By which I mean that most hippies I've met have been terrible drummers who bang on their "african drums" like children.
Where do you live? Where I used to live, there was an african drumming studio. You might also just ask at your local drum or music shop -- there might be a drum teacher there who specializes in african percussion.
― Hurting (Hurting), Monday, 4 April 2005 00:34 (twenty years ago)
Fun little classical indian music exercise for the brain. There is a load more to it than this, but you'll get the idea.
Hehe, its a pretty tough thing to exaplin actually, I'll try...
Clap = A Clap (!)
Wave = Hold out your hand palm up
Little finger to thumb - clap your little finger and thumb
3rd finger to thumb - clap your 3rd finger and thumb
2nd finger to thumb - clap your 2nd finger and thumb
Do this in this 16 beat pattern. Practice so you can do it without thinking. Always stress the claps and waves.
1. Clap
2. Little finger to thumb
3. 3rd finger to thumb
4. 2nd finger to thumb
5. Clap
6. Little finger to thumb
7. 3rd finger to thumb
8. 2nd finger to thumb
9. Wave
10. Little finger to thumb
11. 3rd finger to thumb
12. 2nd finger to thumb
13. Clap
14. Little finger to thumb
15. 3rd finger to thumb
16. 2nd finger to thumb
Count out numbers aloud over the top of it, one number to each beat.
Counting 1-2-3-4/1-2-3-4 will be easy, so try counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (so you'll be saying 5 on the second clap of the pattern) Then try counting to 6 or 7.
If you're counting to 5 you can either go back to counting 1 when you get the first beat of the pattern or you can just keep counting until you count 1 on the first beat of the pattern again. You always need to know (feel) where the claps and waves are.
You can also count more than number to each beat of the pattern to get faster rhythms. Classical Indian musicians would make amazing beat boxers!
I walk around doing this all the time, you can make some pretty tough rhythms. Once you feel comfortable with it, translate it to a drum where counting the numbers become hits on the drum, do it to a pulse, but remember you always have to be aware of the claps and waves. Make patterns out of it, e.g a big hit on each clap, leave the wave beat empty etc.
Fun Fun Fun!
― T0MB, Monday, 4 April 2005 13:37 (twenty years ago)