Drum Circle Culture

[spiritdrum]

Just my opinion,

Drum circles are a great opportunity for people to practice what they are learning, specifically relating to timing since the parts you may be learning somewhere else won't really fit seemlessly with others rhythms.

If you need to work on timing and foundation beats with bass, many drum circles would love you cause most people don't play a steady rhythm.

The drum circles I've experienced come with a lot of "dirty energy." A lot of people go to "heal" to the music. As a result, a lot of people bring a lot of their stuff to the circle. Sure there is drinking and ego, but I'm talking about "energy"

For somebody who has been studying, I think that a drum circle can actually be a hinderance to your evolution as a drummer because most people don't listen, play on top of others, the conga players hates the djembe players,

AND the bottom line is that you will play your best when you are playing with people that are the same or better ability and can push you and encourage your strengths.

That being said, there is a purpose for everything. Drum circles bring together community (yes all types and tribes) and allow you to just be.

I was never really able to just express myself in a drum circle until I got rhythms in my body. And for me, I go through my head (cerebral). My techique, the way I learn, has always been commented by drum circle types as too technical or whatever.

Now, I'm not really inspired by what I hear at most drum circles, do not appreciate the disrespect for my drums and my body. But ya know, sometimes i need a balance after playing rumba with the guys.

peace,

lisa

[congamyk]

Lisa that is a fantastic synopsis.

For somebody who has been studying, I think that a drum circle can actually be a hinderance to your evolution as a drummer because most people don't listen, play on top of others, the conga players hates the djembe players

Edited By congamyk on 1184250482

[JohnnyConga]

David IT IS AROUND THE WORLD NOW...UGH!...it's called

DRUMCAFE.COM........corporate drum facilitators....actually consisting of a bunch of amateurs running around the country making 'big bucks' of off corporations creating..what is called "Team Challange"..I know cause I was a facilitator in Florida long before DrumCafe.com jumped on it....they recruit all over the world.....but they don't want 'real" players..they want people to follow "their" program...my personal experience with them was not good....but for someone else maybe...."JC" Johnny Conga...

[congamyk]

DRUMCAFE.COM... that's hilarious.
Here's a little diddy I wrote just now.



do the white-boy-shuffle at the DrumCafe
it's nothing like rumba and alot you'll pay

Grab a drum - get seated by a corporate blonde
look it's a circle on the city park lawn

They got bug spray, bottled water, tent overhead
fans and microphones - there's my Manager Fred!

Madonna's in, Angelina, Al Gore too
No clave here - jus what sounds good to you

got my $80 djembe with African design
don't know how to tune it - it plays just fine

My arms are getting tired - better stand in line
look there's snacks and cheese and glasses of wine

we jam out to heavy metal, rockabilly, all that crap
we're ethnic and hip - hey where's my hat?

50 bucks I paid for that Kangol look
now my cool is gone and my car keys took!

should have went to the rumba and paid my dues
now it's back to the basement without a clue



Edited By congamyk on 1184263830

[korman]

I think to understand drum circles, this activity needs to be mentally clearly separated both from profesional musicianship and traditional folkloric drumming. Though on the outside it looks similar, really it's not.

Somebody said those people are not learning and play the same simple rhythms over and over. Think about yourselves. How much have you progressed in swimming, riding a bike, cooking a steak or making a salad? If you don't have a goal of becoming a professional athlete or a chef, probably not much. It's the same with drums for many people, once they reach some level they think is acceptable, they don't want to progress any further. The drum is just means to some other ends - having fun or spiritual experience. As long as they're not violating local noise regulations, who're you to say they're wrong? They're not on the same track as most of us.

At the same time this whole phenomenon is new because mass produced hand drums are new. In the old times drumming was a specialised tradition, not for everybody. Instruments were made by masters, and you had to learn to play from masters. Now it's not the same.
Drumming actually is not the only art that is experiencing change and disturbance from older patterns. Take photography, for instance. With the explosion of mass manufactured digital cameras, every other guy wants to be a photographer, and even in my small country there are several internet forums where people post and comment their images. Many of them even shoot weddings and such.
The professional photographers disdain them all, saying they're just a bunch of geeks. And it's getting harder for professionals to make the living, because people no longer understand the difference between a professional and just a guy with a camera.

The same with drumming. If you happily bang away in a drum circle, don't go thinking you're a drummer! And certainly don't ask a drummer to bang on his drums in a break, or to sit in with his band!
So as long as everybody understands, that these are different things it should be ok.

I have been learning drumming for three years, and at first I was very happy with local park drum circle, because there I could play and try out things freely. Much less stress than in lessons and rehearsals. As I got better, I was getting bored there and left. But I still miss that complete freedom and relaxed atmosphere, so if there was a drum circle with some entry requirements regarding playing skills, I'd love to come now and then!



Edited By korman on 1184307189

[congamyk]

this pretty much sums up this thread.

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[akdom]

I guess mos of you won't like my answer, but I do not like drum circles... To me, they kill the percussion by creating noise...

B

[Derbeno]

Thx for the Vid Myk, you spared me a trip to the local drumcircle meet to see what it's all about. And to think that these guys are organized, perish the thought of the cacophony at the free-for-all ones.
As long as they enjoy it that's absolutely fantastic but I'll gracefully pass.

[CongaTick]

Okay Myk, Though my initial reaction when the subject was brought up was "What could be so bad about them....blah..blah", after watching your vid I've changed my mind. It was embarassing to watch and listen to what in essence was a "therapy" session. But let's not confuse these with some of the absolutely cool, established park rhumba's many of us know and love.

[jmdriscoll]

IMO.... Regardless of what is done with an instrument, after learning how to play. People should give respect to the instrument and learn to play as it is traditionally played through learning the traditional patterns and playing style associated with it's roots. I mean... when learning the piano, how would it sound to just "free play", "from the heart" without investing MANY, MANY, MANY hours in learning in a traditional way? It would sound very simple, and have little or no color. This is why students are taught styles and pieces from the Classical Era.. where the piano emerged. Drums are no different! Playing from the heart after learning traditional patterns and style is what music is all about.

Although I do not see any drum circles in my future, whatever I decide to do with my conga playing during the course of my life, I will take the traditional patterns that I have learned and that I continue to practice along with me. It will add much style and complexity to whatever you apply it to.

[Congadelica]

Myk , Im with you on this one , When I comented earlier in this thread I thought you were meaning more of an organised directed with breaks and different patterns played. My 7 year old girl has more talent than most of them , I must admit it does fit an area of recreational maybe even spirtual market . so beit .
I enjoy playing with my maracatu ans samba band much different than drum circles you mention , I miss interpreted your meaning . I have heard of these corparate drum sessions . I have some collegues who have partisipated , they had fun by the sounds of things.

But for me also learning the craft and traditions is paramount for me .

marco

[bongosnotbombs]

this pretty much sums up this thread.

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This is absolutely NOTHING like the drum circle by my house, they
share nothing in common.

I guess I am going to have take pictures of what I am talking about...

Jeez you guys can be so quick to judge

[bongosnotbombs]

&searchThis is a little more like it, here's the drum circle late
on a very slow day, there can be twice as many drummers on a sunny day..

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

(p.s. I have edited the original video for certain reasons, this one above is pretty much the same. please respect my edit)

and this is the typical scene of the audience

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

so fair enough, you can say what you like about the music, it's not rumba or anything, but on a sunny afternoon it's a great way to kill a couple of hours...

but there is no way this is anything like that video Congamyk posted, not even remotely similar.



Edited By bongosnotbombs on 1184560342

[congamyk]

IMO.... Regardless of what is done with an instrument, after learning how to play. People should give respect to the instrument and learn to play as it is traditionally played through learning the traditional patterns and playing style associated with it's roots. I mean... when learning the piano, how would it sound to just "free play", "from the heart" without investing MANY, MANY, MANY hours in learning in a traditional way? It would sound very simple, and have little or no color. This is why students are taught styles and pieces from the Classical Era.. where the piano emerged. Drums are no different! Playing from the heart after learning traditional patterns and style is what music is all about.

Exactly, you nailed it!

These instruments we love and play - they have a UNIQUE and detailed history and countless musicians have spent their lives building a rudimentary study specifically designed for them! All instruments have a rudimentary study to truely understand the instrument and it's possibilities, yet just because it's easy to "hit" many people completely ignore the study and treat hand drums as though they are toys.

When I wanted to learn sax I had to listen to jazz and the great sax players (jazz) so I could even attempt to play it with musicality. The same is true for congas and anything less treats the instrument with a lack of dignity.

[congamyk]

This is a little more like it, here's the drum circle late
on a very slow day, there can be twice as many drummers on a sunny day..

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

Hey bongo I got to tell you the so-called "rhythm" in that video sucks. Some guy eating an apple and playing at the same time...funny. And the rhythm misses constantly - the timing is OFF everywhere. Everyone of these guys is nothing but a hobby, non-serious musician. Listen to the keyboard player - he doesn't know what he's doing. It is missing the beat all over the place.

IMO it is disrespect to the drum we love. At 2:47 there is a guy playing the clave and he doesn't even know 3-2 or 2-3, he isn't even playing a steady 1-2-3-4 beat at all!. There is no foundation and it is constantly shifting. I could teach a 3rd grade class to play this junk in 2 weeks with fewer "misses" in it.

Hey if you like it good for you but it disrespects the instrument and gives it a bad reputation. Many bands do not take the congas seriously because they see this monotonous, out of time crap being played without any understanding of music form. This is why many bands DON'T hire congueros and have a bias against auxillary percussion.



Edited By congamyk on 1184521402