As I approach the end of my Experiential Education degree program through Minnesota State University, Mankato, I realized that this final capstone project is about going beyond the blog that I created to document my learning in the program. So, I have developed it into a resource that can accentuate the information that I usually provide in my in-person, hands-on drumming sessions.
To that end, I selected an initial list (I will be adding more as time permits) of four commonly used drums for group drumming exercises, ones which I am familiar with, but which some people out there may not be. So, please take a look at the links above (next to "Drum Resource Pages"), to find out more information about these drums...they really add a unique voice to a drum circle, so I hope you enjoy.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
But the Beat Goes On...
I look forward to following the "drum path" that I've been on, and continuing to document my learnings along the way. I also plan to add more information to the resources section of the blog, so that it could also serve as a clearinghouse of information on group drumming as an organizational development tool in academic settings.
The beat goes on!
The beat goes on!
Book Review -- "The Drum: A History", by Matt Dean
When I saw "The Drum: A History" by Matt Dean on the New Book Shelf at the library that I work in, I thought it would be quite a fitting resource to complete my Experiential Education master's program. It is a hefty book--running 461 pages, it covers the history of the drum (as opposed to more general percussion instruments), with chapters such as "What is a Drum?", "Women Drummers", "The Modern Drumkit", and "Drumsticks". The meat of the book, though, is the history of this fascinating instrument on each continent--each continent has a chapter devoted to it (though Asia is split into "Western Asia" and "Southeast Asia").
Sufficed to say, I eagerly gobbled up the information in this book; I read the book cover to cover (not even skipping the chapter on drumsticks!). I was amazed at how much research the author Dean--who is a writer/blogger, an instructor, and professional drummer--performed on behalf of his dream to investigate the origins, uses, and varieties of the drum in all the world's cultures. The author rightly places his work in a long line of distinguished tomes that classify and describe percussion instruments and their history; I found Dean's book to be a very interesting read. His writing style worked well for the topic at hand, and even though the details of all the drums was a bit dry at some points, there were so many interesting bits of information, woven together in a relatively casual narrative style, that I was won over by it. As a librarian, I was pleasantly surprised to see the comprehensive and detailed back-of-the-book index as well.
The sections of the book that most attracted me were on the development of the hand drum in Western Asia and the many varieties of West African drums, such as the djembe--a popular "drum circle" drum. I learned that much of the drumming in the Near East in ancient times was for religious purposes, and was often done by women; this detail resonates with me, as I have noticed that the most enthusiastic and devoted group-drummers are women, and the drum circles are often used as a tool for spiritual and emotional growth and well-being. I also learned that the West and Southern African drum designs, which ranged from conical and goblet-shaped drums, to cylindrical drums and kettle-shaped drums, have been modernized and updated to what you would see in a typical drum circle today. Some of the most popular drums, the djembe and the ashiko, and even the modern invention of the "tubano" drum (see the "Drum Resource Pages" above the blog posts), are based on these designs.
All in all, a very good read for drum enthusiasts, and one which will probably be added to my personal library soon.
Sufficed to say, I eagerly gobbled up the information in this book; I read the book cover to cover (not even skipping the chapter on drumsticks!). I was amazed at how much research the author Dean--who is a writer/blogger, an instructor, and professional drummer--performed on behalf of his dream to investigate the origins, uses, and varieties of the drum in all the world's cultures. The author rightly places his work in a long line of distinguished tomes that classify and describe percussion instruments and their history; I found Dean's book to be a very interesting read. His writing style worked well for the topic at hand, and even though the details of all the drums was a bit dry at some points, there were so many interesting bits of information, woven together in a relatively casual narrative style, that I was won over by it. As a librarian, I was pleasantly surprised to see the comprehensive and detailed back-of-the-book index as well.
The sections of the book that most attracted me were on the development of the hand drum in Western Asia and the many varieties of West African drums, such as the djembe--a popular "drum circle" drum. I learned that much of the drumming in the Near East in ancient times was for religious purposes, and was often done by women; this detail resonates with me, as I have noticed that the most enthusiastic and devoted group-drummers are women, and the drum circles are often used as a tool for spiritual and emotional growth and well-being. I also learned that the West and Southern African drum designs, which ranged from conical and goblet-shaped drums, to cylindrical drums and kettle-shaped drums, have been modernized and updated to what you would see in a typical drum circle today. Some of the most popular drums, the djembe and the ashiko, and even the modern invention of the "tubano" drum (see the "Drum Resource Pages" above the blog posts), are based on these designs.
All in all, a very good read for drum enthusiasts, and one which will probably be added to my personal library soon.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
More Fresh Air
It's Spring Break Week here in Bemidji, and it's that time when I rediscover this blog. It's quite interesting to read and re-learn my development in organizational development, group drumming...Really this is all preparation and planning for my final, capstone project in my Experiential Education master's degree. Watch this space for more...
Overall, the last year has been one of great learning. The group drumming is going very well, and I have done another session for students and a couple more in the works.
Note to self: after seeing Mu Daiko, a Twin Cities based percussion ensemble that focuses on traditional Japanse Taiko drumming performance, I might want to explore this as another aspect of group drumming experience. It was quite a performance that we saw in Grand Rapids, MN. Watching Mu Daiko was like no other experience...
Overall, the last year has been one of great learning. The group drumming is going very well, and I have done another session for students and a couple more in the works.
Note to self: after seeing Mu Daiko, a Twin Cities based percussion ensemble that focuses on traditional Japanse Taiko drumming performance, I might want to explore this as another aspect of group drumming experience. It was quite a performance that we saw in Grand Rapids, MN. Watching Mu Daiko was like no other experience...
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