Keep an eye out.

NUTHA JASON

08-14-2009, 04:16 PM

great vid.

it's so positive how drumming just keeps growing. and real drumming has not even been dented by the advent of cubase and protools etc. if anything people are turning to real drumming because of the drummer not the sound of the drum, if you get my meaning. there's something beyond beats and sounds that speaks to everyone ... the drummer in each of us. its just folks like everyone on this forum who have decided to train the inner drummer.

i've travelled well in my life so far and i've found djembe everywhere. Cool

j

Garvin

08-14-2009, 04:29 PM

I hear you... I do a bit of electronic work, but there is nothing that comes close to the feeling of actually playing. Its two different worlds. I have debates with other folks who are even more intensely defensive of djembe and traditional folk styles than I am. They worry about computers and electronics killing the need or the value for the real thing. I don't think its even a remote concern.

wy yung

09-05-2009, 12:39 AM

Good work Jason.

Here is a drum I use for teaching quite a bit.

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy168/percussionteacher-1/IMGP5255.jpg

I generally do not use it on gigs because it's too heavy and I do not have a stand for it. So live, I use this.

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy168/percussionteacher-1/IMGP5321.jpg

Of course I own several djembes. Many I have so that students can use them.

Garvin

09-05-2009, 04:13 AM

That looks like a bugurabu from Drumskulls Wy... am I right?

wy yung

09-05-2009, 06:24 AM

That looks like a bugurabu from Drumskulls Wy... am I right?

Yeah but from African Percussion.

Lovely drum.

Skulmoski

09-05-2009, 06:24 AM

That looks like a bugurabu from Drumskulls Wy... am I right?

Got one very, very similar to this one and in hare wood from DrumSkull. Heavy is right! I made the mistake of buying only one when I should have bought a matched set of three bugurabus. I played a set of two bugurabus in a setup similar to a conga setup and it was sweet. Can't say enough good things about the lads at DrumSkull.

GJS

Skulmoski

09-05-2009, 06:36 AM

Here's a little piece of video from our performance last night. I'm the guy in the green shirt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC7_mZW2u5M

Hey Garvin, I enjoyed that. Well done.

GJS

wy yung

09-05-2009, 08:41 AM

Here's a little piece of video from our performance last night. I'm the guy in the green shirt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC7_mZW2u5M

That was cool. Djembe in the gazeebo! :-)

TTNW

09-05-2009, 03:21 PM

i was in a rush last time so i reshot the vids. here you go...new and impoved:

let me know what you think.

any djembe players on line here?

j

Thanks Jason. I got a djembe last year as a gift and I love it. I want to get a stand for it so I can also put it to the left of my high hat.

The vids are good. As always, I learned something. I've already started playing my Kuku patterns.

Is anybody else completely intimidated about the prospect of having to change a djembe head one day. Luckily mine has tight knots all the way around but it seems more complicated than restringing a tennis racket!

NUTHA JASON

09-06-2009, 07:52 PM

only replace a head if it rips. to tighten the skin is quite simple its called a mali weave. go here for a good explaination:

http://djemberhythms.com/maliweave.htm

when it comes to actual head replacement i send my drums to a pro. but then i have a nice budget to play with

j

TTNW

09-06-2009, 08:53 PM

Thanks. Seems simple enough.

NUTHA JASON

09-06-2009, 11:58 PM

wy yung

09-07-2009, 03:14 AM

thats a beautiful drum wy yung.

Cheers mate.

Another view.

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy168/percussionteacher-1/IMGP5256.jpg

You know what, the Pearl is not bad either for what it is. I've got some others that are good, some a bit hit and miss but they are for teaching. I also like to use timbaus and repique de maos mixed in with djembes for circle stuff.

Repique de mao.

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy168/percussionteacher-1/IMGP5299.jpg

Timbau and other stuff.

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy168/percussionteacher-1/con2.jpg

NUTHA JASON

09-07-2009, 12:56 PM

nice.

although its not really a djembe its a Bougarabou ... but the two are so similar. Bougarabou's have an elongated bowl like yours.
http://www.earthvibemusic.com/kambala/KBO137%2013x24%20Bougarabou.jpg http://www.earthvibemusic.com/kambala/KDJ104.jpg

wy yung

09-08-2009, 12:39 AM

NUTHA JASON

09-08-2009, 12:41 AM

i can't even pronounce it! lol.

MEL

09-18-2009, 11:31 PM

To return to Jason and Garvin's orginal debate, I wonder if it would be productive to have a precise, standardized vocabulary for all the sounds you can get on hand drums.

In particular, it seems that Jason's slap and Garvin's slap produce different sounds. My teachers called the former a rim tap, and the latter an open slap (as opposed to the closed slap commonly used in the tumbao on congas).My teachers also taught me strokes that they called heel-toe strokes, muted tones, muted slaps, and muted rim taps (the first stroke in the martillo as played on bongos). The masters don't limit themselves to just three strokes: I've seen Giovanni Hidalgo use all these strokes and more on congas, and even play cascara with his finger nails:

http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Through-Giovanni-Hidalgo-Hernandez/dp/B0001XAM5Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1253305506&sr=8-2

Likewise, while Famoudou, Mamady and the other West Africans insist that a Garvin style slap is the basis of their Malinke rhythms, they use other strokes too. I've seen the West African masters use Jason style slaps while soling; watch Mamady Keita get an amazing variety of sounds out of his drum on his Djembe Kan DVD:

http://www.africanrhythmtraders.com/html/afdvds.html

Also, just like kit drummers debate the merits of various cymbals, heads, and techniques, wouldn't there be some benefit to a respectful debate over the merits of various strokes?

Since I don't have video equipment, I'll state right out that I'm not a musician of the caliber of Jason or Garvin; and then ask the others in this community if it seems to them that while Jason's stroke is easier to play, wouldn't it be faster to switch between a Garvin style slap and a tone, once you've mastered both strokes?

Also, does it seems to other people that while a full palette of sounds is desirable, certain drums really sing with certain techniques? For example, a Jason style rim tap/slap and a muted rim tap are the essence of the bongo's sound for me. Likewise, open tones and closed slaps seem to be where the conga really sings. And, listen to the contrast between Famoudou Konate's Malinke style tones and slaps in the second half of this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOouiKe0itE&feature=PlayList&p=ADBA7B5445A5487D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=11

Is it just me, or is there more of a contrast here than between Jason's tone and slap? It seems to me -- and I'm not a physicist, so I'm on shaky ground here -- that Famodou's slap damps the fundamental tone of the head and lets out the high harmonics, and his tone damps almost all the high harmonics; while Jason's strokes show more of a mixture of frequencies. Perhaps this is why (and this is only my opinion) it seems like the djembe sings in full voice with the basic Malinke techniques; which is not to say that different techniques are not appropriate in different situations. What do you think?

wy yung

09-19-2009, 12:28 AM

Mel, good points. I pretty much try to learn as many ways of striking a drum as I can and do not favor one way over another. I think it all comes down to what works best in the situation at hand. The only limits are those we impose upon ourselves. I often use sticks on bongos, for example. There is a whole tradition of playing bongos with sticks in Brazil. So why not. There are no limits and everything has its place.

Pollyanna

09-19-2009, 02:04 AM

Thanks for an informative post, Mel.

I have a small 8" djembe bought from an African guy's stall at Newtown fair day. Obviously there's less differentiation between the tones than with a larger drum.

I never managed to worked out that fabulous slap sound Garvin talked about. I never got it on conga either. I've read the descriptions. I've seen the video tutorials - and I STILL can't get it!

So I use the rim tap as the high voice. Example of my unschooled approach here (http://www.sangrea.net/rijidij/mp3/bm_15sep_misunderstood.mp3) (apart from putting some of Jason's lessons into practice - thanks Jason :)

I don't know what the tones I'm playing are called, apart from the rim tap . If anyone can tell me what I'm doing that would be good LOL. We don't have many djembe teachers in my area. I emailed about the only local guy I could find but our schedues clashed.

Another question. When my djembe loses its mojo I'd like to get a synthetic djembe because I'd prefer not having animals die for my music. What are people's opinions of the quality of synthetic djembes' sound as compared with traditional drums?

Cheers

Skulmoski

09-19-2009, 05:30 AM

Another question. When my djembe loses its mojo I'd like to get a synthetic djembe because I'd prefer not having animals die for my music. What are people's opinions of the quality of synthetic djembes' sound as compared with traditional drums. Cheers

Stay away from synthetic djembes unless you like to play in the rain. I had a Remo djembe for one week and returned it due to poor sound quality. The goats did not die for a drum head; rather, it died to be someone's food. The drum head is a by-product.

This topic has been discussed to great depth at Djembefola (http://djembefola.com/board/index.php) and the djembe group at the http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/djembe-l/messages. The consensus is to stay away from synthetic djembes and save your money until you can buy a pro quality drum.

I personally love DrumSkull djembes (I have 8 of their drums), but there are other high quality djembes around. A pro quallity djembe will last a lifetime and bring you lots of drumming pleasure. The difference between a high quality, authentic West African and a synthetic djembe is just a few hundred dollars. This is a small price to pay to step up to a pro quality drum that can last a life time. After 20 years, the extra outlay you paid for a magnificent drum will be long forgotten!

Happy drumming

GJS

wy yung

09-19-2009, 06:52 AM

Another question. When my djembe loses its mojo I'd like to get a synthetic djembe because I'd prefer not having animals die for my music. What are people's opinions of the quality of synthetic djembes' sound as compared with traditional drums?

Cheers

The Remo drums are great. I remember a percussionist in Cirque de soleil being very happy when the MD who made him use a traditional djembe left the act. The percussionist was then able to bring in a Remo and it made his life so much better not having to worry about the tuning and weather.

Pollyanna

09-19-2009, 03:10 PM

Skulmoski

09-19-2009, 04:25 PM

Okaaay, this is confusing, but all good info; thanks. Actually, I'm working on getting the guys in the band to do some unplugged busking, so a Remo might work out well there. I'll have to hit the drum shops and take a Remo for a test drive.

I find it hard to imagine a synthetic drum sounding as sweet as this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S7rB93QftQ) but I suspect that the guy's technique has something to do with it too.

Remos should work well for busking; it is also a very light drum. If you take your Remo to a drum circle, be aware that there are some drum circle snobs who scoff at plastic drums.

GJS

Pollyanna

09-19-2009, 04:49 PM

Remos should work well for busking; it is also a very light drum. If you take your Remo to a drum circle, be aware that there are some drum circle snobs who scoff at plastic drums.

Thanks for the heads up, Skul. I haven't thought too much about joining a drum circle. I'm not sure I've ever felt I was of that standard. How do drum circles form? Is it all networking? I'm not sure I've ever seen an ad inviting people to try out for drum circles.

Skulmoski

09-20-2009, 05:10 AM

Thanks for the heads up, Skulmoski. I haven't thought too much about joining a drum circle. I'm not sure I've ever felt I was of that standard. How do drum circles form? Is it all networking? I'm not sure I've ever seen an ad inviting people to try out for drum circles.

The nice thing about drum circles is that nice people of all drumming abilities usually show up. Most people are welcome as long as "Drum Circle Etiquette is followed: http://www.drumcircle.com/articles/etiquette.html.

To find a circle of drummers, you might i) inquire at your local music stores, and/or ii) follow the djembe group at the http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/djembe-l/messages which often posts notices of drum circles.

If you can't find a local drumming group then you are in a great position to start your own; I did!

Best wishes,

GJS

MEL

09-20-2009, 11:46 AM

Pollyanna: It sounded like you were playing basses and tones in your example. I think you should try tuning your drum higher; it will help you get the different "slap" sounds. So will moving up to a bigger, probably more expensive djembe, whether Remo or traditional.

Anyway, to tune your djembe, here's an example of the most common rope tightening pattern http://djemberhythms.com/maliweave.htm (http://djemberhythms.com/maliweave.htm)

Tighten the head until the bass sound begins to get choked off, then back off a bit. The ideal tuning allows a balance between the bass, tone and slap sounds.

Listening to your clip, I think you're more than ready to play in a drum circle -- no one's going to suggest that you play the rain stick ;)

As for lessons, even an incidental lesson when you happen to be in a town where a good teacher lives can do marvels for your technique. When I'm in the States, I plan to see a guy named Alan Tauber in the Boston area -- he's not an "African Master", but he goes to study in Guinea with Famoudou Konate every year, and more importantly, he's got the ability to spot a way to improve my technique and to explain himself well. Also, Mamady, Famoudou and other Malinke drummers are constantly touring the world and doing clinics, whether for a day, a weekend or longer. Teachers and experienced players at a drum circle can also help you with drum tuning.

By the way, the open slap as practiced by the Malinke drummers seems to me to be the most difficult and subtle of all the hand drum strokes. Once you get a good lesson or three, you'll need to spend a lot of time paying attention to how you hit the drum and the sound it makes. When you notice your open slaps are getting higher and drier, and your tones are deeper and purer, try and repeat what you just did to make that sound. It can be a pleasant and meditative exercise if you go about it in a relaxed way -- and relaxation is the key to a good open slap.

Pollyanna

09-20-2009, 02:19 PM

Thanks very much for the info and advice, Mel. And thanks for the DC etiquette link, Skul. Much appreciated.

I wasn't aware that I could retune it. The knot is so tight I can't imagine being able to pull and tie if odd tighter than it is. I wouldn't mind a slightly bigger drum anyway. I'll buy a Remo if I'm ok with the tone and hope I don't get in trouble with purists in drum circles ...

Good idea to arrange a one-off lesson. I had five drum lessons back in the 70s and even those few lessons gave me enough material to work on for some time to really refine ('tho, being young, I thought it was too basic at the time). And, of course, the one lesson by Jason on the fundamentals helped me know a bit more about what I was doing.

I was sent a very helpful PM explaining how to get the open slap and tried it this afternoon. Since I live in an apartment with poor soundproofing I soon realised that practising the slap will be anything but a meditative experience for my neighbours (even if it is for me). I might try 5 mins per day. At the moment my ratio with my right hand seems to be around one slap per 10 tries and zero with my left. A long way to go ... but glad that I wouldn't be given the rain stick :)

MEL

09-20-2009, 08:05 PM

Since I live in an apartment with poor soundproofing I soon realised that practising the slap will be anything but a meditative experience for my neighbours (even if it is for me).

LOL. I've draped a t-shirt or a light towel over my drums to reduce the volume of the tones and slaps. I prefer the feel of skin on skin, but playing with some cloth over the drum head really makes me focus on technique, since it's even harder to get good sounds, and I find I play a little cleaner when I take it off. Try it — some people don't mind it, others hate it. You can also rest the base of your drum on a pillow to muffle the bass.

If you're looking for a little more advice, here are two websites which give good explanations of how to play Malinke style:

http://www.larryswanson.com/music-and-dance/djembe-technique.htm
http://djembefola.com/sounds.php

and here's a really interesting website that explains some of the physics of the djembe and gives a rational for the techniques: http://www.drums.org/djembefaq/v20a.htm — I think I read it several years ago.

Cheers.

wy yung

09-21-2009, 01:56 AM

Pollyanna: It sounded like you were playing basses and tones in your example.

I thouight so too. Polly your time and feel is fine.

Pollyanna

09-21-2009, 02:42 AM

I thouight so too. Polly your time and feel is fine.

Thanks Wy. That was the focus. I'm happy just playing a support role in good-sounding music. I guess the next thing for me now is working on tone production and the slap. I can see myself slapping a lot of flat objects in the coming months :)

I seem to be getting the hang of it now. It feels like the first impact is my palm on the edge and my loose fingers follow like a whip. Then I read Mel's link, which said, "A slap should snap back like the end of a cracking bullwhip" so that seems promising. Is it right that the main impact is on the pads of the fingers? I can see it will take a lot of practice to shift smoothly back and forth between the bass and slap.

In the song I posted I'm doing something that I'm not sure is correct technique. I get a muted sound by striking the drum with a cupped hand, with fingers and heel of the hand striking simultaneously - the fingers making the sound and the heel doing the dampening. Is that ok or should I be playing the muted strokes with flat palm? Or are both approaches considered ok?

I'm not worried about speed, playing 32nds or anything too virtuosic because I've seen good players use 16ths pretty well exclusively to great effect, using different accents and tones while maintaining a smooth groove, like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT2J1Ot9N5c. It seems that a big part of the art is composing improvised lines that are engaging enough to keep the other players interested but consistent enough for everyone to settle and work with the themes. Then the pieces have to tie up to create a cohesive rhythmic journey.

wy yung

09-21-2009, 02:59 AM

I seem to be getting the hang of it now. It feels like the first impact is my palm on the edge and my loose fingers follow like a whip. Then I read Mel's link, which said, "A slap should snap back like the end of a cracking bullwhip" so that seems promising. Is it right that the main impact is on the pads of the fingers? "Yes."

In the song I posted I'm doing something that I'm not sure is correct technique. I get a muted sound by striking the drum with a cupped hand, with fingers and heel of the hand striking simultaneously - the fingers making the sound and the heel doing the dampening. Is that ok or should I be playing the muted strokes with flat palm? Or are both approaches considered ok? There are no rules. Do what you feel sounds best for the piece. It sounds fine to me.

I'm not worried about speed, playing 32nds or anything too virtuosic because I've seen good players use 16ths pretty well exclusively to great effect, using different accents and tones while maintaining a smooth groove, It seems that a big part of the art is composing improvised lines that are engaging enough to keep the other players interested but consistent enough for everyone to settle and work with the themes.

Yeah it's like accents during a snare solo. One wants to be musical. I like to watch someone like Poncho Sanchez solo. He plays lovely melodic rhythms and does not worry about speed. As long as something is musical it is fine."

My answers above in bold.

wy yung

09-21-2009, 03:31 AM

Hey Pol, come into the shop and I'll give you a free lesson. I start teaching at 2.30 and then go through til 8.30 pm. If not today pop in tomorrow.

Cheers. Wy

Pollyanna

09-21-2009, 08:04 AM

Hey Pol, come into the shop and I'll give you a free lesson. I start teaching at 2.30 and then go through til 8.30 pm. If not today pop in tomorrow.

Cheers. Wy

Thanks Wy! It's funny - comunicating on a web forum at walking distance :) Loved the lesson.

Yeah, I like fairly simple and clear musical statements, although it's easy to get carried away in the heat of battle and go abstract ...

wy yung

09-22-2009, 01:45 AM

Thanks Wy! It's funny - comunicating on a web forum at walking distance :) Loved the lesson.

Yeah, I like fairly simple and clear musical statements, although it's easy to get carried away in the heat of battle and go abstract ...

You did great. Remember not to be hard on yourself and allow your body to develop the muscle memory.

So interesting to meet someone from the site. :-)

Pollyanna

09-22-2009, 03:52 PM

You did great. Remember not to be hard on yourself and allow your body to develop the muscle memory.

So interesting to meet someone from the site. :-)

True. It's important to be confident. I've done about 90 mins practice tonight because the storm dissuaded me from going to visit family. Another 50 sessions or so and I should be gettin' somewhere :)

Yup, it's cool. This is the second time this has happened to me. I was on an ethics and philosophy forum before getting lost in Drumland. One of my friends from the site also lives nearby and we still occasionally do coffee.