In traditional West African drumming,
there are compositions, arrangements and actual pieces that have several
different interconnected parts, much like an orchestra or even a pop band with bass, rhythm and melody and these pieces or
arrangements have meaning and intention. Furthermore, they were and they are
still used for celebration, harvest, marriage, coming of age ceremonies and
many other reasons in different cultures. For some time, it was hard for people
to get itbecause the only exposure to djembes or drumming these people had
beenwild drum circles on the beach. Even though they were meditators they had
trouble understanding the concept of drummers actually holding parts, a meditation
in and of itself.Here is another example of what I am talking about in terms of
fusion or combining two or more different elements to make a new style of
drumming. In India and other places, there are Indian master tabla players
fusing Indian tabla rhythms to djembe and it is super cool. They are playing
their traditional Indian rhythms and advanced super relaxed hand techniques on
the djembe. It is really quite interesting. It is very impressive if you are
looking at it from the outside and observing the techniques, speed and finesse.
But it is missing something. To me, the spirit of the drum is not there. I want
to hear a traditional rhythm mixed in somewhere. I want to hear the combination
of Indian and African mixed together. For some strange reason, none of the
great drum players and teachers bother to learn even the most basic djembe
techniques, how to make the correct sounds (slap, bass, tone) or any
traditional West Africandjembe rhythms. In my opinion, if they did it, it would
be awesome and there would be true fusion.
People have different reasons for
drumming and no one reason is right or wrong. We all are expressing ourselves
in different ways through music. If you too want to express yourself, learn drumming
lessons Swansea, Neath.The proper
etiquette is to go and watch a class before you try to play for it, no matter
who you are. If you are not ready to play, then you are actually (or could
potentially) be holding the class back. The weakest link in the chain makes the
chain break and for drumming despite popular opinion it is not the more the
merrier. It is about quality not quantity. Also, if you are playing for a dance
class, you should know the pieces or material they are playing. And most
importantly, learn arrangements and how to play in harmony with others.
